DaVinci

The Hermitage was quite crowded, the galleries were packed, and our guide told us we would be going to see the DaVincis. I feared the worst, a slow line to be packed in an not able to really see the works. I was wrong, magically and wonderfully wrong.

The lines moved smoothly but without pressure, we saw the DaVincis and so many other works clearly and were able to take the photographs we wanted. In some ways every art museum grabs your heart for various reasons, and one is usually seeing some of the works of a favorite artist. In Chicago, I always go out of my way to see the Hopper (NIGHTHAWKS), the Seurat, and as many Picassos as I can find. In the Hermitage, I saw many great masters, but I still find it hard to believe I was two feet from two DaVincis. A wonderful moment.

As we left the Hermitage, we were exhausted and drained after two days in St. Petersburg. We would have only the one night to get some sleep before arriving in Helsinki. The results will be in the next post.

Romanov Throne

Coming from Chicago, I have been blessed with the great good fortune to have a world-class art museum available to me at all times. I have been smart enough to take advantage of that location and I somtimes rue the fact that I have not done so often enough.

At any rate, one of the things interesting about the Art Institute of Chicago is the building itself. In St. Petersburg, the world-famed Hermitage is also as much a work of art as the collection. One image of the lacey-look ceiling backs up that claim.

Another interesting thing about the AIC is their collection of armor and medieval weaponry. Filling a transitional gallery that most patrons go through, many people wonder about such items being in an art museum. But of course they belong. And in the Hermitage, there is a large throne room featuring a throne of the Romanovs. Also clearly a work of art, but not necessarily what art patrons usually expect to see.

Some paintings from the Hermitage collection in the next post.