Exploring the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg

2016-10-04 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

When I woke up, I was relieved to find I hadn't caught a cold. I was pretty worried because I felt chilly right before bed, but after sleeping like a log until almost noon, I feel absolutely fantastic. Last night, Timur texted me asking if I was free for lunch today, offering to show me around the State Russian Museum. I asked how he could make time on a weekday, and he said he could just go back to work a bit late after lunch. Man, I'm jealous. People here can just stretch their lunch breaks however they want.

Gray elevator doors next to a red mosaic tile wall — Some subway doors in St. Petersburg are made of iron.

The subway station I saw on the way was really impressive. In Seoul, the subway has extra transparent screen doors to prevent suicides, but in St. Petersburg, they are heavy iron doors. I was so baffled that I asked about it, and it turns out they aren't for suicide prevention, but to stop flooding. Apparently, winter is the rainy season here, and it pours heavily. They installed these iron doors to keep the water from rushing in. I can't even imagine how much it must rain to require iron doors.

People walking in the square in front of a grand museum building with white columns and a yellow exterior

Since we didn't have much time, I rushed over to the Russian Museum on the subway. Timur told me, "If you buy the ticket, you won't get the discount, so I'll buy yours for you." The infamous special tourist pricing in Russia finally revealed itself. I mentioned that I probably paid more for my night tour yesterday, and he agreed that I likely did. I kind of understand it, but I can't help feeling a little annoyed.

Canvas painting of several tangled figures drawn in black and white — Russia's iconic circus clown, Polunin. Like Nikulin, he is a famous clown with his own circus troupe.

The current special exhibition at the Russian Museum is themed around the "Circus." I was bummed about missing the Nikulin Circus in Moscow, so I didn't expect to hear circus stories here. (For the record, I love circuses.) Among the many artworks, one person really stood out: 'Polunin'. I actually had no idea who he was, but Timur explained it so well that I quickly caught on. He's a famous Russian clown, basically the first name that comes to mind when you think of clowns here. He was so famous that he and Nikulin were considered the top two figures in the Russian circus world. He was especially respected for his clown performances that featured social critique. Maybe that's why there were so many artworks dedicated to him.

Interior of an art museum exhibition room viewed from an upper floor, with visitors admiring paintings or sitting on chairs

I heard the Russian Museum is a place that actual locals visit a lot. While the Hermitage is completely overrun by foreigners making it hard to properly look around, this place is quiet and uncrowded enough that people can take their time appreciating the art. I had read in books that Russians are very interested in art, but I was truly amazed to see so many locals at the museum, and to have Timur right next to me fluently discussing the artists and their works. It made me wonder what I could even explain if I went to the National Museum of Korea. It definitely gave me a wake-up call that I should study the history of my own country so I can at least explain it to foreigners.

If you work in the arts or just love looking at paintings, the Russian Museum is much more comfortable and better for proper appreciation than the Hermitage. It only features works by Russian artists, but it includes famous names like Malevich and Kandinsky—artists even someone as clueless about art as me has heard of at least once. I think it's more than worth a visit.

Since I don't have much to say about the artworks themselves, I'll just list a bunch of photos from here on out. I mainly took pictures of the pieces that left a strong impression on me, though it's true they lose a bit of their impact in photos. Oh! And of course, photography is allowed. As a side note, Timur couldn't understand why Italian or French museums ban photography and block everything off with glass. I should be used to his reactions by now, but he still manages to surprise me.

Oil painting of a bearded old man in white clothes and a boy, with a village and a horse in the background — Yevsei Moiseyenko

Painting depicting a person hanging in the air and a chaotically tangled crowd below — Ilva Privdin

Painting of a grandmother, boy, and girl under an apple tree — Dmitry Zhilinsky. It's unique that the frame borders are also painted.

Painting of people walking through an indoor space with arched passageways and statues — Natalia Nesterova. This is Ploshchad Revolyutsii station in Moscow.

Painting showing the backs of people standing in a long line — Alexei Sundukov. The title is Queue. It's said to be a satirical take on rationing during the communist era. The fact that someone had the guts to paint this in 1952, right at the height of Stalin's power, is just incredible to me.

