St Petersburg First Day, 10of 11 Tour The Hermitage Museum part B

The Hermitage displays some really beautiful marble statues in many of its rooms throughout the museum. However, there is also a statue gallery known as the Marble Gallery where row upon row of white marble statues are displayed. It was fascinating just encircling each statue and pausing to marvel at the intricate detail that the sculptors have produced in their wonderful works of art. I have included a selection of a few statues that we particularily were impressed with.  

"The Dancer"- looks so realistic that I thought that she was about to leap off her pedestal.

"The Sheperd and Lamb" is particularly touching and natural in the way that the shepherd's cloak hangs from his body - the marble cloth looks soft and linen-like. The relaxed way that the lamb lies across his master's shoulders portrays an image of trust.

Probably the most memorable of the statues is , "The Crouching Athlete" which drew much attention from photographers and tourists who crowded around this very life-like statue in awe and wonder.  Just look at the way that the sculptor has carved the muscles and spine indentation of the athlete's back. Take note of the room in which the "Athlete "statue stands: It is a circular room, look at the parquet floor detail, the  curved wall with its delicately fancy gilded designs and the paintings on the wall in the background. A special room for a special scultue. 

The Malachite Room was designed in 1830 as a formal reception room in the Winter Palace. This room gets its name from the extensive use of malachite. 

Malachite is a deep green gemstone consisting of copper carbonate mineral. The decorations of this room are entirely different from others in the Hermitage. 

The walls are painted a brilliant crimson which contrasts with the deep green malachite features used in its columns and huge open fireplace. In the centre of the room a long malachite-topped table and a large beautifully carved malachite urn take center stage. Their size, marbled patterns of the deep green of these malachite pieces are astoundingly unusual. They were originally the private and personal items from the imperial family but today everyone can enjoy seeing these beautiful objects.

Around the walls of the Malachite Room huge paintings add to the richness of this unique room which is interesting and relaxing to be in.

The Military ( or war) Gallery is another interesting room with crimson red walls and a huge glass barrel-vaulted ceiling which allows light to flood into the gallery below. This gallery room was designed by Carlo Rossi in 1826 and it sits between the White Throne Hall and The Great Throne Hall room in the middle of a wing of the museum. This gallery houses 332 portraits of generals who took part in the Patriotic War against Napolean, 1812. The  portraits were painted by Britsh artist George Dawe and two Russian artists, Alexander Polyakov and Wilhelm Golike who worked as a team to complete the massive task of producing such a large number of portraits with each general posing for the artists. 

Along with the 332 individual portraits are 3 large Equestian paintings of Emperor Alexander I and his allies in war,  William III of Russia and Austrian Emperor Francis I. This gallery is huge and impressively honours those who led Russia to victory against Napolean. I noticed that there were a few empty portrait frames each with a general's name printed below. The empty frames means that these generals were unable to attend the portrait sitting sessions, hence the portraits were never done but they are still acknowledged the Millitary Gallery with the inclusion of their names.