Recommended Reading: The Madonnas of Leningrad

I have a long list of books to read.  I doubt that I will ever read them all.  Each week I read the book review in the Sunday paper and check the best-seller lists.  I add anything interesting to my list.  My library is also a great resource for suggestions which is how I heard about 'The Madonnas of Leningrad' by Debra Dean.

In short, the book is about a young woman who was a docent at the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad during the 900-day siege that began in 1941.  Now elderly and living in the United States, she has Alzheimer's and the story goes from present day to the past and her memories of the paintings in the museum.

I was fascinated.  The descriptions of the halls and paintings were so real it was as though I was walking through the museum all over again.  But I did learn something that had not been told to us when we were in the museum on our trip.  It seems our guide forgot to mention that many of the paintings were sold off by Stalin in 1930-31 to finance the Soviet government.  An elderly docent at the museum tells our young woman about the paintings and describes them in great detail to her, telling her to build a 'memory palace'.

Since I knew that Faberge eggs had been sold, I guess I should have realized they might have sold paintings too.  With further research I learned that Andrew Mellon bought several paintings to establish the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.  I am sure I have seen these paintings and never realized how they came to be there.

I went through my photos from the Hermitage and Winter Palace.  I do have some photos of paintings though it is difficult with lighting and so many people around to get a good shot.  Here are a few for your enjoyment.

Leonardo da Vinci 'Benois Madonna'

Raphael's 'The Holy Family'

Rembrandt's 'The Holy Family with Angels'

Gallery with malachite urns

W is for the Winter Palace

W, X, Y, and Z.  The last four letters for the Challenge.  Let's go.

The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia is THE place to see. As part of the Historic center of Saint Petersburg, the palace in also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even before you enter the buildings it is just breathtaking. Here are just a few photos.

The view from the Neva River:

Standing in Palace Square:

The Palace Arch on the south side of the square, facing the above, with the Army General Staff Building

Passing through the gates into the courtyard:

The Interiors:

The Peacock Clock  It's an automaton.  Watch the video (link) to see it move.  Astounding!

Some of the artworks above that make up the Hermitage.  For me, the art took second place to the beauty of the architecture.  Here is a view of another garden as we left the palace:

Tolkien Bonus:  W is for the War of the Ring, the subject of the Lord of the Rings.  I have two beautiful editions of these books, one with original drawings.  The books really are better than the movies, though they were excellent, IMHO.