Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, February 8, visited the Tretyakov gallery. The head of state visited the exhibition “Roma. Aeterna. Masterpieces of the Vatican picture gallery” and “Masterpieces of Byzantium.” It is reported by RIA Novosti.
Putin started his tour with rare works of the Roman school of the XII century — the image of “Christ Blessing”. This painting never before exhibited and limits of the Vatican never left. It was further submitted Margaritone d Arezzo “St. Francis of Assisi”.
In addition, the President familiarized with the works of Gothic masters, very few in Russian collections.
The exhibition “Roma. Aeterna” the Vatican museums show the best part of his collection — masterpieces of XII-XVIII centuries, including works by Giovanni Bellini, melozzo da Forli, Perugino, Raphael, Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Guercino, Nicolas Poussin. Altogether there are 42 pieces.
Preliminary agreement on holding the exhibition was reached during Putin’s meeting with Pope Francis during his visit to the Vatican in June 2015.
The exhibition “Masterpieces of the Byzantine Empire”, which was also attended by Putin, contains Byzantine and post-Byzantine art from museums and private collections in Greece.