“Take care of the gallery and be healthy,” with these words, the lover of painting Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov passed away. The gallery, for which he collected paintings for almost half a century, became the main business of his life: Tretyakov even built the building for the future art gallery himself. About a man who has done no less for domestic painting than many outstanding artists, says "Amateur".
Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov, painting by Ilya Repin
Great Opportunities
Pavel Tretyakov's father - a Moscow merchant of the 2nd guild - provided his son with a first-class home education, introducing him to art from a young age. Tretyakov himself admitted that "from his youth he wholeheartedly loved art." In addition, Pavel actively studied his father's craft: from an early age they began to work together. Not surprisingly, after the death of their father in 1850, Pavel and his brother Sergei began to successfully expand the business, opening new paper mills. This business was very profitable, and soon a fortune was in the hands of Pavel Mikhailovich. Being a man experienced in painting, he - and he was still a little over twenty - already then, in the early 1850s, decided to spend this money on creating his own collection of paintings of Russian painting.
Pavel Tretyakov, portrait by Kramskoy
First purchases
Collecting works of art, Tretyakov relied not only on his own preferences, but also used the advice of Stasov, Kramskoy and other famous artists. According to historians, Tretyakov acquired the first paintings in 1856: the beginning of the collection was laid by the paintings "Temptation" by Nikolai Schilder and "Clash with Finnish smugglers" by Vasily Khudyakov. It is 1856, by the way, that is considered to be the year of foundation of the Tretyakov Gallery.
"Temptation", the work of Nikolai Schilder
Meanwhile, it is erroneous to assume that Tretyakov was engaged only in collecting paintings for his collection. He also took part in the activities of the Moscow Art Society, the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, helped the Arnold School of the Deaf and Dumb. He also made numerous donations for the needs of the poor, scholarships, assistance to scientists and artists. So, for example, he was a sponsor of the legendary expedition of N. N. Miklukho-Maclay.
"Clash with Finnish smugglers", the work of Vasily Khudyakov
Gallery from scratch
Tretyakov had to spend a long time trying to get one or another painting for his collection: so soon his collection was replenished with paintings by Trutnev, Savrasov, Bruni and other artists. In his will, drawn up in 1860, just four years after the purchase of the first paintings, Pavel Tretyakov wrote: “For me, who truly and passionately love painting, there can be no better desire than to start a public, accessible repository of fine arts, bringing many benefit, everyone's pleasure.
Pavel Tretyakov and Mikhail Pryanishnikov, photograph, 1891
At the same time, by the way, almost no one knew about Tretyakov's purchases, since the collector himself did not advertise his activities in any way. It is known that Tretyakov almost fell ill from chagrin after an enthusiastic article about him by Stasov and literally fled from Moscow from the celebrations for the transfer of the Gallery as a gift to the city.
Major Acquisitions
In the 1860s, Tretyakov bought a number of paintings that became the basis for his gallery. His collection was replenished with "Halt of the Prisoners" by Valery Yakobi, "Last Spring" by Mikhail Klodt, "Grandmother's Dreams" by Vasily Maksimov, "Rural Procession at Easter" and "Troika" by Vasily Perov. It must also be taken into account that Tretyakov still had to spend a huge amount of time managing factories and shops.
"Halt of prisoners", the work of V. I. Jacobi
The artists themselves treated Tretyakov with great respect. There is even a version about some kind of unspoken agreement among artists on granting Tretyakov the right of the first choice of a painted picture. Therefore, apparently, it was very difficult for other few collectors to compete with Tretyakov.
"Christ in the Desert" by Ivan Kramskoy
Later, in the period of the 1870s, Tretyakov’s collection was replenished with paintings “Christ in the Desert” by Ivan Kramskoy, “Pine Forest” by Ivan Shishkin, “Rooks Have Arrived” by Alexei Savrasov, “Peter I Interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich” by Nikolai Ge.
Opening of the Tretyakov Gallery
For a long time, Pavel Tretyakov kept all the acquired paintings in his Moscow house, but they demanded more and more space. Then in 1874, Tretyakov, using only his own funds, built the building of an art gallery in Moscow. Moreover, a few years later he opened the gallery to the public, and in 1892 he completely transferred the collection and the building to the ownership of the Moscow State Duma.
