Exhibitions of the Joseph Halls of the Vologda Kremlin

About exhibition

In the ceremonial halls of the Joseph wing of the Vologda Kremlin, visitors can view portraits from the 18th–19th centuries: clerical and secular portraits, merchant, royal, and noble — the full variety of portrait genres. Special attention is given to the portrait gallery of the Vologda noble family the Mezhakovs, which, among other works, includes the jewel of the Vologda Museum-Reserve's painting collection — a portrait of the Mezhakov landowners by the renowned British painter George Dawe. Also on the second floor visitors will see artistically decorated tiled stoves from the first half of the 18th century, where the green of the design stands out against the white tile background. Within a lavish decorative frame are depictions of various genre scenes accompanied by explanatory inscriptions. In wealthy homes such tiles once functioned as picture books for children: people admired them during long winter evenings; children learned to read from the inscriptions; young people used them for fortune-telling. In addition, visitors can explore the exhibition 'City. Man. War', dedicated to the history of Vologda near the front during the Great Patriotic War.