Great artists at Melbourne Masterpieces

More than 400 paintings from the collection of Catherine the Great, including by masters such as Rembrandt and Rubens, will go on show in Melbourne.

The Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition series will host "Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great" from July 31 to November 8.

Premier Daniel Andrews said it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Catherine the Great's extraordinary collection.

It includes pieces by Rembrandt, Rubens, Velasquez and Titian.

Catherine the Great ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796 and founded The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

Since it was established in 2004, the Winter Masterpieces series has attracted more than 4.7 million visitors.