Tretyakov Pavel Mikhailovich, Russian merchant-entrepreneur, philanthropist, collector of works of domestic fine art, founder of a publicly accessible private art gallery. Brother of Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov.
Belonged to the Tretyakov family. He received a good education at home. Since childhood, he maintained friendly relations with the family of the owner of the pencil factory Rubinshtein, whose children Anton Grigorievich and Nikolai Grigorievich later became famous musical figures.
By the end of the 1840s. The Tretyakovs owned five shops in the Old Trading Rows between Ilyinka and Varvarka. After the death of the father, the mother and eldest sons conducted the business. Pavel Mikhailovich himself at the age of 14-15 was obliged to constantly be in the shops. After the death of his mother, he took over the family business, expanded and strengthened it. On the basis of several factories in the Kostroma province, the "Association of the Great Kostroma Linen Manufactory" (1866), which was owned by the Tretyakov family, was established.
In 1865 he married twenty-year-old Vera Nikolaevna Mamontova, an educated girl from a well-known merchant family, musically gifted and sharing her husband's passion for art. The marriage was happy. Many famous people of that time, prominent writers and musicians attended family receptions. Of the children, daughters and a mentally handicapped son, Mikhail, survived.
Possessing not the largest fortune in Moscow, Pavel Mikhailovich enjoyed great prestige among the merchants and repeatedly performed public duties, held elected positions. On his care lay the care of the Arnold School for deaf and dumb children.
As a collector, he began by acquiring art publications and engravings on the famous "collapses" near the Sukharev Tower. In 1854 he bought the first ten paintings there, old Dutch paintings. However, two years later he acquires two genre paintings of the Russian school - "Temptation" by N. G. Schilder and "Finland Smugglers" by V. G. Khudyakov, which formed the basis of an outstanding collection.
Not satisfied with owning a private collection, Pavel Mikhailovich wanted to create a national art gallery.
The program for the creation of a national gallery was formulated by Tretyakov in a testamentary letter in 1860. According to this document, he bequeathed his fixed capital to the establishment of an "art museum". The goal set once by Tretyakov remained faithful all his life.
In the collection of P.M. Tretyakov received primarily the works of his contemporaries. He made his acquisitions at exhibitions and directly in the studios of artists, and thus created a new type of collector, who gave important material support to contemporary artists. His personal artistic tastes had a considerable impact on the Russian art school.
The gallery was replenished not only with individual works, but with entire collections. So, in 1874, Tretyakov bought 144 paintings and sketches from Vereshchagin, then 127 pencil drawings. He also acquired a series of works by this artist at an auction held in 1880. P.M. Tretyakov managed to collect a whole gallery of sketches by A. A. Ivanov, which included more than eighty works by the famous master. In 1885, he purchased from V. D. Polenov 102 sketches made during a trip to Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Palestine. From V. M. Vasnetsov, Pavel Mikhailovich bought a collection of sketches made during the period of work on the murals of the Kyiv Cathedral of St. Vladimir.
The most complete and best works in the Tretyakov collection were V. G. Perov, I. N. Kramskoy, I. E. Repin, V. I. Surikov, I. I. Levitan, V. A. Serov.
Later, Pavel Mikhailovich began to acquire paintings by Russian masters of the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries and monuments of ancient Russian painting.
For the Russian pantheon conceived by Tretyakov - a portrait gallery of famous compatriots - a number of portraits of figures of Russian culture were specially ordered from leading masters - N. V. Nevrev, N. N. Ge, V. G. Perov, I. N. Kramskoy, I. E. Repin and others.
In the 1890s, Tretyakov's collection of ancient Russian painting began to take shape. He made his first major acquisition of icons at the exhibition of Russian antiquities at the Eighth Archaeological Congress in Moscow. Valuable works were bought by him, in particular, from the famous antiquary collector I. L. Silin. However, during the life of the owner, the icons were not included in the exposition, they hung in his office. In total, Tretyakov purchased 62 icons.
At the same time, in the 1890s, the collection of Russian sculpture began.
As early as 1851 Tretyakov settled in Lavrushinsky Lane. Here, in a small two-story mansion, a gallery arose. The first paintings were placed in the owner's office on the first floor. Later, as the congregation grew, they began to decorate the walls of the dining room, living room, bedroom, children's rooms, and flights of stairs.
