Rembrandt at the Hermitage, St. Petersburg

2016-07-12 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

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

There is a difference between the Hermitage and the Louvre or the British Museum. It lies in the collection: while other major museums are filled with looted art, the Hermitage's collection consists of items that were directly purchased or received as gifts. Because its collection is looted, admission to the British Museum is free, but the Louvre still charges an entrance fee. When it comes to having no conscience in Europe, France seems to take the top spot. ~~They won't even give things back when asked.~~

Most of the artwork titles below are direct translations of the English titles. Therefore, they might differ from what they are commonly called. Please understand that I am a layman when it comes to art.

The long string of photos below is just to leave a record that I was here. If you want proper appreciation or explanations, I recommend clicking the link below to visit the Hermitage website ~~rather than looking at my clumsy post~~.

Artist category on the Hermitage website

Elaborate metal craftwork in the shape of a peacock and a rooster sitting on a golden tree

Full view of the metal craftwork in the shape of a golden tree and birds displayed in a glass showcase — The Golden Peacock Clock. It is said that the golden peacock, rooster, and owl move to announce the time. Currently, it is kept stationary. The movements for 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 3 o'clock are all different, so you can tell the time by how they move. It was a gift from General Potemkin, Catherine the Great's lover.

Oil painting of an old man in a red cloak embracing a kneeling man

Detail of an oil painting showing an old man in a red cloak embracing the back of a kneeling man — Rembrandt, 'The Return of the Prodigal Son'. They say Rembrandt's fingerprint is on the tip of the prodigal son's foot, but I couldn't see it.

Oil painting of an angel holding an old man's hand, with a young man lying beneath them

Detail of an oil painting showing an angel reaching out and a bearded old man looking up with a surprised expression below

Detail of an oil painting showing the face of an old man with a white beard looking up in the dark

Oil painting against a dark background showing an angel holding an old man's hand, with a young man lying beneath them

Painting in an ornate gold frame showing an angel stopping an old man, with a young man lying down — Rembrandt, 'Sacrifice of Isaac'. The scene where an angel stops Abraham from offering his son as a sacrifice.

Interior of an art museum with ornate ceiling decorations, several paintings hanging on green walls, and people viewing them — Inside the Hermitage. This is the Dutch Pavilion.

Portrait of an old man with a white beard wearing a wide-brimmed hat against a dark background

Portrait of an old man with a white beard wearing a wide-brimmed hat, set in a black frame — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of an Old Jew'

Close-up portrait of an old woman wearing a black hat and dark clothing

Portrait of an old woman wearing a black hat and dark clothing with her hands clasped together — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of an Old Woman'

Painting of a man wearing a turban and red clothing with his hand on his chest

Portrait of three men in an ornate gold frame — Rembrandt, 'Haman Recognises His Fate'. The Korean and English titles are different, but I don't know why.

Portrait of a bearded man against a dark background

Enlarged detail of a painting showing a bearded man's face — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of a Man'

Portrait of a man wearing a black hat, dark clothing, and a white collar — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of the Poet Jeremias de Decker'. This painting is used in almost every advertisement for Rembrandt exhibitions. This is also at the Hermitage.

Portrait of an old man in red clothing with his hands clasped

Enlarged detail of a painting showing the face and upper body of an old man in red clothing with clasped hands — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of an Old Man in Red'

Painting of a baby lying in a cradle and a woman reading a book

Enlarged detail of a painting showing a baby lying in a cradle and a woman reading a book — Rembrandt, 'Holy Family'

Portrait of an elderly woman in black clothing and a large, round white ruff collar with her hands clasped

Portrait of a young woman touching her earring and seemingly looking in a mirror

Painting of a man wearing a turban embracing a young man in ornate clothing

Portrait of a young person wearing a red hat and clothing with a pearl necklace — Rembrandt, 'Bust of a Boy'. The Hermitage also displays paintings that artists did for practice or in classes before they became famous. This painting is one of them.

Dark-toned painting of people taking down the body of Jesus from the cross

Dark-toned oil painting showing Jesus being taken down from the cross

Oil painting of a pale figure being supported by several people in the dark — Rembrandt, 'Descent from the Cross'. This is one of Rembrandt's masterpieces at the Hermitage. There are said to be several versions of 'Descent from the Cross', but the facial expressions in Rembrandt's work are quite impressive.

Portrait of a man wearing a black hat and an ornate lace collar

Portrait of a woman wearing a hat with floral decorations and ornate clothing — Rembrandt, 'Flora'

Portrait in an ornate gold frame of a man wearing a white ruff collar writing in a book

Portrait of a man wearing a white ruff collar writing in a book — Rembrandt, 'Portrait of a Scholar'

Oil painting of a naked woman lying on a bed in a dark room — Rembrandt, 'Danae'

I don't know how I ended up taking so many photos of Rembrandt's works. It happened because I was taking pictures competitively with some Chinese ladies. Next, I'll post works 'other than' Rembrandt's. Still, it's better to look at the paintings directly on the Hermitage website, and of course, it's even better to go see them in person. This post is just a record of my visit, written by a developer with no artistic sensibility who can't even take good photos.

Expenses

Morning hamburger and beer set 430RUB
Hermitage admission 500RUB, audio guide 500RUB
Book 450RUB

Total expenses 1880RUB

Total trip expenses 525,936 KRW + 38,555RUB + $152.26