The majestic monuments of medieval architecture in Moscow are the main ‘heroes’ of this painting by Alexeev. In the foreground, the artist shows the bridge across the Neglinka River leading to the Resurrection (Iversky) gates with their twin towers, and the Iversky chapel standing between the twin arches. The building of the Great Pharmacy where the university was initially housed stands in front of the gates to the left. To the right of the painting we can see the Arsenal Tower of the Moscow Kremlin and part of the Kitai-Gorod wall between the Iberian Gate and the Arsenal Tower. The Mint building lies to the left of the painting. The entire scene is bathed in sunlight giving it warm, golden tones. When looking carefully at the numerous figures crowding the square, one gets a real idea of what Moscow streets must have looked like at the turn of the I8th to I9th centuries. The carriages, wagons, riders on horseback and dogs, are all clearly important to the artist in giving accurate impression of the ancient capital city.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow