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Photo: Florstein (Telegram:WikiPhoto.Space), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

About the museum

The story of the Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg grew from the collection Catherine the Great began buying in 1764. Its main building is the Winter Palace, the former residence of the Russian emperors, along the Neva river.

With millions of objects it is one of the largest museums on earth, and its paintings include major works by Leonardo, Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian and a celebrated group of French modern masters.

The collection

The Hermitage's collection of European painting was built largely by Catherine the Great, who bought entire collections from across Europe, including those of Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, Sir Robert Walpole and Pierre Crozat.

As a result it holds two paintings by Leonardo, an exceptional group of Rembrandts including The Return of the Prodigal Son, Titian, Rubens and Van Dyck, while the General Staff Building shows its later French collection of Monet, Gauguin, Matisse and Picasso.

At ArtLogia you can order 543 of its paintings as hand-painted reproductions, by 195 artists led by George Dawe, Henri Matisse and Rembrandt van Rijn.

paintings to order
543
artists
195
art movements
18
years covered
1270–1913

The building

The museum spans five linked buildings along the Neva, above all Bartolomeo Rastrelli's Baroque Winter Palace, finished in 1762 for the Russian emperors. Its state rooms, such as the Jordan Staircase and the Malachite Room, are as famous as the paintings.

Masterpieces to see

Planning a visit

The palace is enormous: choose a few rooms in advance, such as the Rembrandt hall and the Italian Renaissance galleries.

Hand-painted in oil

Famous paintings from the Hermitage Museum

Each reproduction is painted by hand by a professional artist, following the original's composition, colour and brushwork. Choose your size, and have it rolled, stretched or framed.

45 paintings

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Artists in the collection

Hermitage Museum: frequently asked questions

How big is the Hermitage Museum?

The Hermitage holds around three million objects, of which only a small part is on display at any time, in a complex of several buildings including the Winter Palace.

Does the Hermitage have paintings by Leonardo da Vinci?

Yes. It holds two paintings by Leonardo: the Benois Madonna and the Madonna Litta.

Who founded the Hermitage?

Catherine the Great founded the collection in 1764 when she bought a group of paintings from the Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky.

Where is the Hermitage Museum?

The Hermitage Museum is in Saint Petersburg, Russia. You can find opening hours and tickets on the museum's official website.

What are the most famous paintings at the Hermitage Museum?

Its best-known paintings include The Return of the Prodigal Son, Danaë, Madonna Litta. ArtLogia offers 543 hand-painted reproductions of works from its collection.

When was the Hermitage Museum founded?

The Hermitage Museum dates from 1764. See the history above for how its collection grew.

Is the Hermitage Museum one of the best museums in the world?

Yes. It ranks number 5 in our list of the 100 best art museums in the world, ranked by the famous paintings in their collections.

Can I buy a reproduction of a painting from the Hermitage Museum?

Yes. Paintings such as Benois Madonna and Madonna Litta can be ordered as hand-painted oil reproductions on canvas, in any size, rolled, stretched or framed, with free worldwide shipping.

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