One of the most ancient icons in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery is the icon of the Annunciation from Novgorod, the beginning of the 12th century. Icons of Dionysius in the Tretyakov Gallery Icons of the State Tretyakov Gallery

The Tretyakov Gallery is one of the most famous museums in Russia and throughout the world. The extensive exhibition covers the period from the eleventh century to the present day. It is difficult to imagine that the Tretyakov Gallery, whose halls have become a reflection of Russian art from antiquity to the present, began with a private collection.

Home collection

The Tretyakovs purchased the house in Lavrushinsky Lane in 1851. The head of the family, Pavel Mikhailovich, was a successful businessman, but at the same time he was a famous philanthropist, invested in many charitable programs. He was an avid collector, collecting paintings, sculptures, icons and other works of art.

He had a global goal - to create a national gallery, not just a museum. The collection began with ten paintings by Dutch masters. Initially, the Tretyakov Gallery, whose halls were open only to family members and guests, was in the house where the Tretyakovs lived. But the collection grew very quickly, and there was not enough space for a demonstration. During the life of the owner, numerous reconstructions were made. And even under Pavel Mikhailovich, the townspeople had the opportunity to visit such a cultural institution as the Tretyakov Gallery. The halls expanded, and the exposition grew constantly. The popularity of the museum is evidenced by the fact that in the first four years its visitors were over 30 thousand people.

40 years after the beginning of the collection, he donated it to Moscow. The collection was supplemented by works of art kept by the second brother, Sergei. This is how the Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov Gallery appeared in Moscow. Another well-known philanthropist Morozov passed on the masterpieces of Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet. Despite the transfer to the city, both patrons continued to replenish the collection. After the death of the Tretyakovs, the entire house in Lavrushinsky Lane was taken over by the city.

New life of the collection

In 1913, I.E. Grabar was appointed the gallery's trustee and director. He was not only a talented artist, architect and art historian, but also an organizer. It was he who did the colossal work of systematizing the collection. He distributed the canvases by historical periods so that visitors had the opportunity to trace the development of Russian art. Under him, a restoration workshop was also founded. At the end of the year, the works hanging in the hall of the Tretyakov Gallery were available for viewing by the general public.

After the revolution, the entire assembly was nationalized and transferred to the young republic. The State Tretyakov Gallery was created, the halls of which became accessible to all segments of the population. The collection has expanded significantly through the merger with other museums and the transfer of private collections that were nationalized during the Soviet era.

During the war, museum funds were taken to Novosibirsk. The Nazis bombed the capital mercilessly. In 1941, two high-explosive bombs hit the Tretyakov Gallery, causing significant damage. But the very next year, the restoration of the museum began, and by 1944 the doors of the gallery, beloved by the residents of the capital, opened again for visiting.

Halls of the Tretyakov Gallery

From the very foundation of the gallery, the building was rebuilt many times. New passages and additional rooms were created to make the collection appear in all its glory. Today the exposition is located in 106 rooms. Most of them are located in a building in Lavrushinsky Lane, there are 62 of them. Also, the complex includes a museum-temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, a workshop-museum of Golubkina, Vasnetsov's house-museum and Korin's house-museum. Each room in the Tretyakov Gallery is an opportunity to touch art, see ingenious masterpieces. The collection contains over 150 thousand exhibits, most of which are familiar to everyone from childhood. Reproductions of many paintings were included in school textbooks throughout the country. From these pictures you can learn about Russia. After all, our sea is like forests - like Shishkin's, nature, like Levitan's. Even the best portrait of Pushkin, known to every schoolchild, is exhibited here.

Hall of icon painting

In every corner of the Tretyakov Gallery there are paintings that will take your breath away. But, perhaps, one of the most mysterious halls is the hall of icon painting. During the transfer of the collection, Pavel Mikhailovich, along with the paintings, handed over 62 icons from his collection. Now there are several hundred of them in the museum. Each of them reflects the path of Orthodoxy on Russian soil. Among them are works by Rublev, Theophanes the Greek and other famous icon painters. And in the home church of the Tretyakov Gallery, one of the most revered and ancient images is exhibited - the Vladimir Mother of God. She is over 900 years old.

