The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow: An artistic journey to the heart of Russian culture
When I visited the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, I was immediately struck by the frigid air passing through my rather thin winter clothes. I then wondered if I had made the right choices when it came to packaging.
Despite the bitter cold, the beauty of the snow-covered streets captivated me. I reached out to touch the snow, fascinated by the fluffy flakes falling from the sky.
Winter in Moscow is unforgiving, even for its residents. The fur-clad locals, bundled under layers of clothing, reminded me how inadequate my clothing was. With just one look, I knew I wasn’t ready for this climate.
My manager’s concerned smile confirmed my suspicions. “Anna,” she laughed, “you’ll need a lot more than that to survive this weather. We’re layering at least five layers of underwear!” I admitted to him a little shamefully that I only wore two.
Despite the freezing cold that chilled my bones, my enthusiasm for visiting the Tretyakov Gallery remained intact. I embarked on this snowy journey, walking alongside colleagues from all over the world.
The walk on this snowy road was slippery, and I ended up falling, but I still managed to reach the gallery with the help of a kind Turkish journalist named Umit. Once inside, the warmth of the radiators enveloped me like a warm embrace.
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An overview of the Tretyakov Gallery
Our guide, a wise old man with twinkling eyes, led us through the gallery’s impressive collection.
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He briefly took us through the history of this remarkable place, reminding us that the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is one of the most renowned art museums in the world, housing an extensive collection of Russian art.
This gallery, founded in 1856, is named after its founder, Pavel Tretyakov, an art collector. Today, the gallery has grown to encompass more than 180,000 works spanning from the 11th century to the present.
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Among the vast collection of realistic paintings that tell unique stories, two paintings caught my eye.
Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan by Ilya Repin, a famous realist painter
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This controversial masterpiece, explained by our guide, depicts Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible, his face full of grief, cradling his dying son, Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich, shortly after delivering a fatal blow to the head of his son in a fit of anger.
The painting depicts the anguish and remorse on the face of Father Ivan and the tenderness of the dying Tsarevich, forgiving his father through his tears.
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There is a whole story behind the nickname Ivan the Terrible and his famous tantrums, but that will be the subject of a separate article.
Student returning for her blind father, by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy
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This painting depicts a scene in a dimly lit room, a young woman embracing a seemingly blind older man. The man’s face is obscured by shadows, but his daughter is illuminated by a soft light, revealing her expression of love and concern.
The painting may appear unfinished, with some parts of the canvas left empty; however, this is a deliberate choice by Kramskoy, who wanted to convey the idea of incompleteness and uncertainty of the blind man.
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The “unfinished” areas represent the man’s lack of sight, while the painted parts evoke his tactile experiences, such as touching his daughter’s face. This deliberate incompleteness adds a mysterious dimension, and it got me thinking for a while before our guide distracted me with stories of other paintings in the gallery.
These two paintings, along with countless other masterpieces housed within the Tretyakov Gallery, offer insight into Russian history, culture and artistic expression.
My trip to the Tretyakov Gallery was an unforgettable experience. Despite the initial shock of the Moscow winter, the warmth of the gallery’s artistic treasures left me feeling truly satisfied. The devotion of Pavel Tretyakov and the talent of Russia’s many artists created a cultural legacy that continues to resonate with visitors from around the world.