Friday Art & History Feature - Hermitage

Today's post mixes art and history. Specifically, it's about one of the greatest art museums in the world - Hermitage. Hermitage, located in St. Petersburg is a State Museum of Russia and its collection rivals that of the Louvre. Hermitage consists of six buildings, although only some of them are open to public. Four of the buildings are called the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and New Hermitage.


Winter Palace

The collection now contained within this museum took its start with Catherine the Great in 1764. She also commissioned the building of an extension to the Winter Palace, which served as the official residence of the Russian monarchs from 1732 all the way up to the Revolution in 1917.

Catherine the Great

By the time Catherine died, her collection contained 4,000 paintings, 10,000 drawings, 38,000 books, 10,000 engraved gems and various coins and medals.

The collection continued to expand in the 19th century through acquisitions by Alexander I and Nicholas I. After the Revolution of 1917, the buildings of the Hermitage and the Winter Palace were merged together as the State museum and collectively called Hermitage.

Small Italian Skylight Room

Room of Modern Sculpture

The museum contains works by Titian, Rafael, Leonardo da Vinci, Velasquez, El Greco, Michaelengelo, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso and hundreds more artists, including many famous Russian painters. It also holds amazing exhibitions of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art, European decorative art, and even Prehistoric art.

Leonardo da Vinci at Hermitage

Raphael at Hermitage

Visiting Hermitage is a must when on a trip to Russia. It will be an unforgettable experience.

Pavillion Hall

Matisse at Hermitage