| Visit the largest national collection, where all the genres are represented: painting, drawing, sculpture and handicrafts, reflecting the history of Russian Art, from ancient icons to the Avant-garde paintings of the XX century.
Of special interest are 12 and 14 century icons, as well as the paintings by Aivazovsky, Ivanov, Bryulov, Fedotov, Ghe, Kuindji, Vrubel, Serov, Malevich, Kandinsky and Shagal.
The driving force behind the museum`s foundation was Tsar Alexander III, who actively collected Russian art in the second half of the 19th century in the hope of one day founding the country`s first public museum of Russian art. Alexander`s dreams were realized after his death when his son, Russia`s last tsar Nikolas II, opened the museum in 1898.
The Russian museum is housed in the Mikhailovsky Palace. The palace, one of the city`s finest examples of neoclassical architecture, was constructed in 1819-25 by Carlo Rossi. |
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