History of Saint-Petersburg: The painting “Anticipation of the Apostles Peter and Paul before Christ” at the Eastern façade of the Peter and Paul Fortress

27 December 2013
Source: The State Museum of the History of Saint-Petersburg

At the end of December 2013 is completed the reconstruction of the painting on the Eastern facade of the Cathedral of Peter and Paul "Anticipation of the Apostles Peter and Paul before Christ", which became the final stage of the restoration of the temple facades. Almost lost to the beginning of the XXI century painting returned to its historic place. Now, many decades later, citizens and guests of the city can see the complete architectural and artistic image of the Cathedral of the way it was conceived by its creators.

In 1730, by A. Matveev and A. Zakharov on the eastern facade of the cathedral was placed oil on copper board painting "Anticipation of the Apostles Peter and Paul before Christ". By the middle of the XIX century it became necessary to replace it.

In 1858-1860 (during extensive reconstruction and restoration of the facade of the spire of the cathedral) on the eastern facade of the temple there appeared a new oil painting done on dry plaster painting by academician P. Titov. Over time, the paint layer of the painting "from time fading and scrambling". It was restored in 1873 by artist J. Boldini.

However by the early XX century, it re-emerged the need for full reconstruction of the image. In 1908, the composition "Anticipation of the Apostles Peter and Paul before Christ" was re-written by an unknown artist.

Since then it took more than 100 years. The painting was restored several times. In 2003, during the restoration of the facades of the cathedral was built the woods and restorers were able to examine the painting. They stated that the picturesque layer crumbled almost completely preserved remains of pigment only partially. It was decided to recreate the painting.

For the work was used a preserved in the Russian State Historical Archive sketch by painting of  P. Titov (1859) and a fixation and drawing eastern facade of the cathedral painted by V. Kuroedov (1860).

In 2013, by the artist I. V. Bolotov was first created a sketch and cardboard painting "Anticipation of Peter and Paul before Christ", and then made ​​paintings on the facade of the cathedral.