Exposition in Lavrushinsky lane

The main part of the collection is concentrated in the building in Lavrushinsky Lane, with the famous Vasnetsovsky facade. In 62 rooms, divided into 7 zones, the works of the best masters of Russia and not only are exhibited in chronological order. How large and varied the Tretyakov Gallery is. The description of the halls would take several volumes of the printed edition. Going on an excursion, it is better to choose a specific artist or painting to devote most of the time to. Otherwise, your acquaintance with the galleries will be very superficial and incomplete. The names of the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery correspond to the collections exhibited in them.

Thus, ancient Russian art is represented by icon painting.

And in the halls of the XVIII-XIX centuries canvases of the great masters Levitsky, Rokotov, Ivanov, Bryullov are exhibited. A special room was built to demonstrate Ivanov's painting "The Appearance of Christ to the People". And Rokotov became famous for the largest number of portraits of unknown persons. It was important for him to capture and convey on the canvas the features and character of a person, but at the same time he did not have to be famous at all. Of the works of Bryullov, one can note the masterly performed work "Horsewoman", where a young girl with amazing grace sits astride a magnificent stallion.

The hall, which displays works by artists from the second half of the 19th century, also grabs attention. Here you can plunge into the magical world of realistic art, where every detail is executed with amazing care. In Repin's paintings, one can physically feel how the sun is hot on the lawn, how every leaf sways from the wind. And Vasnetsov's "Three Heroes" seem to defend the country's borders from uninvited invaders even today. By the way, here you can also see the works of Vasnetsov Jr.

Surikov's paintings "Boyarynya Morozova" or "The Morning of the Strelets' Execution" convey the emotional intensity of each participant in those events. There is not a single indifferent person or random character here. Everything is written with an authenticity that boggles the mind.

The section, reflecting the painting of the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, presents the works of such geniuses as Serov, Vrubel, as well as representatives of the Union of Russian Artists.

Treasures of Russian art

The Tretyakov Gallery is great and varied. Halls, paintings, sculptures, graphics will not leave anyone indifferent. A separate part of the exposition is the "Treasury", where items made of precious metals and gems are exhibited. The delicate work of the jewelers is fascinating.

Graphics

A separate room is dedicated to graphic art. All works presented in this technique are very afraid of light, they are fragile creations. Therefore, for their demonstration, special lighting was mounted, slightly dimmed. The largest collection of Russian graphics is exhibited here. And also a small, but no less valuable collection of porter miniatures.

Modern Art

The building on the Tretyakov Gallery presents art from the Soviet period to the present day. Visitors observe with interest how ideology influences the artist.

Halls of masters

In the collection there are single works, and there are entire collections of paintings by one master. The hall dedicated to the artist in the Tretyakov Gallery contains only his works from different periods. This is the exposition of Shishkin's works. But other masters of the brush were awarded the same honor.

Since its opening, the Tretyakov Gallery has become the richest collection of paintings and art objects. Even the Russian Museum, created at the state level, was inferior in popularity to this private collection.

Back in school, we were taught not to take religious art seriously. Well, what is there - they did not know the perspective, they could not realistically portray a person and so on. Deacon Kuraev, in his lecture on icon painting, recalls funny facts about the Soviet concept of icons.

I discovered Russian icons in the Tretyakov Gallery. I think that if we recognize the right to painting only for realism, it is impossible to appreciate the beauty of an icon.

On closer inspection, icons turned out to be an absolutely new art for me. Moreover, it is absolutely self-sufficient on the one hand and simple on the other.

Russian icon painting, a little history.

The Russian (Byzantine) icon appeared on the wreckage of ancient art. By the 9th century, after a period of iconoclasm, the ancient tradition in the east had ceased to exist. A completely new art appeared, far from the ancient tradition - icon painting. It originated in Byzantium and continued to develop in Russia.

However, with Russia's acquaintance with Western European art, although icon painting continued to exist, it was no longer considered the limit of perfection. The Russian elite fell in love with the baroque and realism.

In addition, icons in the Middle Ages were covered with linseed oil for preservation. And it darkened over time. In addition, a new one was often superimposed on top of the old image. Even more often the icons were hidden in the frames. As a result, it turned out that most of the icons were hidden from view.

Old Russian art was rediscovered at the end of the 19th century, and at the beginning of the 20th century it experienced real recognition.

This was the period when people began to show interest in the ancient national art and the technique of restoration appeared. Opened I am the world as a result of the restoration of images that shocked contemporaries.

Perhaps this is what gave impetus to the development of Russian abstract art. The same Henri Matisse, examining the collection of Novgorod art in 1911, said: "French artists should go to study in Russia: Italy gives less in this area."

