The Collection of Georges Matcheret and Nadia Wolkonsky, was the title of an exhibition of ‘envelope’ art, at the State Hermitage Museum. The entire collection of ‘vlop-art’ was purchased from the families of Georges Matcheret and Nadia Wolkonsky by the Foundation in 2012 and gifted to the State Hermitage Museum.

The 848 envelopes on display, decorated by distinguished artists from the Soviet underground, Russian émigré artists and famous figures of the Russian Post-soviet art scene, were sent as ‘letters’ from Georges Matcheret the artist to the collector Nadia Wolkonsky. Even though such a small area as an envelope occupies cannot be held to be too demanding of an artist’s time, nevertheless all 848 envelopes illustrate the artists’ genius.

Press release