A landscape painting by artist Semyon Shchedrin, commissioned by Paul I, is now on display at the Pavlovsk Palace after restoration. The artwork, originally one piece, was divided into two parts: “View of the Pavlovsk Palace” and “View of the Mariental Pond.”

Initially created for the Mikhailovsky Castle, the painting’s history took a turn after the owner’s assassination. It was moved to the Academy of Arts and subsequently to Gatchina, where it was apparently split into two separate pieces.

During the Great Patriotic War, the two paintings were evacuated from the Gatchina Palace as separate works. In 1956, they were transferred to Pavlovsk from the Central Repository of Museum Funds.

The painting holds unique significance not only due to its division but also because it depicts structures from the 18th century that no longer exist.

According to Anna Nikiforova, an employee of the scientific and archival department, “One of the reasons for dividing the large painting into two parts was their compositional solution.” She notes that one part features the Pavlovsk Palace on the high bank of the Slavyanka as its compositional center. The other canvas showcases the Mariental Pond, including the palace of Count Kutaisov and a trellis with a trellis staircase. Nikiforova emphasizes that neither the trellis nor the palace of Count Kutaisov have survived to this day, making the painting a rare depiction of these 18th-century buildings.

During the 2024 restoration, while removing layers of yellowed varnish, an image of an upland orangery with open transoms was revealed on the canvas. It is speculated that this orangery may be a cherry one, as Maria Feodorovna was known to have a fondness for cherries.