Images of the Mother of God

One of the greatest Byzantine icons on display in the Tretyakov Gallery is the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God.

It was created in Byzantium and came to Russian soil in the XII century. Then Vladimir prince Andrey Bogolyubsky built for her

The image of the Mother of God with a baby clung to her belongs to the type of icon of Tenderness. Such images began to spread in Byzantine and Russian art in the XI-XII centuries. Then appeared "Canon for the lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos". In the western tradition, it is called Stabat mater.

“About Thy terrible birth and strange, My Son, more than all mothers, Az was exalted: but alas, I, now they see You on the tree, I will burn in the womb.

Glory: I see My womb in my arms, in them I hold the Baby, from the tree of acceptance, the things are Pure: but no one, alas, I will give this.

And now: Behold My Light, sweet, Hope and My Good Belly, My God is extinguished on the Cross, I am inflamed with my womb, Virgin, groaning, verb. "

The image of the Mother of God and Child of the "Tenderness" type reinforces the text of the canon.

Another beautiful icon on the same theme, "affection" - the Don Mother of God Theophanes the Greek, is also in the Tretyakov Gallery.

An older image of the Mother of God can also be seen in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery.

Our Lady of the Incarnation - an icon of the 13th century from the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery

Such an icon is called - Orant a. There are many similar images in the catacombs and early Christian churches. Here the main meaning is given to the descent of the son of God to earth through the Mother of God. In this interpretation, Mary is the "gate of light" through which grace comes into the world. In other words, a pregnant mother of God is depicted here.

Images of the Holy Trinity

Another icon, which is admired by not a single generation of those who have seen it, is the trinity of Andrei Rublev. To understand and appreciate the beauty of this work, I also propose to plunge into the history of the issue.

Trinity: father, son and holy spirit were still in the Hellenic tradition - the cult of the god Dionysus. I do not know whether it migrated from there to Christianity, or from somewhere in the east, but this idea is much older than the new testament and the symbol of faith.

The New Testament trinity (God the father, the son and the holy spirit) in the Orthodox tradition could not be depicted. This would contradict the concept of an eternal, incomprehensible and triune God: “ No one has seen God, and never". You can only depict the Old Testament Trinity.

In fairness, despite the canonical prohibition, the imagesNew Testament Trinitywidespread to this day. Despite the fact that the definition Of the Great Moscow Cathedral 1667 such images are prohibited.

Icon "Fatherland with selected saints" XIV century Novgorod. In my opinion, the New Testament Trinity is clearly depicted here.

In the Catholic tradition, the New Testament Trinity is often depicted.

Robert Campin "Trinity". In the Catholic tradition, the Trinity was portrayed literally: the Father, the crucified Jesus, the holy spirit in the form of an angel. Painting from the Hermitage

The image of the Old Testament Trinity is based on the legend of Abraham.

The book of Genesis describes an episode when a god appears to Abraham in the form of three angels.

“And the Lord appeared to him at the oak grove of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to the tent, in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three men stood opposite him. Seeing, he ran to meet them from the entrance to the tent and bowed to the ground, and said: Master! if I have found favor in Thy sight, do not pass by Thy servant; and they will bring a little water, and wash your feet; and rest under this tree, and I will bring bread, and you will strengthen your hearts; then go; as you are walking past your servant ... And he took butter and milk and a calf prepared, and set it before them, and he himself stood beside them under a tree. And they ate "(Genesis 18: 1-8)

It is this plot that is portrayed as the Holy Trinity, it is also called "the hospitality of Abraham."

Trinity XIV century Rostov

In early images, this plot was depicted with maximum detail: Abraham, his wife Sarah, an oak tree, the chambers of Abraham, the servant slaughtering the calf. Later, the historical plan of the image was completely replaced by the symbolic one.

There is nothing superfluous in the Trinity of Andrei Rublev. Only three angels are perceived as one. Their figures form a vicious circle. It was the Rublev Trinity that became the canonical image and served as an example for subsequent generations of icon painters.

Methods and techniques of icon painting, reverse perspective

For a correct understanding of icon painting, it must be borne in mind that icon painters did not seek to depict reality. They had another task - to portray the divine world. This is where the techniques are not typical for realistic painting.

For example - using reverse perspective. (This is when the lines do not converge to the horizon, but diverge).

However, this was not always used, but only when the artist wanted to emphasize the special closeness of the object to us. The icon also uses a parallel perspective - when the lines do not converge on the horizon, but run parallel.

