Russia 2019 (53) SAINT PETERSBURG - "Modern" Art at the Hermitage

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Talk about impressive ... it is an understatement in regard to the neoclassical General Staff Buildings. It is two buildings reaching 580 meters (⅓ of a mile) in length, joined in the center by a majestic arch (photos in previous blog). At this time, four other neighboring buildings are adjoined as well. Here is a model of the complex.

The eastern wing currently houses the headquarters of the Western Military District. The western wing is an extension to the Hermitage Museum housing the 19th and 20th-century Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Matisse, Picasso, and more contemporary collections. The six buildings are connected by five huge glass-roofed atriums.


This staircase is inside one of the atriums.

I am a lover of staircases and have taken photos of them round the world. This one is probably my favorite ever seen. It doubles as "stadium" seating to the left.

Ceilings are massively tall to accommodate any size work of art. Compare these doors to the people passing through the small inset doors.

This is what I mean by large scale. The doors above allowed this piece to come into the atrium area.

There are no physical directional signs. Instead they are projected onto the walls. I love this idea.

And, oh, the lovely art. BTW--Outside of France this is the largest collection of Impressionist art. Again, I can only show a few examples. Here is Self Portrait in a Cap by Cézanne circa 1873.

Arab Cafe by Henri Matisse circa 1913.

Spring Eternal by Auguste Rodin circa 1884.

In London by Charles Hoffbauer circa 1907.

Tahitian Pastorale by Paul Gauguin circa 1898.

French actress and model Lady Jeanne Samary by Pierre-Auguste Renoir circa 1881.

The Dancer by Edgar Degas circa 1874.

Riverbank at Saint-Mammés by Alfred Sisley circa 1884.

Thatched Cottages by Vincent VanGogh circa 1890.

Bronze Still Life with Watermelon sculpture by Fernando Botero circa 1977.

Musical Instruments by Pablo Picasso circa 1912.

The Conversation by Henri Matisse circa 1910.

Music by Henri Matisse circa 1910. There is a story behind this one. Shchukin (talked about him in a previous blog) commissioned Matisse to paint two vast canvases--this and Dance. He planned to hang them along a staircase at his formal guest entrance.

However, he had misgivings regarding this one because of the "privates" shown on the pipe player. That was pretty daring and politically risky for the day. He wavered back and forth whether to actually hang it and finally did, but with alterations covering the "offending" area. Much later the painting was restored to original.

Black Square by Kazimir Malevich circa 1920. Pretty rad!

I'll leave you with that.