Rubens and His Age: Masterpieces From the Hermitage Museum

The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum presents Rubens and His Age: Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum from February 6, 2006 through July 31, 2006.

The eighth exhibition to be opened at the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum,
Rubens and His Age is organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New
York in partnership with the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
It contains a selection of nearly 50 masterworks -- paintings and decorative
objects -- by Rubens and other acclaimed artists such as Anthony van Dyck,
Jacob Jordaens, Jacob Van Oost the Elder, Adriaen van Utrecht, and Frans
Snyders among others, most of whom were Rubens' pupils or collaborators.

"This new exhibit gives visitors to Las Vegas as well as members of the
community the opportunity to appreciate great masterpieces they may not have a
chance to see," stated Rob Goldstein, president and COO of The Venetian Resort
Hotel Casino. "And with the five-year anniversary of the partnership between
The Venetian and The Guggenheim fast approaching we are proud that the past
seven exhibits have continually given our guests the chance to see art that is
truly exceptional and rare. It is with pride and admiration that we present
this show."

"This is possibly the most visually luxurious and exciting show we have
ever presented. These opulent images and objects have seldom been seen
outside of Russia, let alone in the United States," stressed Elizabeth
Herridge, managing director, Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. "We are honored and
very proud to be able to present these masterpieces to the Las Vegas
audience."

Organized into four thematic sections Mythology, Religion, Genre and
Landscape, and Portraits, the exhibition provides an intense vision of the
Flemish baroque, a period of which the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg has
one of the richest and most extensive collections in the world. This period
represents, without doubt, an extraordinary age of artistic creation,
dominated by one of the most outstanding figures in the History of Art, Peter
Paul Rubens. This brilliant Flemish painter was a singular figure not only
because of his artistic genius but due to his enormous intellect and interest
in the subjects of his day which drove him to amass a profound knowledge of
humanist themes. His command of Latin and several modern languages, as well
as diplomatic skills, which made him a reference model for many other artists,
including the Spaniard Velazquez.

Together with the mythological and religious masterpieces, the penetrating
portraits and still lifes, the exhibition also includes priceless decorative
art objects, the design and creation of which were commissioned in many cases
by Rubens himself. These items provide visitors to the exhibition with an
idea of the cultural context in which this artist worked.

The exhibition has been organized by Natalya Babina and Natalya Gritsay,
Curators of Flemish Painting, Natalia Serebrianaya, Curator of 18th Century
French Painting, and Marina Lopato, Curator of Western European Goldsmith
Work, at the State Hermitage Museum, in consultation with Susan Davidson,
Curator, Solomon. R. Guggenheim Museum. The exhibition is accompanied by an
illustrated checklist (36 pages, $9.95).

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rem Koolhaas, the Guggenheim
Hermitage Museum is located at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, 3355 Las
Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas NV 89109. Open daily from 9:30 AM to 8:30 PM.
Museum store open daily 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Public exhibition tours are
offered most afternoon and evenings. Call (702) 414-2493 for times and
availability. Admission is $19.50 adults, $15.00 seniors, $15.00 Nevada
residents, $12.50 students with ID, $9.50 children 6-12, under six are free.
Audio guides are included in the price of admission. For general information about the museum, please visit http://www.guggenheimlasvegas.org.

The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, a repeated recipient of AAA's Four
Diamond Award and the largest Mobil four-star property in the world, is one of
the most luxurious resort and convention destinations. Re-creating Venice's
legendary landmarks, the resort offers unmatched service and quality for both
leisure and corporate guests. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip,
The Venetian features The Grand Canal Shoppes, an indoor streetscape complete
with gondolas and singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, world-class
gaming, exquisite restaurants, the Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum, and a wide
variety of entertainment venues on its premises, as well as extensive
convention and corporate services. For additional information, visit The
Venetian website at http://www.venetian.com.

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