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Inspired by to Saint Petersburg during the summer of 2019 The Meissen Man takes you on a brief tour of the Hermitage.

What do you observer looking at the photo in the link above. The size of what was once the home of Catherine The Great is simply mesmerising and to the left of the photo is a further building most of which cannot be seen.

(Please note The Meissen Man is not the author of the video but he does his best to describe interesting objects), see below for further information; “A One Take Journey through Russia’s Iconic Hermitage Museum”.  

Eg: 32 mins in, 2hr.13 mins in are examples of time passing from beginning of video where objects are described.

11.25 minutes into video is seen three pairs of Imperial Porcelain vases each approximately 1.25 metre in height. A pair of magnificent Krater Vases sits on rectangular platforms each approximately 75 cm high. These pairs are examples of painted porcelain at its very finest; often of interior scenes, landscapes or portraits. At 16.08 minutes is seen a similar tall vase and Krater vase each painted with landscape scenes that date from the Empire period towards the end of the first quarter of the 19th century. At 18.10 minutes in is seen the pair to the other vase together with a vase of unbelievable height of two metres painted with the bust of a Dignitary. The handles of these great vases continue in the empire style but within the curvature are reminiscent of the preceding Rococo era.

29 minutes in; gold leaf pillars stand majestic, supporting a gallery that circumnavigates the room is just one of many incredible features that are seen throughout the Hermitage.

33 minutes in a hallway illustrates numerous floor to ceiling portraits of the chief aristocrats of the era. 36 minutes in the camera enters a room whose doors are embellished with more gold leaf embellishments that illustrate the opulent life that was led by Catherine The Great. 44 minutes in is just one example of many hundreds of frescos adorning the many ceilings seen. 1hr.04 minutes in sees possibly the most important chair in the museum. The Meissen Man was unable to inspect this chair during his visit. But it goes without saying many a Czar sat on the throne.

The Hermitage houses one of the greatest numbers of paintings found in any Gallery. Paintings of every description by some of the most famous artists in history dating from before the Renaissance.  Here is seen a fantastical example.

Approximately 1hr.32 minutes in the tour guides you through the countless galleries of painting here in one green room alone seen several walls back to back full of them. Throughout the galleries multitude of mammoth size vases from one metre upwards are seen made of many different materials. This one if not porcelain possible Blue John, Lapiz Lazuli or similar material. Expense was not a problem for the benefactor at that time. This vase probably dates from the first quarter of the 19th century.

2hr.43m.50s in is seen a pair of painted gilded doors reminiscent of the French Art of Boulle. 3hr.02 see’s one of the many long corridors beginning with a ceramics cabinet; the first of many; this one housing a small selection of 16th century Italian Majolica. “The Meissen Man remembers being shown the main display of outstanding Italian Majolica with massive chargers dating from as far back as the 14th century equal to the best collections of any museum.

The film continues; This corridor is possibly one of the more exceptional corridors throughout the museum bearing in mind there are possibly more than one hundred connecting various galleries. Frescoes painted on the ceilings and the upper sides of the walls depict every type of scene the imagination of the artist might have prevailed. Biblical; scenes of Jesus, Pastoral, Medieval, Warfare, Romantic, Dining, Parties, lovers, Royalty, the list carries on unending.

At 3hr.54m the camera moves on to perhaps one of the greatest paintings of significance housed in any Art Gallery equal in rarity to the Madonna in The Lourve; by the Renaissance artist Raphael.  How many thousands of paintings there are too many to count by the most famous and valuable of all known artists. Empress Caroline acquired most of the paintings on display dating from prior to the 18th century.

4hr.18min a woman is seen sitting in a doorway between a pair of Lapiz Lazuli Urns on pedestals most probably dating from the 18th century. A Magnificent Marble group probably by one of Italy’s best sculptors sits in the foreground.

The Meissen Man encourages you to view the panoramic version where you can see many of the Museum’s rarities at close range; https://pano.hermitagemuseum.org/3d/html/pwoaen/porcelain/#node5 .

You can marvel at some of the Imperial Factories models from figural pieces to fine and large vases of all shapes and sizes. View items made in Nicholas 1; Alexander 1;

Watch out for ‘The Meissen Man’s video description of the Meissen in the Chrison DrawingRoom: https://pano.hermitagemuseum.org/3d/html/pwoaen/main/#node493

The Meissen Man