Memory of Russia: Exhibition "The Image of Alexander Nevsky in the Pyotr Basin's Works in St. Isaac's Cathedral" presented in Saint-Petersburg

The State Memorial Museum "St. Isaac's Cathedral" (Saint-Petersburg) opened an exhibition "The Image of Alexander Nevsky in the Pyotr Basin's Works in St. Isaac's Cathedral". The exhibition presents sketches of paintings for two lunettes: "Saint Alexander Nevsky Praying for the Salvation of his Fatherland" from the collection of the Vologda Regional Art Gallery and "The Christian Death of the Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky" from the collection of the "Priyutino" Literary and Art Museum-Estate.

The exhibition marks the 800th anniversary of the prominent Russian statesman and military leader, canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as the Right-Believing. The memory of his deeds and feats is an integral part of the cultural, military and historical heritage of Russia.

Alexander Nevsky is the defender of the Neva lands. He is considered the saint patron of Saint-Petersburg. Every Saint-Petersburg church keeps the icon of the right-believing prince. There are lots of images of Alexander Nevsky in the St. Isaac's Cathedral. The cathedral's interior, which is a synthesis of architecture and monumental and decorative art, features paintings about the milestones in Alexander Nevsky's life, his deeds in praise of Russia, so highly estimated for hundreds of years. The northern altar of St. Isaac's Cathedral is devoted to this saint, who was the saint patron of Emperors Alexander I and Alexander II. The first launched the temple's construction, the latter completed it. A series of pictures by Professor Pyotr Basin stands out in the variety of images of the saint prince in painting, mosaic and sculpture of St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Pyotr Vasilievich Basin (1793–1877) is a historical and portrait painter. As a graduate of the Imperial Academy of Arts, he lived in Italy for more than ten years. After the return to Saint-Petersburg, he became an academician and entered the staff of the Academy, where he taught until 1869. In 1843-1856, Pyotr Basin created a monumental pictorial decoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral: he painted the side-altars of St. Catherine and St. Alexander Nevsky, the "Sermon on the Mount" in the attic of the southern aisle. He also completed the ceiling painting of the central part of the temple, started by Karl Bryullov. This work in St. Isaac's Cathedral brought him the Order of St. Vladimir III class and a gold medal on the St. Andrew's ribbon.

In the side-altar of St. Alexander Nevsky, Pyotr Basin also performed a ceiling painting. The sketches were approved on December 14, 1843. Four frescoes in semicircular lunettes illustrate the lifeway of Alexander Nevsky. They were painted in oil on plaster, the area of ​​each painting is 11.3 square meters, diameter 6.04 m, height 2, 53 m. Pyotr Basin completed the lunettes of the side-altars in 1848. The exposition includes sketches for two of these frescoes.

The exhibition will run until February 9, 2021, during the opening hours of the St. Isaac's Cathedral.