There are art schools all over the world but none quite like St-Petersburg’s academy of fine arts. There’s no modernism to be found here, classical art and classic techniques are still taught, a place where creativity comes from the heart and love is just as important as paint or clay in creating great work. Students come from all over the world to learn the old ways that respect form above all else, they even still study anatomy, unheard of in most modern art colleges. This place is seen as the gold standard in classical art training, the intensely creative environment is a hot house for romance and an idyllic oasis of beauty where the ancient walls keep the outside world of conflict and war at bay.