More and more new arrivals prompted the owner in 1872-1874. make a special extension to the mansion. A second followed in 1882, a third in 1885, and a fourth in 1892.
At first, there were few visitors to the museum. However, this did not last long: in 1885, about thirty thousand people visited the halls of the gallery.
In 1892, Tretyakov's younger brother, Sergei Mikhailovich, died. He was also a collector; collected works of Western European painting. In his will, S.M. Tretyakov transferred all rights to the collection to his brother. Thus, two halls of the Western school appeared in the Tretyakov Gallery.
In terms of the significance of its collection, the gallery was on a par with the largest museums in Russia of that time, becoming one of the main attractions of Moscow. Visiting it was considered obligatory not only by Russian people, but also by many foreigners, from sovereigns and princes to ordinary travelers who spread the fame of the museum throughout Europe.
In August 1892, Pavel Mikhailovich donated his art gallery to Moscow. By that time, the collection included 1287 paintings and 518 graphic works of the Russian school, 75 paintings and 8 drawings of the European school, 15 sculptures and a collection of icons.
On August 15, 1893, the official opening of the museum took place under the name "Moscow City Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov".
Having transferred the gallery to his native city, making it the property of all of Russia, Pavel Mikhailovich continued to replenish its collection as before. Every year he donated dozens of paintings, drawings, sketches to the gallery.
Tretyakov gave a lot of time and effort to studying the collection of the gallery he created. The result of this work were catalogs published from 1893.
P. M. Tretyakov was buried at the Danilovsky cemetery. In 1948 his ashes were transferred to the Novodevichy cemetery.
Patron Pavel Tretyakov. ~ Founder of the Tretyakov Gallery.
Portrait of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov by Ilya Repin.
Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov is a Russian businessman, philanthropist, collector, collector of works of Russian fine art. Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov is the founder of the Tretyakov Gallery.
Biography Tretyakov
Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov (1832-1898), an outstanding figure in Russian culture, devoted his life to one idea, one goal - to collect works of the Russian school of painting, so that, in his own words, “acquired from society would also return to society (people) in .. .useful institutions".
And he really created such a useful institution - the first Russian public museum, in which national painting appeared not in disparate artistic phenomena, but as something unified and integral.
With his almost half a century of collecting activity, the support of the most talented and brilliant artists, Tretyakov, no less than the ideologists of the "Wanderers" - Ivan Kramskoy or V.V. Stasov - influenced the formation of the artistic culture of Russia in the second half of the 19th century and helped it flourish.
Monument to Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov near the Tretyakov Gallery. (sculptor - A.P. Kibalnikov)
Traditions of collecting in Russia
By this time, collecting in Russia had ceased to be a purely noble occupation. The initiative, as in many other areas, here passes to the enlightened circles of the merchants and the intelligentsia.
The collections were collected by the Botkin brothers, K. T. Soldatenkov, F. I. Pryanitnikov, V. A. Kokorev, G. I. Khludov, I. I. Chetverikov, M. M. Zaitsevsky, V. S. Lepeshkin, P. Obraztsov , later - the Shchukin brothers, I. A. Morozov, S. I. Mamontov and others.
Tretyakov, like them, came from a merchant background and remained a merchant until the end of his days: together with his brother, Sergei Mikhailovich, he owned a manufactory in Kostroma, and this gave him the means for the true work of his life - collecting.
Portrait of Tretyakov by Ilya Repin.
Kramskoy Ivan Nikolaevich Portrait of P. Tretyakov.
Collecting Principles
We can say that from the very beginning of collecting Tretyakov had a clear idea of the purpose of his work. In his will, drawn up in 1860, just four years after the purchase of the first paintings, he wrote: “For me, who truly and ardently love painting, there can be no better desire than to start a public, accessible repository of fine arts that will benefit many everyone's pleasure."
Tretyakov's conviction, his faith in his work seem surprising if we remember that he laid the foundations of the gallery at a time when the Russian school of painting, as an original and significant phenomenon, only loomed dimly in the shadow cast by the great artistic tradition of the West, the mighty ancient Russian art was half-forgotten, the works of Russian artists are scattered in private collections, at home and abroad, when there was still no Repin, no Surikov, no Serov, no Levitan, those of their paintings, without which it is now impossible to imagine Russian art.
