Tretyakov Gallery - how to get to the Tretyakov Gallery? Tretyakov Gallery brief information The Tretyakov Gallery in our time.

The Tretyakov Gallery for more than a century of existence has managed to become legendary: every year people from all over the world come to see the exhibits stored here. The unique museum, which has collected picturesque masterpieces within its walls, tells a story not only about the development of art, but also about the difficult path of the Russian people, reflected in the paintings of famous Russian masters.

The Long and Glorious One officially began in 1856. The emergence of the now famous museum is associated with the name of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, who at that time began to collect a collection of works by contemporary Russian artists.

About Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov

Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov was born in 1832 into a wealthy family that belonged to a well-known merchant family. Like all offspring of wealthy families, Pavel received an excellent education. Over time, he began to help his father in commercial matters. After the death of both parents, Tretyakov took up the development of the family business: the factory business grew and brought more and more income.

However, Pavel Mikhailovich was always interested in the history of art. He thought about creating the first permanent exhibition of Russian painting long before the museum was founded. True, two years before the opening of the Tretyakov Gallery, the future philanthropist acquired paintings by Dutch masters, and only in 1856 was the start of his legendary Russian collection. The first canvases in it were the oil paintings "Temptation" by N. Schilder and "Clash with Finnish smugglers" by V. Khudyakov. Then the names of these artists were not yet known to the general public, and Pavel Mikhailovich began his collection of paintings precisely from their works.

For several decades, Tretyakov collected paintings by outstanding masters of painting, maintained friendly relations with many artists and helped those of them who needed it. A brief history of the birth of a great collection would not include the names of all those who were grateful to the patron.

house for pictures

The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is one of the world's leading museums. The main building is located in Lavrushinsky Lane, one of the oldest districts of the capital - Zamoskvorechye, new halls - on Krymsky Val.

The history of the building of the Tretyakov Gallery is a constant expansion of the area. Initially, the paintings were located directly in the collector's house. Then, a kind of passage was added to the merchant's mansion of the Tretyakovs, which surrounded the house from three sides. Since 1870, the exhibition has been open to the public. Over time, the understanding came that it was no longer possible to accommodate the entire pictorial collection in the available space, therefore, in 1875, the building of the Tretyakov Gallery was built by special order of Pavel Mikhailovich, constantly growing since then with the necessary space.

Meeting replenishment: milestones

As conceived by the creator, the Tretyakov Museum should include only the works of Russian artists and only those of their works that would convey the special essence of the true Russian soul.

In the summer of 1892 the collection was presented as a gift to Moscow. At that time, the collection consisted of 1,287 paintings and 518 graphic works by Russian artists. The exposition also included more than 80 works by European authors and a large collection of icons. Since then, at the expense of the city treasury, the gallery began to replenish with real masterpieces of world art. Thus, by the fateful year of 1917 for the history of Russia, the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery already consisted of 4,000 items. A year later, the gallery became state, and at the same time there was a nationalization of various private collections. In addition, the history of the art collection continued with the entry into the fund of works from small Moscow museums: the Tsvetkovskaya Gallery, the Rumyantsev Museum, the Museum of Icon Painting and Painting by I. S. Ostroukhov. That is why already in the early thirties of the last century the collection was more than five times increased. At the same time, the works of Western European masters are transferred to other collections.

Such is the history of the creation of the State Tretyakov Gallery, which stores canvases that can sing the originality of the Russian people.

Today and prospects

Now the Tretyakov Gallery is no longer just a museum exposition, but also a center for the study of art. The opinion of its employees and specialists is highly valued all over the world, experts and restorers are considered among the most professional in the contemporary art world. The unique local library is another asset of the Tretyakov Gallery: the book collection contains more than 200,000 specialized volumes on art.

The most significant exhibits are exhibited in the historic building. The exposition is divided into sections:

• ancient Russian art (XII-XVIII centuries);
• painting from the 17th century to the first half of the 19th;
• painting of the second half of the 19th and the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries;
• Russian graphics of the 13th - early 20th centuries;
• Russian sculpture of the 13th - early 20th centuries.