An interesting icon of the workshop of Theophanes the Greek "Transfiguration".

It also depicts events taking place at different times.

I love this icon very much, it's hard for me to tear myself away from it.

Here the transformation of the Lord is depicted not Mount Tabor. Divine light emanates from Jesus, below the apostles Peter, James and John the Theologian fell on their faces. Above are the prophets Moses and Elijah. Above them, the angels who bring them to this place. Under the mountain is a group of apostles, one group climbs the mountain, the other descends the mountain. These are the same apostles depicted at different times.

On July 6, the Church honors the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. As you know, one of the greatest shrines of Russia has long been transferred to the Church, prayers are performed in front of it and candles are lit. How the life of the ancient shrine in the temple can be organized and when it is possible to pray in front of it, the "NS" correspondent learned.

In the church-museum of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, in a special bullet-proof icon case, the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is kept. The required temperature is maintained inside the icon case

Recall that the shrine was transferred to the church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi at the State Tretyakov Gallery in 1999, on the feast of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon. At the same time, the temple was officially given the status of a temple-museum, with its own special museum regime. Since then, one can enter the church only through the doors of the Tretyakov Gallery from the side of Maly Tolmachevsky Lane, next to the bell tower. Before going up the stairs to the temple, it is necessary to leave outer clothing in the wardrobe and put on shoe covers.

Equipped as a museum hall with an artificially created climate, temperature regime and alarms, at the same time it remains an independent temple, where services are held on holidays and weekends and even candles are lit (although only natural wax candles are allowed). On weekdays, from 10 to 12 in the morning it is a temple, and from 12 to 16 - a museum.

A constant temperature regime is maintained in the temple premises, it is monitored by devices installed around the entire perimeter of the temple. A device that monitors the humidity in the temple

Especially for the Vladimir Icon, a special bulletproof icon case was made at the plant of the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation. Inside the icon case, the temperature is maintained at +18 degrees and the relative humidity is about 60 percent. These are the climatic standards recognized as optimal for the preservation of tempera paintings painted on a wooden base. The safety of the icon, the operability of the air conditioner inside the icon case and security systems are checked daily by engineers - employees of the Tretyakov Gallery.

Fixing the icon. It is decorated with decorative cladding on the front.

The wooden carved icon case of the Vladimir icon from the back is more like a refrigerator - every day engineers, museum staff come to check the temperature regime inside the capsule, where the icon is kept and the activity of the alarm system

Bulletproof glass is also installed on the back of the icon, where the Instruments of the Lord's Passion are depicted. The kiot stands in such a way that you can walk around the back of the icon and look at the image from both sides.

The second, exactly the same icon case, is located at the right side-altar of the temple. It was prepared for the Trinity Icon, created by the Monk Andrei Rublev. On the feast of the Trinity, for several days, the icon is exhibited in this icon case for the worship of believers. The rest of the time a copy is kept there. But the rector of the church, Archpriest Nikolai Sokolov, hopes that someday this shrine will also be available to believers in the gallery's home church, especially since all the necessary conditions have already been created for this.

To the right of the entrance to the central chapel is the second bulletproof icon case, with the ability to maintain special climatic conditions - it was prepared for the icon of St. Andrei Rublev - Trinity. Now, while the question of transferring this icon has not yet been resolved, a copy of it is kept in the icon case. But on the Feast of the Trinity, in the summer, an original icon is temporarily installed in this icon case.
History of the icon:
The icon came to Russia from Byzantium at the beginning of the XII century (c. 1131), as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. Initially, the Vladimir Icon was located in the women's Monastery of the Theotokos in Vyshgorod, not far from Kiev. In 1155, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky transported the icon to Vladimir (according to which it received its current name), where it was kept in the Assumption Cathedral. During the invasion of Tamerlane under Vasily I in 1395, the revered icon was transferred to Moscow to protect the city from the conqueror. Sretenka Street and the Sretensky Monastery are still located at the place of the "meeting" (meeting) of the Vladimir Icon by Muscovites. The icon stood in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, on the left side of the royal gates of the iconostasis. The robe of the Greek work on the icon made of pure gold with precious stones was estimated at about 200,000 gold rubles (now it is in the Armory). In 1918, the icon was removed from the cathedral for restoration, and in 1926 it was transferred to the State Historical Museum. In 1930 she was transferred to the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Memorial days of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos:
The church celebration of the Vladimir Icon takes place three times a year: August 26 (September 8) in memory of the miraculous salvation of Moscow in 1395, June 23 (July 6) in memory of the final transfer of the icon to Moscow and the bloodless victory over the Tatars on the Ugra River in 1480 and May 21 (June 3) in memory of the deliverance of Moscow from the raid of the Crimean Khan Makhmet-Girey in 1521.

