View of the Anichkov Bridge Vasily Sadovnikov Watercolour, paper 27.5 x 37.5 Watercolours by Vasily Sadovnikov occupy an important place in the pictorial chronicle of St. Petersburg of the second half of the 19th century. In his works he combined topographical accuracy with the representation of genre scenes on the streets. He shows in this watercolour a perspective of the major avenue of the city, Nevsky Prospekt, from the Anichkov Bridge, decorated with its famous sculptural groups with horses by Peter Klodt, towards the Admiralty. Beyond the bridge is the building of the "Cabinet," the Anichkov Palace, and, further on, the Public Library and the City Duma with its tower. The austere beauty of the architecture is relieved by isolated figures and by little genre scenes, which reveal the artist's power of observation. Executed at the peak of the artist's career, this is a work by a subtle painter and colourist.