Today, the collection includes more than 170,000 works of Russian art, while the replenishment of expositions and storages continues. Artists, private donors, various organizations and heirs donate wonderful works, which means that the history of creating a unique collection of domestic masterpieces has not been completed.

In our fast-paced 21st century, people are increasingly traveling the world. And they go not only to relax in nature, on the sea, but also to get acquainted with cultural attractions.

In Moscow, one of these centers of "cultural pilgrimage" was the All-Russian Museum Association "State Tretyakov Gallery" (TG or Tretyakovka).

In contact with

A bit of history

It is generally accepted that the history of the creation of the gallery began when the merchant Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov bought two paintings by compatriot artists. It happened in 1856. Later, in the year 67 of the nineteenth century, the Moscow City Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov was opened for everyone in Zamoskvorechye.

Later, in August 1892, the collection was donated by Tretyakov to the city of Moscow. Formally, the museum was opened on August 15, 1893.

At first, the gallery was located in the Tretyakov mansion, but gradually additions were made to it to store an expanding collection. The Tretyakov Gallery received its final known form in 1902-1904. The plan of the project was developed by the architect V. N. Bashkirov according to the sketches of the artist V. M. Vasnetsov.

Subsequently, other buildings were attached to the Tretyakov Gallery: a temple, museums, houses and apartments of famous Russian artists.

To date, GTG- This is a huge museum complex, which includes eight buildings and structures.

Address of the Tretyakov Gallery and its departments

Main buildings

The Tretyakov Gallery is located in the same place where the Tretyakovskaya and Novokuznetskaya metro stations are located. The easiest way to get to the Tretyakov Gallery is from the Tretyakovskaya station. Exit the subway. Climb up the street from the subway and go to the street called Bolshaya Ordynka. Cross it, and you will find yourself at the building of a bar-restaurant. To the left of the building of the bar-restaurant will be the Horde dead end. Next, go to the end of the Horde dead end, past Shmelev Square, to Lavrushinsky Lane. On the other side of the alley there will be the building of the Engineering Corps, and to the right of it the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Station "Novokuznetskaya" is located near the station "Tretyakovskaya". Cross the metro station "Novokuznetskaya" - "Tretyakovskaya" and exit the metro. Next, go the same route as from the Tretyakovskaya station. On the reverse side of the Engineering Corps is the Church of St. Nicholas on Tolmachi. Its address: Maly Tolmachevsky Lane, house number 9. Church art treasures are exhibited here.

• The New Tretyakov Gallery is located on Krymsky Val Street, 10. The Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val introduces the works of Soviet and Russian artists of the period of modern history, that is, the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.

Near it are such subway stations as Oktyabrskaya and Park Kultury. To get from the station "Oktyabrskaya", you need to exit the metro, go through the underpass across Bolshaya Yakimanka Street, then go along Krymsky Val to the Central House of Artists (CHA). The Tretyakov Gallery is located in this house. To get to it from the Park Kultury station, you need to go along Novokrymsky passage, then along the Krymsky bridge until you turn left onto Krymsky Val street.

The Tretyakov Gallery is one of the largest museums in the world. It contains the works of masters created from the 10th to the 20th century. All areas of Russian painting are represented here - from icons to the avant-garde. The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, which is often called the Tretyakov Gallery, is one of those attractions of the capital, which is visited not only by art lovers, but also by everyone who is at least a little indifferent to the cultural heritage of Russia. The Tretyakov Gallery is one of the leading scientific, artistic, cultural and educational centers of Russia, the world's largest museum of Russian art.