When can you pray in front of the icon:
Every Friday at 17 o'clock the singing of the akathist is performed.
On Wednesdays at 10 o'clock in the morning, a prayer service for water is performed.
Every day from 10 to 12.00 you can pray in front of the icon and light a candle. In "museum mode" - from 12.00 to 16.00, when the temple works as one of the museum halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, the entrance to the temple is carried out only through the central entrance of the Tretyakov Gallery. You can also pray in front of the icon and leave a candle, which will be lit by the staff of the church during the service.

Free admission days at the museum

Every Wednesday admission to the permanent exhibition "Art of the 20th century" and temporary exhibitions in (Krymsky Val, 10) is free for visitors without a guided tour (except for the exhibition "Ilya Repin" and the project "Vanguard in three dimensions: Goncharova and Malevich").

The right to free access to exhibitions in the main building in Lavrushinsky lane, the Engineering building, the New Tretyakov Gallery, the house-museum of V.M. Vasnetsov, A.M. Vasnetsov is provided on the following days for certain categories of citizens:

First and second Sunday of every month:

for students of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, regardless of the form of study (including foreign citizens-students of Russian universities, graduate students, adjuncts, residents, assistants-trainees) upon presentation of a student card (does not apply to persons presenting student cards "student-trainee" );

for students of secondary and secondary specialized educational institutions (from 18 years old) (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries). Students-holders of ISIC cards on the first and second Sunday of each month have the right to visit the exhibition "Art of the XX century" of the New Tretyakov Gallery free of charge.

every Saturday - for members of large families (citizens of Russia and CIS countries).

Please note that conditions for free admission to temporary exhibitions may vary. Check the information on the pages of the exhibitions.

Attention! At the box office of the Gallery, entrance tickets are provided with a face value "free" (upon presentation of the relevant documents - for the above visitors). Moreover, all services of the Gallery, including excursion services, are paid in accordance with the established procedure.

Visiting the museum on holidays

Dear visitors!

Please pay attention to the opening hours of the Tretyakov Gallery on holidays. The visit is paid.

Please note that e-tickets are admitted on a first come, first served basis. You can familiarize yourself with the rules for returning electronic tickets at.

Congratulations on the upcoming holiday and are waiting in the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery!

The right to preferential visits The Gallery, except for the cases provided for by a separate order of the Gallery's management, is provided upon presentation of documents confirming the right to preferential visits:

• pensioners (citizens of Russia and CIS countries),
• full holders of the "Order of Glory",
• students of secondary and secondary specialized educational institutions (from 18 years old),
• students of higher educational institutions of Russia, as well as foreign students studying at Russian universities (except for student trainees),
• members of large families (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries).

Visitors to the above categories of citizens purchase a discounted ticket.

Free admission right The main and temporary exhibitions of the Gallery, except for the cases provided for by a separate order of the Gallery's management, are provided for the following categories of citizens upon presentation of documents confirming the right to free admission:

• persons under the age of 18;
• students of faculties specializing in the field of fine arts of secondary specialized and higher educational institutions of Russia, regardless of the form of study (as well as foreign students studying at Russian universities). The clause does not apply to persons presenting student cards for "student trainees" (in the absence of information about the faculty in the student card, a certificate from the educational institution is presented with the obligatory indication of the faculty);
• veterans and invalids of the Great Patriotic War, combatants, former underage prisoners of concentration camps, ghettos and other places of detention created by the Nazis and their allies during the Second World War, illegally repressed and rehabilitated citizens (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• conscripts of the Russian Federation;
• Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• disabled people of groups I and II, participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• one accompanying person with a disabled person of group I (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• one accompanying child with a disability (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• artists, architects, designers - members of the corresponding creative Unions of Russia and its subjects, art critics - members of the Association of Art Critics of Russia and its subjects, members and employees of the Russian Academy of Arts;
• members of the International Council of Museums (ICOM);
• employees of museums of the system of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the relevant Departments of Culture, employees of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and ministries of culture of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
• Museum volunteers - entrance to the exhibition "Art of the XX century" (Krymsky Val, 10) and to the A.M. Vasnetsova (citizens of Russia);
• guides-translators who have an accreditation card of the Association of Guides-Translators and Tour Managers of Russia, including those accompanying a group of foreign tourists;
• one teacher of an educational institution and one accompanying group of students of secondary and secondary specialized educational institutions (in the presence of an excursion voucher, subscription); one teacher of an educational institution that has state accreditation for educational activities when conducting an agreed training session and has a special badge (citizens of Russia and the CIS countries);
• one accompanying group of students or a group of conscripts (in the presence of a guided tour voucher, subscription and during a training session) (citizens of Russia).

