The exhibition " Petersburg Pastel in Peterhof " , carried out in the gallery of the Benois Family Museum since June 4 till October 3, 2004, has collected 29 authors, members of the St.-Petersburg Union of Artists. 96 works executed by dry and oil pastel are submitted at it. This exhibition is a part of the project " Petersburg Pastel ", begun in 2000 and devoted to 300-anniversary of St.-Petersburg, and now organicly entered in the program of forthcoming celebrating of 300-anniversary of Peterhof in 2005. In the Peterhof State-Museum Reserve are kept remarkable pastels of the Russian artists. The pastels of Z. Serebryakova (1884-1967), kept in the Benois Family Museum, are especially known in the art world.

The formation of an exhibition of modern pastel art for Peterhof is a development of tradition of Russian pastel art, arisen in the capital of the Russian empire St.-Petersburg in XVIIIth century. At the exhibition in the Benois Family Museum the best works of the known Petersburg artists are submitted.

Pastel is remarkable material for free improvisation of artist. The pensil-artists, painters and foreman of decorative - applied art use it in their work. At the exhibition are both realists and avant-gardists, that gives it the special ease and grace. The spectator will see remarkable still lifes, portraits, lyrical landscapes, finely executed pastels of naked models. At the exhibition there are a lot of flowers and sincere warmth created by works of the artists and the interiors of museum gallery.

The name of the project " Petersburg Pastel " reflects participation in it not only artists, but also Petersburg producers, turning out dry pastel. The permanent sponsor of the project - the firm "OLKI".

It was very joyful to the participants of the project to feel attention, which have shown to them the general director of the Peterhof State-Museum Reserve V.Znamenov, manager of the department O.Gerasimchuk, scientific workers A.Lakhnik and A.Nerobov and other employees of the Benois Family Museum, and also representatives of the Benois family, arrived on an opening day.