Viking Homelands: St Petersburg Hermitage II (9/4/2018)

Tuesday, September 3, 2018 (continued)
We moved from the Small Hermitage into the Great Hermitage.

Madonna with Child Enthroned with
Angels (Early 14C, Sienese)

The Nativity (by della Robbia)

Benois Madonna (1745-1748, by Leonardo da Vinci)

Litta Madonna (1490-1491, by Leonardo da Vinci)

Danaë (1553-1554, by Titiano)

The myth is that the father of Danaë consulted an oracle who warned that he would be killed by a son of his daughter. The father had her locked up and guarded, with only an old woman as a companion. Zeus found Danaë, and in this case sent a shower of gold coins (which the old woman tried to catch) that impregnated Danaë. Her son, Perseus, did later accidently kill the father.

Foyer to the Hermitage Theater

Vase with scenes from the life of St Lucia
(1580-1590, from Urbino)
in the Northern Cabinet (KSS)

Loggia di Rafaello; a copy (1780s) of the loggia
was commissioned by Catherine the Great after a
visit to the Papal Palace at the Vatican;
painted by students of Raphael (KSS)

Majolica Room (by Leo von Klenze) (KSS)

Conestabile Madonna (c 1504, by Rafaello),
an early work by Raphael

Holy Family or Madonna with Beardless Joseph
(1506-1507, by Rafaello)

Majolica porcelain with the tapestry titled
Apollo and the Signs of the Zodiac
(1560, from Flanders)

Crouching Boy (1530-1533, by Michelangelo) 

The Lute Player (1595-1596, by Caravaggio)

The sheet music is for four madrigals by Jacques Arcadelt from 1539

Large Italian Skylight Room skylight (KSS)

Reception of the French Ambassador in Venice
(1726-1727, by Canaletto)

There was an entire hall devoted to Rembrandt, tracing his career from earlier more detailed works, to later darker and more emotional works.

Descent from the Cross (1634, by Rembrandt)

Return of the Prodigal Son (c 1668, by Rembrandt)

Rembrandt's version of Danaë (1636-1647),
with Zeus arriving as golden rain

It was Rembrandt's Danaë that was vandalized in 1985 by a young man who threw sulfuric acid on the painting and slashed it twice. It has been painstakingly restored.
Now we had entered the New Hermitage.

Cupid and Psyche (1794-1799, by Antonio Canova) in the
Gallery of the History of Ancient Painting

Gallery of the History of Ancient Painting flooring

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee (1618-1620, by Peter Paul Rubens)

The Atlantes (by Alexander Trebenev)
of the New Hermitage, holding up the portico roof

Venus of Tauride (3C BCE) was
purchased by Peter the Great from the Vatican
in exchange for the relics of St Bridget
that were taken from Tallinn

Jupiter Hall with Jupiter (1C CE) in marble and bronzed plaster on the left

Of course, one can never see everything in the Hermitage Museum. We had skipped ancient history, but seen the State Rooms of the palace. We saw much of the European Art from the 15-18C. But the European Art from the 18-20C had moved to the General Staff Building. After three hours of being guided to the highlights, plus access to the Gold Room, we cannot complain!

Kent & Tamiko by the Neva River with Sts Peter & Paul Fortress
(thanks for the photo, Fernando!)

Panorama across the Neva River from the Spit of Vasilievsky Island on the left
to Sts Peter & Paul Fortress on the right

The motor coach took us back to the Viking Star in time for lunch.
In the evening we had dinner at The Chef's Table, with the theme of Sweet and Salty.
1. Amuse Bouche: Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho, with bits if cucumber and topped with basil.
2. First Course: Grilled Scallop with beets and passion fruit.
3. Granita: Prosciutto and Melon.
4. Main Course: Veal Tenderloin marinated in orange juice, with a pumpkin and red onion marmalade.
5. Dessert: Strawberry and Basil Delight which was a Grand Marnier Bavarian Cream with basil jelly and strawberry sauce, sprinkled with Black Hawaiian Lava Salt.
You know what?! As strange as these dishes may sound, the flavors worked together!
Next: St Petersburg Peterhof I.