The article analyzes the part of the Nicholas’ I artistic program in Rome that was previously insufficiently studied (acquisitions in Italy of works of modern painting, orders for copies from Italian and other masterpieces of classical painting, etc.). Based on documents stored in domestic and foreign archives, the author characterizes the artistic preferences of the Russian emperor, his contribution to the formation of the museum fund of St. Petersburg and Russia; establishes the relationship between the visit of the emperor to Rome and the creation of the artistic and architectural appearance of St. Petersburg and its main temple – St. Isaac’s Cathedral, as well as the revival of the mosaic case in Russia.