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Drawn from the unrivalled collection of the world-famous State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, and published as part of the international celebrations to mark the city's 300th anniversary in 2003, this stunning book presents an extraordinary selection of nearly fifty paintings by fifteen western European women artists An Imperial Collection explores how women as patrons, painters and subjects contributed to the cultural history of Russia. Eminent families formed collection and created artistic commissions that brought women artists such as Elisabeth Vig$ee-Lebrun and Angelica Kauffman to Russia and extended the influence of western European art to the royal court of the tsars. Some women artists were allowed into the inner circles of the aristocracy, providing an 'insider' view into the private, intimate side of court life. The book will appeal to anyone interested in women artists, the history of Russian patronage of the arts, and Russian imperial history and culture.