The State Hermitage Museum: Hermitage News

Restoration of the original appearance of the Fieldmarshals’ Hall in the Winter Palace

On 18 May 2004 journalists were shown the portraits of two Russian field marshals which have been returned to their original location within the Fieldmarshals’ Hall of the Winter Palace. Several years ago the senior management of the State Hermitage took the decision to restore the original appearance of the Fieldmarshals’ Hall in the Winter Palace and to return to their places the portraits of six Russian field marshals following necessary restoration work on these canvases.

The original interior decoration of the Fieldmarshals’ Hall in 1833 followed designs prepared by the architect August de Montferrand (1786 -1858). After the fire of 1837, it was reconstructed by Vasily Stasov (1769 - 1848) in the style of Classicism.

In 1834 the portraits of six Russian field marshals hung in the Fieldmarshals’ Hall. They were placed in chronological order according to the date when each received his rank and additional honorary surnames and titles: Pyotr Rumiantsev-Zadunaisky (F. Rise, artist), Grigory Potemkin-Tavrichesky (Antonio Vigi, artist), Àlexander Suvorov-Rymniksky (Nicolas-Sebastien Froste, artist), Michail Kutuzov-Smolensky (Piotr Basin, artist), Ivan Dibich-Zabalkansky (Piotr Basin, artist), and Ivan Paskevich-Erivansky (Franz Kruger, artist).

In 1854 canvases of battle scenes were displayed on the southern wall of the hall, at either side of the entrance to the Small Throne Room. There were Horace Vernet’s (1789-1863) canvas entitled The Taking of the Warsaw Outskirts by Russian Troops and Surrender to the Russians by the Hungarian Army of General Gergey at Vilagos, painted by G. Villevalde.

After 1917 all the paintings were taken down and transferred to the collections of other museums.

The first step towards restoring the original historical appearance of the hall was the return of the portrait of I. F. Paskevich. It was painted especially for the Fieldmarshals’ Hall in 1834 by Franz Kruger (1797 - 1856). Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich (1782 - 1856), Count of Erivan and Most Serene Prince of Warsaw, participant in the Napoleonic wars, and General Field Marshal (1829) is portrayed with the field marshal’s staff in his hand, in the uniform of a general with the epaulettes and aiguillettes of a member of the imperial suite, a ribbon and star of the Order of St. Andrew, with the badges and stars of other orders, and with a portrait of Nicholas I which he had received from the Emperor.

In May 2005 two further portraits appeared in the Fieldmarshals’ Hall.
The portrait of Alexander Suvorov (1729/30 - 1800) was painted by Nicolas-Sebastien Froste (1790 - 1856) during the years 1833 - 1834. Count Rymniksky, Prince Italiisky, Generalissimo of the Russian Army Alexander Vassilievitsh Suvorov is presented by the artist in a general’s uniform, with the fieldmarshal’s staff in his hand, with stars and badges of Russian and foreign orders, and with a portrait of Emperor Paul I set in diamonds.
The portrait of Michail Golenishchev-Kutuzov was especially painted during 1833 - 1834 by Piotr Basin (1793-1877) for display in the Fieldmarshals’ Hall. Michail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (1745 - 1813), who was a general field marshal and Most Serene Prince of Smolensk (1812), is portrayed wearing a general’s uniform and greatcoat, with a field marshal’s staff in his hand, with the stars and ribbons of the Orders of St Andrew, St. George of the first degree, St Vladimir of the first degree, with the star of the Austrian Order of Maria Theresa of the first degree, and with a portrait of Emperor Alexander I set in diamonds.

The portrait of Alexander Suvorov
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The portrait of Michail Golenischev-Kutuzov
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