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The company Alvisa has become a patron of one of the largest museums in the world by joining the Hermitage Friends’ Club.
One of Russia’s leading alcoholic beverage companies has become a partner of the State Hermitage Museum in restoring an extensive canvas by battle painter Alexander von Kotzebue. “This is a sign of our profound respect for this great museum, in recognition of its invaluable contribution to preserving the national and global cultural heritage. The themes of heroism, memory, history, and patriotism conveyed through Kotzebue’s creations resonate closely with our company’s philosophy”, noted representatives from Alvisa’s press service. One of its factories is located in Dagestan, known for its heroic traditions. It is there that Alvisa is today building a tourist centre, scheduled to open in the first half of 2026.
The Hermitage Friends’ Club that Alvisa has joined was founded back in 1996, the first such philanthropic community at a Russian museum. By joining the Club, big corporations and individuals contribute to the life and activities of Russia’s main museum, ensuring its priceless treasures are preserved for future generations. “Your support is of the utmost importance for the museum to fulfill its mission, to preserve our collection and make it accessible. The Hermitage depends on a wide range of funding sources. There are many ways to support our museum. By joining the Hermitage Friends Club, you will help us ensure the preservation and enhancement of the collection for future generations to come,” notes Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum, addressing friends of the museum.
It is symbolic that, since 13 April 2005, Gaius Cilnius Maecenas’ birthday, is celebrated as Patron’s Day in Russia on the initiative of Mikhail Piotrovsky himself. Incidentally, the Hermitage collection houses Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s masterpiece Maecenas Presenting the Liberal Arts to Emperor Augustus, acquired during Catherine II’s reign.
Now, 13 April holds special significance for Alvisa too, whose support will enable Alexander von Kotzebue’s painting The Russian Troops under the Command of A.V. Suvorov Crossing St Gotthard Pass on 13 September 1799, created in the 1850s, to be restored.
Alexander von Kotzebue stands out among Russian academic battle painters of the second half of the 19th century. Throughout his career, he worked exclusively for two emperors: Nicholas I and Alexander II. His monumental works depicting significant events in Russian military history were for display in the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace.
Kotzebue’s creative method was unique: meticulous attention to detail and scrupulous study of historical periods allowed him to create artworks that could be equated to historical documents. At the same time, all these pieces possessed high artistic qualities: dynamic composition, dramatic lighting, emotional accents. No wonder Andrey Somov, an expert art historian and senior curator of the Hermitage, wrote about him: “Kotzebue belongs to the new school battle artists who treat their subjects not only as scenes of struggle but also as landscape challenges… His compositions are full of life and often very poetic, with precise drawing, brilliant harmonious colours, and free brushwork equally skilled in both figures and landscapes.”
Today, the Hermitage has the world’s biggest collection of Alexander von Kotzebue paintings.
Collaboration with the Hermitage in restoring Alexander von Kotzebue’s painting The Russian Troops under the Command of A.V. Suvorov Crossing St Gotthard Pass on 13 September 1799 marks Alvisa’s first philanthropic project. Producing and distributing products across ten categories, owning seven plants (five in Russia and two abroad), Alvisa ranks among the most dynamically developing players on the Russian alcoholic beverages market. As General Director Dmitry Novitsky points out, “the company is continuing to grow, investing in constructing new integrated production facilities in the country, as well as distribution networks and brand creation”. In 2024, Alvisa ranked second nationwide in terms of revenue growth.
Now, though, the company is enhancing its symbolic capital by entering the Hermitage Friends’ Club, becoming a benefactor of one of the world’s greatest museums. “Future Has its Own Taste”, this key message reflects Alvisa’s corporate philosophy. Socially responsible initiatives, support for cultural projects, charity, and patronage: these efforts are investments in our common future.