THE HERMITAGE

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The following day was to culminate in the major highlight for us all - the much anticipated visit to the Hermitage Museum. CS and PP had debated with themselves before embarking on this trip whether the optional excursion 'Hermitage behind Closed Doors' would be for us but enquiries indicated this would be a full eight hours process and we regularly bemoan that our older backs can now no longer cope with extensive standing on hard floors. However our group felt a bit more than the standard package would be welcome and our intrepid leader, Bev negotiated with the ever resourceful Kathrin to get us a wonderful compromise. Our own guide, our own mini-bus and access to the 'gold room' as an extra was readily agreed to by us all for a modest extra fee. And so we were off. Special thanks to Kathrin who we understand had to be particularly dogged to achieve this. The crowds outside the Hermitage when we arrived in the morning were already huge but not as vast as the ones we saw when we exited after completing our excursion late in the afternoon.



Our young guide was charming, but seriously nervous to start, particularly when it seemed our audio equipment would not work, but she negotiated us skilfully into the building around the teeming hoards and directed us along the 'Dark Corridor' to the area where the golden artefacts of the earliest settlers of Russia, the Scythians - among other nomadic tribes - were beautifully displayed as well as other priceless golden artefacts. Not only did we basically have the rooms to ourselves but had the services of a talented young woman whose English was impeccable and her knowledge of the exhibits extensive. A most appreciated addition to our tour. Thereafter we roamed and ranged the galleries viewing the vast collections. Cat II in particular was an avid collector and her trusted agents including Dmitry Golitsyn made sure she did not miss any opportunities to outbid potential rivals.



The Hermitage was opened as a museum to the public rather than just the aristocracy, by Nicholas I and the museum now encompasses the Winter Palace, following its declaration as a state museum in 1917. Sadly Nicholas also began the practice of selling off some of the works in job lots of pieces he felt were of little artistic worth. Two works by Leonardo da Vinci which we saw, were acquired in the late 19th century. It is all as spectacular as CS and PP had expected. Rastrelli's gilding is here in profusion and one can almost become blasé about so much gold ornamentation. It takes on a certain sameness that we sensed detracted from its individual artistry but the grandeur Elizabeth wanted is certainly not lacking. How interesting then to move into the rooms decorated for Cat II by her trusted Scott, Charles Cameron to see the muted colours and the more subtle classic ornamentation. He also designed the bath pavilion at Tsarskoe Selo. Cat II clearly wanted to distance her own style from the gaudiness and opulence of her predecessor.

We diverted into the extension gallery next to the 'old' hermitage (alongside the winter canal) to see Raphael Loggias. These frescos were commissioned by Cat II in the 1770s as copies of the originals in the Vatican. We saw the Dutch Masters and the moderns - in the end it was a feast of art, architecture, artefacts and sculptures we will never forget.







Returning late in the afternoon we enjoyed a buffet dinner before we were bused to the Conservatorium in Theatre Square to see the theatre's own company's performance of Swan Lake, being entertained along the way by Micha's somewhat idiosyncratic summary of the ballet's plot. He wondered why a prince would want to kiss a swan, and if he did he thought one swan was likely to be as good as another. CS having seen both the Bolshoi years ago in Australia and the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen and with PP the Sadler Wells company perform Tchaichovski's classic work, CS and PP felt this performance was a bit on the light side, but very entertaining for all that. The prima ballerina, Stepanova Olga was very good and her partner Harutkin Oleg was such a large man and skilled dancer that he dominated the stage whenever he was on it. A fitting end to a very full an appropriately 'russian' day.

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Photos

One of the many rooms in the Hermitage
Note the gilding

Enthralled audience
Our group - a little weary?

The St. George Hall
Complete with throne

Display table with sphinxes
In the Golden Drawing Room - an example of artefacts on display in addition to the paintings.

Michelangelo's 'crouching boy'
PP admiring the only example of Michelangelo's work in the Hermitage.