The architecture and painting in Isaac’s Cathedral were conceived to complement one another sublimely, melding a harmonious concept with its perfect execution. It is only here that the collection of Russian monumental, religious and historical paintings dating from the 1840s-1850s remains preserved.
103 wall paintings and 52 canvases were executed by the major painters of the Russian academic school of the period, including V.K. Shebuev, F.A. Bruni, K.P. Brullov, A.T. Markov, N. M.Alekseev, P.V. Basin, F.P. Brullov, T.A. Neff, K.A. Moldavsky, Ch. Mussini and others.
The iconographic program of St Isaac’s is unique, having been conceived by the members of the Holy Sinod, Nicholas I and the architect Montferrand. The painting technique employed was quite idiosyncratic: oil paints were applied on the plaster covered with priming as developed by the French chemists D’Arce and Tenor. Work on painting was carried out under the direction of Vasily Shebuev, a prominent representative of the Russian academic school and the rector of the Academy of Arts.
Fedor Bruni and his pupils K.B. Vening, P.F. Pleshanov and I.S. Ksenofontov are responsible for the twelve paintings, including The Last Judgment, The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel, The Deluge, The Sun, the Moon, the Stars and Groups of Angels, The Creator Blessing his Creation, and The Creation of the World.
The dome painting The Mother of God in Glory by the great Karl Brullov is stunning in its size – 816 sq.m. Considering the spherical shape of the dome and its size, Brullov employed the circular composition, leaving the extensive patches of the background visible to produce the effect of the sky saturated with sunshine.
Of great importance in the Cathedral’s painted decor are The Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand with Five Loaves by E. Plushar and The Sermon on the Mount by P. Basin. Their colour scheme of local tones is similar and corresponds to the dome painting.
In the attic and on the vaults of the main dome are the paintings Doubting Thomas, The Holy Spirit Surrounded by the Angels, Christ Appearing before the Apostles at the Resurrection, and Washing of feet by F.A. Bruni. In the attic, over the Holy doors is The Savior Not-Made-By-Hands by T.A. Neff, a painting conventional in composition, yet exquisite in draftsmanship.
