The Hermitage Extra Photos 2
The Gallery of the History of Ancient Painting.
A strange name for this sculpture gallery. The wall decorations show the influence of Raphael’s Loggia.
This gallery has a superb collection of works by Canova & his followers.
Russia 2013 Photos:
Moscow
St Petersburg
Canova’s Three Graces. A later version of this is at the V&A.
Below Canova’s Cupid and Psyche with Ann seeing the funny side of Canova.
Falconet’s Pygmalion and Galatea Falconet was also the sculptor of St. Petersburg’s most iconic statue – The Bronze Horseman.
Throne of Paul I – Grand Master of the Order of Malta. The Tsars certainly got around. I didn’t expect to see any connection with Malta at the Hermitage.
The Malachite Room
A very grand drawing-room from the time of Nicholas I. The wall decorations (of Poetry with Night & Day) I feel are incongruous.
The Concert Hall. Living up to its name, as we were passing through we were serenaded by quartet singing traditional songs.
The Jupiter Hall
Another great hall for setting off these classical sculptures.
This statue of Jupiter was from the villa of Emperor Domitian.
Dionysus with Ariadne in the Dionysus Room
The Head of Philoctetes in The Hercules Room. Philoctetes was a Greek hero, lover of Hercules and participated in the Trojan war, being one of the warriors inside the Trojan Horse.
Room of the Art of the Northern Black Sea Area
The Library of Tsar Nicholas II
After going through some amazing galleries and halls, it was a jolt coming into the relative intimacy of the last Tsar’s library. If only he had studied the lessons of history here, you never know, events might have turned out quite differently for him and his family – and the country!
