The Russian Museum

Even though the Hermitage boasts the world's largest art collection it has very little Russian art. Works by and of Russians are housed primarily in The Russian Museum. In any other city this would be the centerpiece museum. But here you can walk right in while just a few blocks away people queue up for hours to get into the Hermitage.

Both museums are in former palaces, so it's often the rooms themselves on display, like this parlor. The windows on the right look out over a vast lawn and gardens.




The main attraction is Karl Brullov's enormous "The Last Day of Pompeii." It goes from floor to ceiling.



And I liked this rather different rendering of "The Last Supper" by Nikolai Ghe. The dark figure in the foreground is Judas. You can't tell from the picture how sinister he looks.



Ssh, don't tell anyone: I took these pix without paying the 200 ruble fee (about $10).