Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

THE HERMITAGE.PICTURE GALLERY. 165

A naked Venus, sent by a pope to a schismatic prince, is certainly a singular present. The Czar, who had long meditated the project of eternizing schism, by usurping the last rights of the Russian Church, must have smiled at such a testimony of the good-will of the bishop of Rome.

I have seen also the paintings of the Hermitage, but I cannot now describe them, as I leave to-morrow for Moscow. The Hermitage! is not this a name strangely applied to the villa of a sovereign, placed in the midst of his capital, close to the palace where he resides ! A bridge, thrown across a street, leads from one residence to the other.

All the world knows that there are here some choice pieces, especially of the Dutch school; but I do not like paintings in Russia, any more than music in London, where the manner in which they listen to the most talented performers, and the most sublime compositions, would disgust me with the art.

So near the pole, the light is unfavourable for seeing pictures; no one can enjoy the admirable shading of the colours with eyes, either weakened by snow, or dazzled by an oblique and continuous light. The hall of the Rembrandts is doubtless admirable; nevertheless, I prefer the works of that master, which I have seen at Paris and elsewhere.

The Claude Lorrains, the Poussins, and some works of the Italian masters, especially of Mantegna, Giambellini, and Salvator Rosa, deserve to be mentioned.

The fault of the collection is, the great number of inferior pictures that must be forgotten in order to