I too! Thanks Nikolai and my apologies as I thought you were questionning confirmation. The vagaries of translation and then I am off searching/analyzing!
The Military Chamber is a mystery to me. Twice I have attempted to get close. When taking photographs of surround of the Imperial farm building, a dog threatend attack. I still remember being scared silly, shaking, wanting to run, but then my sister started screaming. In Russian! I was stunned, stopped and stared at her, I think my jaw dropped, where did she know in our panic to yell in Russian? It was a nightmare. That dog (think Hound of the Baskervilles!) followed us all around feinting, teeth barred until we reached the lane on the other side when he retreated. Further east along the road in the distance through fields is the Chamber building, huge, abandoned and in our minds hundreds of dogs lurking. It was beyond our courage to try to see it! The same this year. After encountering the dogs at the steps to the entrance of the AP, we admitted we were wimps!
Daniel, further on the artist (I continue veering off on obscure conjectures!), do you think that it is possible to attribute the artist by the style of the portrait? There is a familiarity. I am curious at the lack of documentation. If the portrait was confiscated at the time of the revolution, it may be that it was uncompleted, therefore unsigned, and another artist later added final strokes.
The Feodorovsky Goroduk restoration is progressing. The wall along the lane that runs between it and the Imperial Garage and along Akademichesky is being rebuilt and roofed. The interior courtyard has been transformed with repairs and paint. Some of the towers have also been completed.
Joanna