In Tretyakov's character, cordial responsiveness and kindness were combined with exactingness, directness, and firm business acumen. For decades, he financially supported artists, helped Kramskoy, Perov, F. Vasiliev and so many others that it is even difficult to list them; he patronized a school for the deaf and dumb, was the organizer of a shelter for widows and orphans of poor artists.
At the same time, when buying paintings, he called very reasonable prices, patiently bargained with the authors, sometimes refused too expensive works that he really wanted to buy - he saved money all for the same purpose: to collect as many works as possible, to present the Russian school only in its best manifestations, but also with all possible completeness.
Sensitivity to art, constant sincerity, readiness to provide material and moral support, and most importantly, the high goal that inspired Tretyakov earned him deep respect and love from artists.
Everything that was most honest and advanced in the art of that time was drawn to Tretyakov and helped him. Some tacit agreement of artists to grant the right of first choice to Tretyakov put him out of competition with other collectors.
Many years of friendly ties connected him with Kramskoy, Repin, Perov, Stasov, Yaroshenko, Maximov, Polenov, Surikov, Pryanishnikov and others. His appearance is captured in a number of paintings and sculptures (S. Volnukhin "Portrait of P. M. Tretyakov").
Volnukhin Sergey Mikhailovich.
Portrait of P.M. Tretyakov.
1899. Bronze.
Paintings in Tretyakov's collection
He singled out in contemporary art the most lively and fruitful stream - the Wanderers, with their fighting, democratic spirit, passionate commitment to truth and deep sympathy for the oppressed.
It was the works of the Wanderers that made up the precious core of his collection, and so far the completeness and quality of this part of the gallery's collections remain unsurpassed. This heroic period of Russian art can be understood, felt and studied in Moscow, in the Tretyakov Gallery, like nowhere else.
The implementation of Tretyakov's idea of creating a portrait gallery of figures of Russian culture was of great patriotic and artistic significance.
An extensive gallery of portraits and self-portraits was commissioned by Kramskoy, Perov, Repin, Serov and other painters and preserved for posterity the images of "persons dear to the nation, its best sons", in the words of I. E. Repin, - outstanding scientists, writers, musicians, actors, artists (Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev, Herzen, Nekrasov, Goncharov, Tchaikovsky and others).
Monument to Tretyakov near the Tretyakov Gallery. (sculptor - A.P. Kibalnikov)
Events in the fate of the gallery were the acquisition of A. Ivanov's sketches for the painting "The Appearance of Christ to the People", the collections of the collector F. I. Pryanishnikov, the collection of paintings by Vereshchagin, such capital works as "Morning of the Streltsy Execution" and "Boyar Morozova" by Surikov, "The Religious Procession in the Kursk province” and “Protodeacon” by Repin and others. Tretyakov’s house in Zamoskvorechye, “in Tolmachi”, bought in 1851, where the gallery was founded, gradually grew and was rebuilt along with the growth of the collection and was widely visited since the 70s the public. Both Tretyakov's house and priceless art collections were donated by Tretyakov to the city of Moscow in 1892 as a public museum. The collection also included an excellent collection of French art by his deceased brother, Sergei Mikhailovich (in 1925, these 84 paintings were transferred to the Museum of New Western Art, now they are in the State Hermitage Museum and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts). In 1918, according to the decree on nationalization signed by V. I. Lenin, the gallery received its current name "State Tretyakov Gallery", which immortalized the name of its founder.
His life's work is a real feat, and he himself deserves gratitude, memory and respect as a national hero.
Article from the book "One Hundred Memorable Dates. Art Calendar. 1982"
Additional Information:
All-Russian Museum Association "State Tretyakov Gallery"
Moscow, Lavrushinsky per., 10
230-77-88, 951-13-62
(m. Tretyakovskaya) 953-52-23
Krymsky Val, 10 (m. Oktyabrskaya): 238-13-78
Days and hours of work: daily from 10:00 to 19:00, day off - Monday. The gallery, founded in 1856 by the merchant P.M. Tretyakov, gives a complete picture of the development of fine arts in Russia, from Kievan Rus to contemporary art of the 20th century. The Tretyakov Gallery offers sightseeing and thematic tours.
artcontext.info
Moscow merchant of the first guild. Since 1856 - a collector of paintings by Russian artists, philanthropist, founder of the Tretyakov Gallery - first Russian public museum.
