Painting Description

I was so keen to see the collection of old masters paintings in the Hermitage because many of the pieces had not been reproduced and hence were brand new to me. The works that we saw were indeed spectacular, but I was appalled by the condition of the building. There was no heat or humidity control. In fact the day that we visited this former palace, the windows were open letting in the dirty damp air. I do not feel very optimistic about the long-term prospects of that rich collection.

This image is available for Licensing. Contact Cynthia [email protected] for inquiries.