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The Russian Museum
The Russian Museum of St. Petersburg is a world-famous repository of Russian art.
It houses more than 300000 items, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, water-colours and
works of applied and folk art.The palace was built in 1825 by Carlo Rossi for the youngest son of Paul I, Grand Duke Mikhail. The interior of the palace and even the furniture all conformed to Rossi's design. At the end of the last century the Mikhail Palace looked desolate and neglected. The palace came to life again in 1898 with the decision to set up the Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III. 
In March 1898, the first state museum of Russian art was open. To begin with, the Museum's
collection of paintings numbered only 434 pieces, the museum had only 37 exhibition halls.
It displayed works by Russian artists which had been transferred from the Hermitage, the Aademy
of Arts, from royal palaces and private collections. The collection grew and the space was used
either for exhibits or for storage.
In 1916 a new building directly adjoining the palace was completed. It was called the Benois Building after its architect Leonti Benois. The museum's exhibits arranged chronologically show the development of Russian art from the 11th century to the present day. The collection gives an idea of the entire history of old Russian art, its major artistic schools, associated with one or another cultural center. |
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