In his youth, “He had many books, collected popular prints, prints, engravings. He carefully kept what he collected. Often, secluded from the noisy company of guests, he examined engravings or read books for a long time. Pavel asked that no one should disturb him, that he should not be interrupted from his studies. He was tall for his nineteen years, thin, dark blond hair fell in curls on his forehead, thoughtful brown eyes under thick eyebrows looked completely black from the matte pallor of his face. He did not give the impression of a young man with good health, but his ability to work, his ability to gather his will and not to waste a minute without work surprised his mother, brother and friends. Surprised in him isolation and silence beyond his years. This character trait made him older than his years, made him treat him with great respect. For his love of loneliness, friends jokingly called Pavel "the hermit."
Bezrukova D.Ya., Tretyakov and the history of the creation of his gallery, M., "Enlightenment", 1970, p. 7-8.
In 1874 P.M. Tretyakov built a special building in Moscow for an art gallery, opening halls for visitors in it in 1881. After the death of his brother S.M. Tretyakov in 1882, who collected paintings by Western artists and bequeathed them to P.M. Tretyakov, they were also transferred to the art gallery.
In addition, on the initiative and at the expense of P.M. Tretyakova a portrait gallery of figures of Russian culture was created: A.I. Herzen, I.A. Goncharova, F.M. Dostoevsky, N.A. Nekrasov, L.N. Tolstoy, I.S. Turgenev, P.I. Tchaikovsky and others.
In 1892 P.M. Tretyakov transferred his collection, together with the gallery building, to the ownership of the Moscow City Duma. A year later, this institution was named: "City Art Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov."
In 1893 P.M. Tretyakov refused the nobility, which the tsar wanted to grant him as a token of appreciation for his work in creating an art gallery. “I was born a merchant, and I will die a merchant,” the philanthropist answered the official who came to please him ...
Until the end of your life P.M. Tretyakov took care of the Arnoldon School for the Deaf and Dumb, where he studied 150 Human.
"... merchant Tretyakov understood the state task of art. And he found fresh artistic forces and facilitated their path. And, surrounding with pure delight, he preserved their creations. But he made his joy a people's joy, and during his lifetime he gave the city of Moscow all his wonderful collection. And he set himself no small task. He did not just bring together a mass of valuable creations, but reflected in his collection the entire Russian school. Everything new, bright, significant was seen by Tretyakov. This silent, gray-haired man, in a large fur coat, tirelessly visited all the exhibitions, and nothing stopped him if he considered the work significant. To the beginning young artist, he climbed the steep stairs to the studio. He was the first at the end of the picture. He was the first at the opening of the exhibition. And for that he was the first to have the best, characteristic things. It so happened that the award of the highest art institutions was considered nothing compared to the acquisition of Tretyakov. And the fate of a novice worker was decided not by the Academy, but precisely by this silent, sincere person.
Nicholas Roerich, Ways of Blessing, Minsk, Universitetskoe, 1991, p. 11-12.
“... the goal carried out Tretyakov,- the creation of a national art gallery of Russian painting - was wider and grander than collecting paintings of one school or one direction, even the most progressive. And Tretyakov expands the scope of his collection, begins to collect ancient Russian art and portraiture of the 18th century - Rokotov, Levitsky, then the works of Borovikovsky, Venetsianov, Troppnin, Bryullov, Fedotov. Tretyakov closely follows the successes of the younger generation of artists. He acquires the works of Serov, Nesterov, Ostroukhov, Levitan, Kasatkin, Sergei Ivanov, Malyutin, Arkhipov, Korovin, Roerich, A. Benois, Malyavin, Golovin, A. Borisov, Somov, Ryabushkin, L. Pasternak and many others, with the same Tretyakov's thoughtfulness, selecting the most artistic that deserves the right to enter the treasury of national Russian painting.
With such a goal of collecting, it was clear to Tretyakov what a great responsibility he takes on before the history of Russian culture, acquiring some works for the Gallery and not acquiring others, that by doing so he attaches some works to the best that has been created by Russian art, while others, as it were, excommunicate passing them with calm indifference.
Tretyakov felt a colossal responsibility to the people for each of his acquisitions from the point of view of observing the purity of the principle, meaning that the content and artistic form of the acquired paintings should correspond to the high value of Russian painting.
Tretyakov understood that by collecting the Gallery in this way, he becomes, as it were, a historian of Russian painting, and, moreover, a historian who not only registers events, but also participates in the course of history and influences this course.