Portrait of a boy sitting on a chair and a woman standing behind him — Arkady Petrov

Large oil painting depicting a lush forest landscape with green leaves and flowers — Mikhail Vrubel

Ceramic tableware set with geometric patterns displayed in a glass showcase

Human-shaped ceramic chess pieces displayed in a glass showcase — A chess match: Royals vs. the Communist Party

Painting of a woman sitting on a sofa and two children standing next to her — Pyotr Konchalovsky

Bronze statue of two boys sitting side by side with their arms around each other's shoulders — Paolo Trubetskoi

Painting in red tones of a man and woman holding a baby, surrounded by animals — Pavel Filonov

Oil painting of a soldier supporting a wounded soldier on a battlefield — Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin

Horizontally long oil painting of a bearded farmer standing in a golden wheat field — Alexander Bubnov. I was told the person in the painting isn't just a farmer, but someone who fought in the war for communism, won, and received land, symbolizing the resulting agricultural abundance.

Abstract painting of a faceless figure standing in yellow clothes — Kazimir Malevich, the famous Malevich

White architectural model made by stacking rectangular blocks in a stepped formation — Kazimir Malevich

Simple painting of a faceless figure wearing a black top and a green skirt — Kazimir Malevich

Abstract painting of two faceless figures with bodies divided into multiple colors — Kazimir Malevich

Abstract painting with freely arranged shapes and lines in black, blue, and yellow on a bright background — Wassily Kandinsky. I have absolutely no idea what Kandinsky is trying to express here. The title of this piece is Black Spot I.

Complex abstract painting mixing various colors and geometric shapes on a dark background

Abstract artwork blending various colors and geometric shapes

Ceramic statue of a lion with its mouth open — Hehe, the only thing I actually wanted to take home.

White ceramic teapot with blue patterns and small figure statues

Round red wooden bowl decorated with ornate gold and black floral patterns

Genre painting of people walking on a muddy road and people riding horses — Andrei Ryabushkin

Painting of a dusky evening riverside landscape with a crescent moon — Arkhip Kuindzhi

Historical painting featuring multiple figures, including a kneeling person and a person holding a sword — Ilya Repin

Large painting of many people gathered on the stairs in front of a building — Vasily Polenov

Large oil painting of numerous people gathered on a train station platform — Konstantin Savitsky

Cropped close-up of an oil painting depicting the faces of a woman wearing a red hood and surrounding people

Cropped close-up of an oil painting showing people saying goodbye on a train station platform — I stared at this one for quite a while because it captures the sorrow of going off to war so perfectly.

White statue depicting a woman supporting a young child to help them walk — Fyodor Kamensky

Large oil painting of fallen soldiers in a snow-covered field and mountains in the distance — Vereshchagin

Bust placed below gold lettering that reads Emperor Alexander III Russian Museum — There's a place honoring Pushkin here too. Russians really do seem to love Pushkin.

High ceiling decorated with ornate carvings and ornaments, and glass windows letting in natural light

Several statues displayed in a hallway with tall columns and large windows

Large masterpiece depicting the chaotic scene of people fleeing a volcanic eruption — Karl Brullov, The Last Day of Pompeii. It's a famous piece that's even mentioned in the guidebooks.

Large landscape painting depicting a rough sea with crashing waves and a shipwreck — Ivan Aivazovsky

Museum exhibition room with several paintings hanging on red walls and a bronze statue in the center

Timur had to head back to work, so we came outside before seeing everything. Exploring a museum is definitely a lot more fun when you're with someone, especially someone who can explain things to you. Looks like I owe him yet again.

Exterior of a grand museum building with a yellow facade lined with white columns

Bronze statue of a man standing on a high granite pedestal with a yellow building visible behind it

Bronze statue of a man standing with one hand reaching forward — When you come outside, there's a statue of Pushkin. Pushkin is everywhere you go.

Expenses

Bus to Tallinn 20E
Lunch Shawarma 210R
Subway 70R
Water 50R
Mariinsky ticket 1350R
Flight ticket $160

Total Expenses 1680RUB, $160, €20

Total Trip Expenses 525,936 KRW + 45,931 RUB + $312.26 + €20

#Kandinsky #Malevich