When the Hermitage Amsterdam cut ties with the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it could have seemed like the Dutch museum was turning away from Russian culture, or even Russian artists. After all, the Dutch museum had spent 15 years showcasing masterpieces from the Russian institution, with exhibitions devoted to the Hermitage’s founder, Catherine the Great, and the House of Romanov, as well as the blockbuster “Jewels! The Glitter of the Russian Court.”But Annabelle Birnie, who runs the Amsterdam museum, doesn’t want anyone to be confused about the reasons for the split from its former exhibition partner. “Russian art was never part of the decision,” she said. “It was an economic boycott,” that “had nothing to do with the quality of Russian art and Russian artists,” she added.

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Persons: Catherine the Great, of Romanov, Annabelle Birnie, ”, “ Organizations: Hermitage Amsterdam, State Hermitage Museum, Russian Court Locations: St . Petersburg, Ukraine, Russian, Amsterdam