In the Antique Hall of the Grand Palace

The Antique Hall (Antichny Zal) of the Grand Palace in Arkhangelskoye Estate, decorated with amazing sculptures and paintings, was opened in early 2015 after almost 30 years of restoration. The hall itself is a long gallery where the owners of the estate collected unique artifacts found during archeological research. In the middle of the 18th century, the first excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum—covered by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD—raised interest in the history and art of Ancient Greece and Rome.

In the center of the hall (at the left in this picture) is displayed a large canvas (3,5 by 4,5 meters), «Theseus and Piritho?s» by Ang?lique Mongez (1775–1855), that was acquired by Prince Nikolay Yusupov in Paris in 1806.

The main role in this hall is played, of course, by the sculptures. At present most of the artifacts are still located in a museum depository, but some items have already been put on display in this hall. Prince Nikolay Yusupov, the owner of the estate, was particularly proud of this hall and called it «Antikovy».

Photo #344 taken on January 11, 2015