From Russia with Love II: St. Petersburg

The Hermitage

JJ is standing in the immense plaza in front of the Hermitage

Yesterday was our big day for the must-dos. Fresh as daisies after a restful sleep and a warm shower, JJ & I embarked on our day’s projects. We took the #3 bus just like city regulars, paying the ambulant conductor whose job was to catch passengers & collect the fare. She or he was remarkably agile, & we noticed that no one ever rode for free. We also noticed that young riders willingly gave up their seats to older riders, but the older riders told them to get up if they failed to do so.  Our plan was to visit the Hermitage, completed under the reign of Peter I the Great in 1724 and furnished by Catherine II (1762 -1792) also the Great, which has become Russia’s answer to the “Louvre”. 

Seen from the exterior The Hermitage imposes by its color and size. Famous for its dominant bluish-green, all windows & portals are decorated with wedding cake white curlicues. Placed in the center a large, ochre-colored flower symbol contrasts dramatically with the white and green. The Hermitage is a tourist destination not only for foreigners, but also for proud Russians. The ticket booths were raking in the money. We learned later that foreign tourists pay a special “tax,” making our tickets come to about $15, whereas Russians pay $10. 

This will give a better idea of the green, white & ochre. Also, there were always costumed young people walking around for tourists to photograph.

JJ wanted to go to the 3rd floor where the late 19th-Early 20th Century painters were located, which was fine with me. The trek up was a long one due to the sheer vastness, the staircases which are not all sequential, and no elevators have been installed. Dour docents abounded to direct us in bad English or French on our climb to the top. We tried our best to follow the white figures on green signs, but they were confusing and routed us through almost every section. I noticed that most sections  did not have resting benches, & frankly I was worried. Happily, for the impressionists, management thought to put a 6-seater red velvet bench in each hall. I’ll give my time and devotion to the visit, but there must be some resting benches for courage-gathering. JJ critiqued this section as having too many paintings in each hall, with no sense of display, or interesting notes alongside, as is customary. 

We spent two and a half hours in this section, and about half an hour tripping through the pre-French revolutionary artists. The trouble with this period is that these nobles tend to look the same. I ponder these portraits, vainly in search of distinguishing characteristics & I often wonder if posing was the main occupation of the day. Actually, the attire does change from portrait to portrait.  Added to this the sunlight glared, forcing us to move from side to side in order to see something.  Actually, the white marble busts offer the best likenesses. Example: You’ll never mistake Voltaire, smiling ironically, toothless, skinny, with an atrocious underbite. 

The toilet facilities located in the basement mercifully have been modernized since Catherine the Great. There are plenty of stalls & several cleaners to keep them fresh & flushing. If you wonder why I mention this it’s because we were about to discover just how primitive things can get. We left the Hermitage having the good feeling that we got our money’s worth. I don’t know if I want to come back, but then to be honest, I don’t know if I want to go back to the Louvre either. These are enormous palaces which in themselves are something one should experience once if possible, & enjoy the art as one is desirous & able. 

Once extricated from Peter’s and Catherine’s palatial enclave, JJ & I felt like doing something mundane. We stepped right into a beautiful treed and flower bedded park at the exit, so we bought a grilled hotdog and cold drink at one of the several stands for a quite reasonable price. (Oh happy day!) Our vendor, true to the rampant distrust previously discussed, put the ‘dogs & buns on the grill & then demanded pay, while we waited for her to finish & deliver! As paying customers we were allowed to sit in the open air at a table. (Again I say: Oh happy day!)