View larger image 
 previous room | next room |
| |
Throughout his reign Nicholas I did all he could to
encourage the development of national sculpture and placed Russian
sculptors on a par with foreigners. In the early 1850s visitors strolling
through the lower floor of the New Hermitage could admire the works
of contemporary Russian sculptors Stavasser, Kozlovsky, Orlovsky,
Ivanov, Klimchenko, Vitaly and Halberg displayed in a room with walls
of an intensive shade of red. The original plan called for the sculpture
to be placed in another room where the vaults were decorated with
medallions bearing profiles of Russian sculptors. In 1849, however,
a huge vase was installed there, leaving practically no room for large
marble statues that needed to be viewed from all sides. Consequently
the Emperor gave orders for the sculpture to be moved to the room
formerly intended for Voltaire's library. |
