The first month of spring is traditionally associated with International Women's Day, which has been celebrated in our country for over a century. The original essence of the holiday is completely different from the way it is understood now. There are no certain traditions associated with International Women's Day.

The 8^th of march is a day filled with warmth, love and respect. Today this spring holiday is perceived as a bright and joyful day when men congratulate women, confess their feelings to them and please them with pleasant trifles.

However, the starting point for the establishment of International Women's Day is considered to be the Women's March, which took place on March 8, 1908 in New York City. On that day, women marched down Broadway and other major streets of the city, advocating for equal rights with men and better working conditions. They demanded shorter working hours, higher wages, and the right to vote. After this march and similar demonstrations that followed in different countries, the 8^th of March came to symbolize women's struggle for their rights. It was a period when a woman had neither the right to vote nor the right to inheritance, and in Russia, until 1914, she did not even have a passport and was listed in her father's or husband's passport. So, naturally, all these socio-economic and political issues needed to be resolved.

Over time, the holiday began to lose its social colouring, and the main thing was to show attention to the fair sex – both, from the friends groups and in the family. International Women's Day celebrates the achievements of women – regardless of nationality, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences.

In 1975, the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 8 as a day to celebrate women's achievements in all areas of life and to protest against the vestiges of inequality. Each year, the organization announces a theme for International Women's Day.

In 2025, the theme of the holiday is ‘For all women, regardless of their age and nationality: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’.

This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change.

The motto of this year's celebration calls for action that can ensure equal rights and opportunities for all women, their happy future in which no one is left unappreciated. Central to this vision is the empowerment of the next generation - young people, especially young women and adolescent girls, as a real driving force for lasting change.’

We congratulate everyone on International Women's Day!

On this holiday of femininity, beauty and love, we would like to address everyone with charity, peace, tenderness and emotional warmth. Let every spring day together with the first ray of sunshine bring joy and tranquillity.

Spring is another occasion to remember the beautiful half of humanity – those who inspired poets, writers and sculptors to create became the prototype of lyrical heroines and sculptural images, the addressee of letters and poems.

For the beautiful spring holiday we have prepared a thematic album "Female images in the works of Russian sculptors of the late 19^th – early 20^th centuries.

The collection of sculpture presented in museum is the result of long work on search, attribution and description of works by Russian and European sculptors who worked in the second half of the 19^th – first quarter of the 20^th centuries. The section "Sculpture", which features a large-scale collection – the works by prominent artisans, is permanently replenished. The emphasis of the collection is made on small stationary and cabinet sculpture, and its core is presented by monographic works by renowned authors. This is a whole constellation of names – Eugene Lanceray, Nikolay Lieberich, Vasily Grachev, Leonid Posen, Alexander Opekushin, Mark Antokolsky, Paolo Troubetzkoy, Naoum Aronson, Pyotr Clodt, Pavel Kamenskiy, Stepan Erzia, Mane Katz, Boris Edwards, Vasily Demuth-Malinovsky, Petr Samonov, Artemy Aubert, Matvei Chizhov, Demetre Chiparus, Preiss Ferdinand, Armand Godard and others. The museum Collection exposition enables one to see the peculiarities of the masters' work, reveal their originality and individuality. Interesting facts about the life and work of those sculptors are in the section "AUTHORS".

On the cover: Felisa de Alvear*.  Paolo Troubetzkoy. C. Valsuani Art Bronze factory.  Statuette Model: 1924 Cast: the 1930s.

*Felisa de Alvear – daughter of Frederico de Alvear, a representative of the Argentine colony in Paris. She was fond of sports and horse racing. Troubetzkoy exhibited this sculpture with the title “Argentine Girl”