Therefore, Tretyakov spent long hours in front of the paintings or wandered through the exhibition halls before the opening, lonely, silent, thoughtful. He consulted with Kramskoy, Perov, Repin, weighed their points of view, appreciated their advice, but always made his final decision on his own.
When Repin Once he told Tretyakov that he had bought some painting in vain, Pavel Mikhailovich answered him: “Everything that I spend and sometimes throw on a painting, it always seems to me necessary; I know that it is easy for me to make mistakes; everything that has been done - of course, this cannot be corrected, but for the future, as examples, I need you to indicate to me what was thrown, that is, for what things. This will remain between us... Please, for God's sake, do this, I need it more than you can imagine. In 1885, P. M. Tretyakov wrote to Repin: “For God’s sake, don’t compare me with amateurs, all other collectors, purchasers ... don’t be offended by me for what you have the right to be offended by them.”
Botkina A.P., P.M. Tretyakov and Russian painting - a preface to the book: Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakova, M., Art, 1986, p. 11-12.
“A big name and business will remain from you,” said art critic Vladimir Stasov to Pavel Tretyakov 160 years ago, these words turned out to be prophetic. The merchant, entrepreneur, philanthropist throughout his life collected paintings by Russian artists in order to donate a unique collection to his native city.
Childhood dream
Pavel Tretyakov and Mikhail Pryanishnikov. 1891 Photo: tphv-history.ru
Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov. 1898 Photo: tphv-history.ru
Maria Pavlovna, Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov and Nikolai Vasilyevich Nevrev. 1897 Photo: tphv-history.ru
Pavel Tretyakov grew up in a merchant family and was educated at home. He began to collect his first collection from childhood: he bought engravings and lithographs in the market, in small shops. At the age of fourteen, together with his brother, he continued the family business - at first they kept shops with scarves and a store, and then acquired a manufactory in Kostroma. Things were going well, but this did not affect Tretyakov's lifestyle.
"Silent, modest, as if lonely"- this is how others saw Pavel Tretyakov. He avoided balls, did not recognize excesses, always wore a frock coat of the same cut. The only excess is a cigar a day. But the flip side of modesty was a broad soul: he supported a school for the deaf and dumb, organized a shelter for widows, orphans and poor artists. He also supported bold undertakings, such as the expedition of Miklouho-Maclay.
Tretyakov family
Pavel Tretyakov with his wife Vera Nikolaevna (nee Mamontova). 1880s Photo: wikimedia.org
Family of Pavel Tretyakov. 1884 Photo: tretyakovgallery.ru
Pavel Tretyakov with granddaughters. 1893 Photo: tphv-history.ru
At 33, Pavel Tretyakov married Savva Mamontov's cousin, Vera. Although the head of the family was called "unsmiling", the marriage was harmonious and happy. Tretyakov became gloomy and silent after the death of one of his sons - Ivan, everyone's favorite and father's hope. But despite the family misfortune, the atmosphere of love accompanied Tretyakov's children throughout their lives.
“If childhood can really be happy, then my childhood was. That trust, that harmony between beloved people who loved us and cared for us, was, it seems to me, the most valuable and joyful.
Vera Tretyakova, eldest daughter
Industrialist - collector
Nicholas Schilder. Temptation. Year unknown.
Alexey Savrasov. View of the Kremlin in inclement weather. 1851. State Tretyakov Gallery
Vasily Khudyakov. Skirmish with Finnish smugglers. 1853. State Tretyakov Gallery
In the autumn of 1852, Tretyakov visited St. Petersburg. For more than two weeks he went to theaters, exhibitions, wandered in the halls of the Hermitage, the Rumyantsev Museum, the Academy of Arts and, overwhelmed with impressions, wrote to his mother:
“I saw several thousand pictures! Pictures of great artists ... Raphael, Rubens, Vanderwerf, Poussin, Murill, S. Roses and so on. and so on. I saw countless statues and busts! I saw hundreds of tables, vases, other sculptural things made of such stones, which I had not even had a clue about before.