Tretyakov Gallery - from history

The foundation date of the Tretyakov Gallery is 1856. It was then that Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, a merchant by occupation, acquired the first two paintings by Russian artists “Temptation” by N.G. Schilder and “Clash with Finnish smugglers” by V.G. Khudyakov. In the late 50s, he replenished his collection with works by I.I. Sokolov and V.I. Jacobi, A.K. Savrasov and M.P. Klodt. At this time, Pavel Tretyakov had a dream to create a museum in which the works of Russian painters would be presented. He started his collection from scratch. The collector acquired all the best that was on the art market from the works of Russian artists. By temperament, Pavel Tretyakov was not just a collector. He had a wide knowledge in the field of literature and painting, theater and music. As the artist and critic A.N. Benois "... Tretyakov was a scientist by nature and knowledge." He unmistakably chose all the best that Russian painting created. As the artist Kramskoy said about him: “This is a man with some kind of diabolical instinct.” He was at the opening of all exhibitions in Moscow, in St. Petersburg. The paintings had not yet been hung in the exhibition halls, but he had time to examine them in the workshops and ask the price. He was ahead of everyone. There were times when even the tsar, approaching a painting he liked, read that "it was bought by Mr. Tretyakov." He said: "We work for the Russian people."

In his first will in 1860, Tretyakov left 150,000 silver rubles for the creation in Moscow of "an art museum or a public art gallery ...". He created the first museum in Russia reflecting the development of Russian art and wanted the museum to become public. Being rich, he tried not to overpay intermediaries. And he thought: "The more money you save, the more pictures of works of art you can collect." Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov avoided luxury and excesses. He helped needy artists, widows and orphans. Completed and expanded the museum.

In 1867, a gallery was opened, which presented the collection of Pavel and his brother Sergei. Visitors saw 1276 paintings, 471 drawings and 10 sculptures by Russian artists, as well as 84 paintings by foreign masters. Paintings Pavel Mikhailovich placed in his house in Lavrushinsky Lane. From 1872 to 1874 two museum halls were built, which communicated with the living quarters. In 1882, when it was necessary to place the Turkestan collection, 6 new halls were added. Additional halls also appeared in 1885 and 1892. 1892 was a significant year for the museum, this year Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov donated it to the city of Moscow. At that time, the collection included 1287 paintings, 518 drawings and 9 sculptures by Russian artists of the 18th-19th centuries, as well as works by Western European masters. A year later, the official opening of the Moscow City Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov took place. After the death of Pavel Tretyakov in 1898, other patrons continued his work.

In 1902-1904. under the guidance of architect A.M. Kalmykov, the famous Vasnetsovsky facade was built, which became the emblem of the Tretyakov Gallery. The facades of the building were designed by the architect V.N. Bashirov based on the drawings of the artist V.M. Vasnetsov. On April 2, 1913, the artist and architect Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar was elected a trustee of the museum. Thanks to him, the Tretyakov Gallery was formed according to the European type - according to the chronological principle. In December 1913 the museum was opened to visitors. After the revolution in 1918, the museum became known as the State Tretyakov Gallery and was declared the state property of the Russian Federative Soviet Republic. I. E. Grabar became the director of the museum. Academician of architecture A.V. Shchusev. During the war, most of the exhibits were evacuated to Novosibirsk. The building itself was bombed. By the 100th anniversary of the museum in 1956, its collection included more than 35,000 works of art. A great contribution to the expansion of the museum was also made by Yu.K. Korolev, director of the museum from 1980 to 1992. In 1989, a new engineering building was built, which housed a conference room and an information and computing center, a children's studio and exhibition halls. After reconstruction, the museum ensemble of the Tretyakov Gallery included an architectural monument of the 17th century - the church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi. It was restored, consecrated and became the house temple of the museum.

Tretyakov Gallery - paintings

The museum has many rooms. And in each you can find a masterpiece of art. Pavel Mikhailovich highly appreciated the work of VG Perov. In the 1860s, several of his paintings were acquired, including "Rural Procession at Easter" and "Troika", as well as portraits.

Paintings reflecting Russian history appear in the collection. As a lover of landscapes, he commissioned paintings in which he wanted to see the truth and poetry of life. The portraits created by K.P. Bryullov, V.A. Tropinin, V.G. Perov. A portrait gallery of composers, writers, artists of Russia is being created - A.N. Ostrovsky and F.M. Dostoevsky, I.S. Turgenev and N.A. Nekrasov, V.I. Dahl and other famous artists.

