Explore Chinese History and Art at the Tretyakov Gallery
The State Tretyakov Gallery is currently hosting ‘From Beijing to Moscow: Dialogue between Cultures,’ an exhibition of over 90 authentic historical artifacts from the National Museum of China that reflect the evolution of Chinese art through the centuries.
The exhibition celebrates 75 years of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, which were formally established in 1949. It also marks the end of the two official Years of Culture between China and Russia that took place in 2024–2025, during which the countries honoured each other’s culture by collaborating, exchanging experience, and organising various dedicated events.
For the exhibition, over 90 items were loaned to the Tretyakov Gallery by the National Museum of China, which houses the single largest collection of Chinese artifacts and relics. These items showcase the history of later Chinese dynasties—the Ming and Qing dynasties—that ruled the empire between the 14th and the 19th centuries. Historically, this time period is seen as the pinnacle of Chinese painting and calligraphy.
Spanning rooms 49–54, the exhibition features a wide array of items—from historical documents and scrolls displaying calligraphy to watercolour landscapes and portraits—displayed in tasteful arrangements. To illustrate the items within a physical space, some are placed in rooms furnished in a traditional Chinese style—for example, as a study of a Confucian scholar. Interactive and tactile elements further enrich the experience for visitors.