Russian Government Gives Final Approval for Royal Academy Exhibition

9 January 2008

The Royal Academy of Arts has today received official notification from Mr. Mikhail Shvydkoy, Director of the Russian Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography, approving the loans for the London exhibition From Russia: French and Russian Master Paintings 1870 – 1925 from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The exhibition, sponsored by E.ON, will open to the public at the Royal Academy as planned on 26 January 2008.

Mr. Shvydkoy said: ‘Having consulted with colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have come to the conclusion that, having received the maximum possible assurance of the British Government, there is therefore every reason to permit the holding of such exhibition in the designated time frame – from 26 January to 18 April 2008.’

Charles Saumarez Smith, Chief Executive, Royal Academy of Arts said: ‘The Royal Academy of Arts is absolutely delighted that the long process of negotiation over the future of our ‘From Russia’ exhibition has now been satisfactorily completed, thanks to the enormous help and close collaboration which the Royal Academy has received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography, the Russian Embassy in London and the British Embassy in Moscow as well as the four Russian State Museums. We are grateful to them all.’