World Culture: Museum of the Academy of Arts in Saint-Petersburg presented the "Raphael. Versions" exhibition

The exhibition "Raphael. Versions" devoted to the 500th anniversary of the artist's death, presents more than a hundred works of Russian and foreign art from the collection of the Museum of the Academy of Arts (Saint-Petersburg). It reflects the milestones in the oeuvre of one of the greatest masters of the High Renaissance and will run until March 31, 2021.

Russia discovered Raphael later than Europe, during the reign of Catherine II. The Imperial Academy of Arts was established at the beginning of her time. Indoctrination program for students included a study of Raphael's works.

Traditionally, the best academy students went abroad to "improve the arts". The academy council instructed students to copy the works of prominent artists. The exhibition features copies of Raphael's paintings made by the best representatives of the Russian academic school, including images of Vatican frescoes created by K. P. Bryullov, P. V. Basin, A. T. Markov and F. A. Bruni.