Hermitage Friends view the exhibition “Robert Walpole and His Collection”

On 9 November 2018, members of the Hermitage friends’ club were invited to the Menshikov Palace so as to independently visit the temporary exhibition “Robert Walpole and His Collection”.

The new exhibition is devoted to a man who was Britain’s first-ever prime minister and a passionate art collector – Sir Robert Walpole. The display includes a portrait of Sir Robert by Jean-Baptiste Van Loo, an engraved two-volume publication of his gallery at Houghton Hall and 21 engravings from that publication on separate sheets that come from the collection of the State Hermitage.

On that evening, the exhibition was opened exclusively for the Hermitage Friends. Also on that date, the Mein Herz restaurant located in the Menshikov Palace gave the Friends an exclusive discount on all items in the menu and drinks. The guests were able to enjoy a splendid dinner in the cosy setting of the restaurant to the accompaniment of live music, with a saxophonist playing all evening for them.