Visitors to the above categories of citizens receive a free entrance ticket.

Please note that conditions for preferential admission to temporary exhibitions may vary. Check the information on the pages of the exhibitions.

What can you see in one of the main museums in Moscow with just an hour at your disposal? A short guide to the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane.

In the Tretyakov Gallery, by Alexander Ivanov's painting "The Appearance of Christ to the People." Natalia Volkova / Lori photo bank

Correct location

First, determine the exact address: the Tretyakov Gallery is a large museum with many buildings and branches. The main building, which houses a collection of Russian art until the beginning of the 20th century, is located at 10 Lavrushinsky Lane; in the neighboring house - the Engineering Building - temporary exhibitions are held and lectures are given. To see the art of the XX-XXI centuries, you will have to go to a completely different area of ​​Moscow, to Krymsky Val, 10. Don't mix it up! Many other branches, including the Vasnetsov House and Golubkina's workshop, are scattered throughout the capital.

First floor

Second floor

Right time

Opening hours and days off, of course, can be checked on the website. But also do not forget to check if there are school holidays now (autumn or spring, it's hard to forget about winter). On vacation days, the halls of the museum can be full of noisy school trips. What is good - in the main building of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Pereulok, frenetic exhibitions are rarely held (there is no place for them), so there is no need to be afraid of queues in the style of "on Serov".

Stock up on a card

Since you are limited in time, we cross out the pleasure of aimless walks through the suite of halls. It is necessary to clearly outline the goal and lay a route to it. In addition to paper guides, you can use the layout of the halls on the museum website or use the virtual museum technology.

In the Tretyakov Gallery. In front of Vasily Surikov's painting Boyarynya Morozova. Natalia Volkova / Lori photo bank

Stock up on a list of masterpieces

Decide which period of art you are most interested in: this building of the Tretyakov Gallery contains almost the entire history, from the Baptism of Rus to the Revolution. You can spend a whole hour on Serov, or on the Itinerants, or on the Silver Age.

If you want to quickly look at the main masterpieces, then here is a rough list of the must-haves. The list is short, because the masterpieces are scattered over two floors and different halls, and it will take an hour to walk through them, because you will surely be distracted by all kinds of beauty along the way.

Ground floor: "Trinity" Rublev (hall number 59)

One of the main Russian icons is located at the end of the enfilade of halls of icon painting, in the hall of Andrei Rublev. By the way, another shrine - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God - is also located in Lavrushinsky Lane, but in a different building, in the existing Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, which adjoins the Engineering Building from the end.

Ground floor: "Girl with Peaches" (hall number 40)

The famous portrait by Serov is exhibited in the halls dedicated to the art of the Silver Age on the same ground floor as the icon painting. Also on this floor are the halls of Levitan, Polenov and Nesterov, so it is rather difficult to understand the logic of the location of the exposition. As many as two halls are assigned to Serov in the gallery.

Second floor: "The Appearance of Christ to the People" (Hall No. 10)

Alexander Ivanov's masterpiece hangs in its own room among the numerous sketches dedicated to him. The guides warn: be careful, this is one of those paintings in front of which people in this museum often faint.

Second floor: "Morning in a pine forest" (hall number 25)

A landscape with cubs can be found in the hall dedicated to Shishkin's work. Don't miss it - the canvas isn't that big. By the way, only in a museum can one appreciate the real scale of the works that we are used to seeing on screens and in books.

Second floor: "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan on November 16, 1581" (hall number 31)

Repin's painting is in the hall dedicated to the work of this artist. This is another painting that has a profound effect on the psyche. Therefore, in order to come to your senses, be sure to check out the museum store on the ground floor, next to the ticket office. In the Tretyakov Gallery, he is good: reproductions, postcards, notebooks, magnets and, of course, catalogs.