The Hermitage Collections: Volume I: Treasures of World Art; Volume II: From the Age of Enlightenment to the Present Day

The 2 volumes contained in this set are done with exquisite reproductions of the artwork featured. The scholarly text was informative and represented a lot of research. BUT, and this is a big but... I missed paintings by RUSSIAN artists, aside from the few icons included. Being in Russia, I saw magnificent artworks (HUGE!) of some of the most realistic paintings ever produced in the world that spoke of the times and people past. I surely expected to find a few examples of Russian masterpieces in this Hermitage volume set and was very disappointed not to see representative work of the Russian people, hence the "4 Stars" rating. Perhaps I need a book on the Tetryakov Gallery!

Visited St, Petersburg in 2008 and spent two days going thru the Hermitage (need to take at least that much time) but didn't leave with any art books these books filled that void their big and heavy but are very comprehensive and have beautiful pictures of many of the paintings and sculptures I seen and photographed myself the rooms and palace are a work of art also just a beautiful experience if your going to see this museum or have already been there this is a great set of books to have to either bring back memories or give you an idea of what to expect on your visit.

I am trying to collect all painting books with this kind quality. Each time in the travel tour, we never have enough time to go over the painting carefully in the museum(s), not mention to read the comments for the pictures. It is worth to keep this kind book for a life time. Whenever I have time, I can go back to read again.

This set of two very large books is very good, but not perfect. It certainly only touches upon the vast collection in the Hermitage, but it includes images of all the famous pieces I wanted to see. The colors seem right and all of the images are large, but I have two complaints, one minor, one not so minor: There are a small number of reproductions that are not quite in focus. Worse, there are several paintings, including Matisse's Harmony in Red, that span the binding - a very serious crime in my opinion!But you can't beat this price. (The back of the box say $95.00)

This is your book to remember! Super!

An excellent compilation of art and history of this world famous collection. Having been there and attempted to view the entire collection...too much to absorb in one short visit...this 2-volume set is jewel to read and reread after I have returned.

This is a beautiful boxed set of two large volumes with wonderful photos and text. We purchased it as a keepsake after our trip to the Hermitage this past summer. We enjoyed looking through the books and rediscovering the masterpieces we saw in person. The box has a slight gold sheen to it that makes it look very luxurious and expensive. We've displayed it prominently in our living room. I would recommend it as a pre-trip purchase to help you decide what galleries you want to focus on during your visit to the Hermitage since it is a massive museum. It would be easy to miss an important masterpiece if you don't have a plan.

Magnifiently printed, bound (with a jacket for both books) and delivered. Highly recommend this seller for quality and promptness. The books are the next best thing to visiting The Hermitage collections. Definitely a collectible item for those who love art, palaces and exquisite everything. Rizzoli, as usual, does justice to his top-notch reputation. Books are spellbinding in every respect and they will enrich further my forthcoming trip to The Hermitage, St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Excelente libro, hermosas fotografías y muy buen texto

O livro (ou melhor, os livros, pois são dois volumes) traz as principais obras de arte do Hermitage. Ele é imponente, capa dura, protegido por estojo. As ilustrações são de ótima qualidade. Meu desejo agora é ir à Rússia pessoalmente para ver todas as obras apresentadas no livro. É um verdadeiro prazer ver cada uma de suas páginas. O preço da amazon foi o melhor que encontrei.

This is a two-volume set, and very beautiful. However - it is darned heavy & there was NO packing on either end, and it arrived damaged. I spoke with customer service. and I received the labels to return it. The second one arrived and it was also damaged. I had been explicit that it needed proper packaging, and they said they wouldn't even send my a third. I have better things to do with my time.I think that you guys need to work on your service!

If you're thinking of purchasing these two tomes while visiting the Hermitage at St. Petersburg, you need to rethink that. Firstly, they weigh a "ton" that you would be lugging during your travels, and secondly, they are cheaper to purchase from Amazon than the Hermitage gift shop. Whatever you decide, these tomes are beautifully illustrated with descriptive comments.

So happy to have this book