Tretyakov supported the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions (TPKhV) formed at that time. Many paintings were purchased from these exhibitions. In the 1870s, Pavel Tretyakov acquired such famous paintings as "Christ in the Desert" by I.N. Kramskoy and "Pine Forest" by I.I. Shishkin, "The Rooks Have Arrived" by A.K. Savrasov and "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich" N.N. Ge. One of Tretyakov's most expensive acquisitions was the work of V.V. Vereshchagin - a collection of Turkestan paintings and sketches. Later, the collection is replenished with paintings by V.I. Surikov and I.E. Repin, V.M. Vasnetsov and I.I. Shishkina, I.N. Kramskoy and other famous masters. In the Tretyakov Gallery we will see works by Repin and Ivanov, Kuindzhi and Bryullov, Kramskoy and many others. Connoisseurs of Vrubel's work will also rejoice. One of the most discussed exhibits is Malevich's Black Square.

Tretyakov Gallery - information for tourists

For viewing in the museum, expositions of Old Russian and Russian art (18-20 centuries) and Russian graphics are deployed. There are also expositions "Treasury" and "Russian avant-garde", "Sculpture and graphics of the 20th century" and a collection dedicated to the Art of the 1930s - early 1950s and the second half of the 20th century. In addition to the main building in Lavrushinsky Lane, 10, a complex was built on Krymsky Val. Here are collected works dedicated to Russian art of the 20th century. It also hosts contemporary art exhibitions. The Tretyakov Gallery owns the museum-temple of St. Nicholas and the exhibition hall in Tolmachi, the museums of A.M. Vasnetsov and the museum-workshop of the sculptor A.S. Korina.

You can book a tour at the Tour Desk at the main entrance of the museum. The duration of the tour is 1 hour 15 minutes. - 1 hour 30 minutes

The name of Pavel Tretyakov is inscribed in history in golden letters. The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is one of the pearls not only of the capital, but of Russia as a whole.

The Tretyakov Gallery is the most visited museum in the country. The gallery was founded at the end of the 19th century by famous merchants and philanthropists - Pavel and Sergey Tretyakov, who donated their collections to the city. The gallery is located in the former estate of the Tretyakov brothers in Lavrushinsky Lane. The museum fund was significantly replenished after the October Revolution of 1917 with collections of wealthy noble and merchant families. The spacious halls of the Tretyakov Gallery display ancient Russian icons and paintings from the Russian school of painting. Moving through the chronologically arranged halls of the museum, one can study in detail Russian fine art from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

The Tretyakov brothers lost their father when the eldest - Pavel - was seventeen years old, and the youngest - Sergei - fifteen. They turned out to be entrepreneurs from God. Very soon, the brothers expanded their business from ordinary trade in shops to their own large linen, paper and woolen goods store on the famous merchant street Ilyinka. They organize the trading house "P. and S. the Tretyakov brothers. In the mid-1860s, they acquired the Novo-Kostroma Linen Manufactory, which they later made one of the best in Russia. The historian of the Moscow merchants P.A. Buryshkin called the Tretyakovs among the five richest merchant families in Moscow

The Tretyakovs were well-known donors and philanthropists. Pavel Mikhailovich was a trustee of the Arnold School for the Deaf and Dumb, provided financial assistance to research expeditions, donated money for the construction of churches. Sometimes Tretyakov's donations exceeded the cost of acquiring paintings. Sergei Mikhailovich actively participated in the public life of Moscow. He was a member of the Moscow City Duma and the mayor. In this position, he did a lot for Moscow. Thanks to Tretyakov, Sokolnicheskaya Grove became Sokolniki City Park: he bought it with his own money.

In 1851, the Tretyakovs purchased from the merchants the Shestovs an estate in Lavrushinsky Lane with a two-story mansion, decorated with a classicist attic, and a vast garden. Alexandra Danilovna was the full owner of the house, and the Tretyakov brothers focused on trade. It was an ideal family and business union, rare among merchants. At the same time, the Tretyakovs differed in character. Pavel was reserved, he liked to work and read in solitude, he could look at and study paintings and engravings for hours. Sergey, more sociable and cheerful, was always in sight, he liked to flaunt.