This trip finally made the merchant and industrialist Tretyakov a collector of paintings. The desire to collect paintings by Russian artists became the meaning of his life. At that time, Pavel Mikhailovich was only 24 years old, the patron of art bought the first paintings by Russian artists in 1856. It was "Temptation" by Nikolai Schilder and "Clash with Finnish smugglers" by Vasily Khudyakov. In the next four years, the living rooms of the mezzanine of the house in Lavrushinsky Lane were decorated with paintings by Ivan Trutnev, Alexei Savrasov, Konstantin Trutovsky ... Tretyakov not only laid the foundation for the collection, but also determined the main goal of his collection, which he wrote in his will.
“For me, who truly and ardently love painting, there can be no better desire than to lay the foundation for a public, accessible repository of fine arts, bringing benefits to many, all pleasure.”
To Europe - for impressions, to workshops - for experience
Ivan Kramskoy. Unknown. 1883. State Tretyakov Gallery
Viktor Vasnetsov. Bogatyrs. 1881-1898. GTG
On industrial matters, Pavel Tretyakov often traveled abroad - he got acquainted with technical innovations. These trips became "art universities" for the collector. In Germany, France, Italy, England, Austria, he visited exhibitions and museums.
The intricacies of the fine arts were initiated by Tretyakov and practitioners - artists. In the St. Petersburg workshops, the collector learned the technology of painting, knew how to cover the paintings with varnish or, without the help of a restorer, remove damage on the canvas. “His manner in the workshop and at exhibitions is the greatest modesty and silence”, - Ivan Kramskoy recalled Tretyakov's visits.
Painting by painting
Vasily Surikov. Morning of the archery execution. 1881. State Tretyakov Gallery
Alexey Savrasov. The Rooks Have Arrived. 1871. State Tretyakov Gallery
Arkhip Kuindzhi. Birch Grove. 1879. State Tretyakov Gallery
The movement of the Wanderers provided the gallery with a stream of real masterpieces. Savrasov's "Rooks Have Arrived" and Surikov's "Morning of the Streltsy Execution", Kramskoy's "Christ in the Desert" and Kuindzhi's "Birch Grove" and hundreds and hundreds more works. Tretyakov bought whole collections of paintings from artists, like from Vasily Vereshchagin: in 1874 he immediately acquired 144 paintings and sketches, 127 pencil drawings. The collection was immediately replenished with 80 works by Alexander Ivanov. Became part of the collection and picturesque impressions of Vasily Polenov's trip to the Middle East - 102 studies. Paintings by artists of the 18th - early 19th centuries Tretyakov collected from antique shops and private shops.
The artists themselves admitted that the collector had a special perception of painting, and sometimes at exhibitions they did not know which paintings he would choose. "This is a man with some kind of devilish instinct", - spoke about Tretyakov Kramskoy.
Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane
State Tretyakov Gallery
State Tretyakov Gallery
State Tretyakov Gallery
By 1872, the large Tretyakov family was tired of those who wanted to see his unique collection, and the collector decided to build a separate building for him. New halls were added gradually. After the death of his brother - Sergei Tretyakov - his collection also took a place in the gallery, and at the same time it was decided to transfer the collection of paintings to the city.
“Wishing to contribute to the establishment of useful institutions in the city dear to me, to promote the flourishing of the arts in Russia and at the same time preserve the collection I have collected for eternity.”
Pavel Tretyakov
The philanthropist himself was not present at the opening of the gallery - he left Moscow with his family for six months, as he did not like too much attention to his person. After the opening of the gallery, according to the memoirs of contemporaries, Alexander III intended to welcome the nobility to Tretyakov, but Pavel Alexandrovich refused. "I was born a merchant, I will die a merchant"- said the collector to the official who came to please him. As before, Tretyakov came to the gallery, compiled catalogs and simply admired the paintings ...
Ivan Shishkin. Morning in a pine forest. 1889. State Tretyakov Gallery
Tretyakov's last gift to the gallery is Levitan's sketch for the painting "Above Eternal Peace". The collector was already ill, his wife was also ill, the daughters got married and parted, the house in Lavrushinsky Lane was empty. But the house for paintings created by talented Russian artists is always full. For the second century people have been coming to see the unique collection. And the name remained, and the case was not lost.
“I don’t need rich nature, or magnificent composition, or effective lighting, no miracles, give me at least a dirty puddle, but so that there is truth in it, poetry, and poetry in everything can be, this is the artist’s business.”
Pavel Tretyakov
From the memoirs of Vera, the eldest daughter of Pavel Tretyakov.
