Oleg Kushnirskiy’s Collection Was Awarded the Order of the Fabergé Foundation

Collectors perform their work not for the sake of awards but because they can’t do otherwise, following their calling. Yet, the collection’s recognition by experts, colleagues, and the public is an important stage in any collection’s development.

We are pleased to announce that Oleg Kushnirskiy and his collection have been recognized with the Order of Merit by the Fabergé Memorial Foundation: “For Merits in Orthodox Art.”

The Order was awarded “For special merits in the creation of a collection of Orthodox icons, many years of creative activity, and in connection with the publication of the book Russian Icons from the Mid-17th to the Early 20th Century.”

Certificate and Order.
Translation:
CERTIFICATE
For the awarding of the order
“For Merits in Orthodox Art”
To
OLEG SEMENOVICH KUSHNIRSKIY
For outstanding merits in creating a collection of Orthodox icons, long-term creative activity, and in connection with the publication of the book “Russian Icons from the Mid-17th to the Early 20th Century. The Oleg Kushnirskiy Collection.”
Herald Master and Academic Secretary of the Fabergé Memorial Foundation,
Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts,
Candidate of Art History, Professor
Valentin Vasilievich Skurlov
No. 36
Saint Petersburg, May 10, 2024

The award ceremony took place during the book’s presentation at the Museum of Christian Culture in St. Petersburg. Professor Valentin Skurlov, Herald Master and Academic Secretary of the Fabergé Foundation, Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, and Candidate of Art History, personally handed the Order over to the Director of Russian Icon Collection, Ilya Kushnirskiy.

This event, as Oleg Kushnirskiy confessed, was unexpected and, therefore, exceptionally significant for him: “I am very grateful for such a high evaluation of my work, as it’s truly the work of my lifetime. I hope that my collection and book will contribute to the preservation and popularization of Russian Orthodox art, helping people understand and appreciate this unique cultural heritage better. Receiving the Order of the Fabergé Memorial Foundation is not only an honor for me personally but also a recognition of the importance and value that the Russian icon enjoys today.”

Oleg Kushnirskiy also noted the award’s special value because of its initiation by one of the most respected art historians, Valentin Skurlov.

Valentin Skurlov is a notable expert on the legacy of Carl Fabergé and jewelry art. He is a consulting researcher of Fabergé at the Russian Department of Christie’s Antique House and a fine art valuation expert at the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. His dissertation “History and Traditions of the Fabergé Company in the Stonecutting Art of Russia (late 19th — early 21st centuries)” received high acclaim in the scholarly community and made a significant contribution to this field. He has 26 books and more than 300 publications in his academic track record.