Buffet Room

This room belonged to the imperial suite and, until 1768, was part of the dressing rooms of Empress Elizabeth remodelled in the style of the interiors belonging to the Formal Enfilade of the Catherine Palace. During the mid-19th century, the room was sectioned off by a white damask screen behind which the servants' buffet table would be set up in order to set the tables for receptions. During World War II, the decorative architecture was destroyed, but now, after the completion of restoration work headed by Alexander Kedrinsky, the interior has been completely returned to its original state.

The walls of the Buffet Room were covered in white damask in carved gilded frames, the corner boasts a stove with painted cobalt tiles, the doors are decorated with supraportas of carved gilded wood depicting a cartouche, hunting horns, a quiver with arrows, and an eagle surrounded by baroque ornament. The mirror in the carved gilded frame with two wall sconces is located in the space between two of the windows looking out onto the palace square. The walls between the windows are hung with one 11-candle wall sconce each. The ceiling mural uses a painting by an unknown Italian artist of the 17th century entitled "Coral Fishing" and two inserts executed in the grisaille technique and depicting a cupid figure in a garland of flowers and, in the other insert, cupids riding a dolphin. The painting and inserts are surrounded by elegant gilded stucco ornament in the form of winding plant shoots.

The furniture in this room dates to the 18th century: a divan, armchairs and chairs in the baroque style and upholstered in white damask; near the window stand two chairs with high wicker backs and wicker seats, a commode of inlaid wood decorated with girandoles of green glass (18th century), and a desk of inlaid wood by the master M.Ya. Veretennikov depicting Empress Catherine II. On the walls are two still-lives from the 17th-century Western European school, and two animal paintings by the painter I. Groot painted in the mid-18th century for the Mon Bijou hunting lodge.