Once Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov came to St. Petersburg on business and ended up in the Hermitage. He was so impressed by the richness of the art collection that he certainly wanted to start collecting. He soon acquired nine paintings by obscure Western artists. “The first two or three mistakes in such a difficult matter as determining the authenticity of old paintings forever turned him away from collecting paintings by old masters,” wrote I.S. Ostroukhov after the collector's death. “The most authentic painting for me is the one that I personally bought from the artist,” Tretyakov liked to say. Soon Tretyakov got acquainted with the collection of F.I. Pryanishnikov and decides to collect paintings by Russian artists.

In the Tretyakov Gallery, the year of foundation of the museum is considered to be 1856, when Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov acquired the first two paintings "Temptation" by N.G. Schilder and "Clash with Finnish smugglers" by V.G. Khudyakov. Today they hang side by side in the same room. The condition under which Pavel Mikhailovich selected paintings for his gallery can be found in his words addressed to the artists: “I don’t need rich nature, or magnificent composition, or spectacular lighting, no miracles, give me at least a dirty puddle, but so that in there was truth to it, poetry, and poetry in everything can be, this is the work of the artist.

But this does not mean at all that Tretyakov simply bought up all the paintings he liked. He was a bold critic who did not recognize other people's authorities, often made comments to artists, and sometimes even sought amendments. Pavel Mikhailovich usually bought a painting before the opening of exhibitions, right in the workshop, when neither critics, nor the audience, nor journalists had yet seen the painting. Tretyakov was well versed in art, but this was not enough to choose the best. Pavel Mikhailovich had a peculiar gift of a seer. No authority could influence his decision. An indicative case is described by S.N. Durylin in the book "Nesterov in life and work":

“At the preliminary, closed, vernissage of the XVIII Traveling Exhibition, where a few selected friends of the Wanderers were admitted, Myasoedov brought V.V. Stasov, tribune-apologist of the Wanderers, D.V. Grigorovich, secretary of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, and A.S. Suvorin, editor of the Novoye Vremya newspaper. All four judged the picture with a terrible judgment; all four agreed that it was harmful... Evil must be uprooted. We went to look for a Moscow silent man in the exhibition, they found somewhere in the far corner, in front of some kind of picture. Stasov was the first to speak: this painting came to the exhibition due to a misunderstanding, it has no place at the exhibition of the Partnership.

The tasks of the Partnership are known, but Nesterov’s picture does not answer them: harmful mysticism, the absence of the real, this ridiculous circle around the old man’s head ... Mistakes are always possible, but they should be corrected. And they, his old friends, decided to ask him to give up the picture... A lot of clever, convincing things were said. Everyone found a word to stigmatize the poor "Bartholomew." Pavel Mikhailovich listened in silence, and then, when the words ran out, modestly asked them if they had finished; when he found out that they had exhausted all the evidence, he replied: “Thank you for what you said. I bought the picture back in Moscow, and if I hadn’t bought it there, I would have bought it here now, after listening to all your accusations.”

Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov began to collect his collection fifteen years later than his brother and managed to acquire only about a hundred pieces. However, his collection was the only one of its kind, because he was interested in modern Western painting - J.-B. C. Corot, Sh.-F. Daubigny, F. Milet and others. Pavel Mikhailovich, unlike his brother, who collected paintings for himself, sought to create a public museum of national art. Back in 1860 (and he was then only twenty-eight years old), he made a will, according to which he bequeathed one hundred and fifty thousand rubles for the establishment of an "art museum" in Moscow. Pavel Mikhailovich persuaded his brother to do the same.

In 1865, the wedding of Pavel Mikhailovich and Vera Nikolaevna Mamontova, the cousin of the famous philanthropist Savva Ivanovich Mamontov, took place. The Tretyakovs had six children - four daughters and two sons. Everyone in the family loved each other. Pavel Mikhailovich wrote to his wife: “I sincerely thank God and you with all my heart that I happened to make you happy, however, children have a big fault here: without them there would be no complete happiness!” Sergei Mikhailovich married much earlier than his brother, in 1856, but his wife died shortly after the birth of her son. Only ten years later, Sergei Mikhailovich entered into a second marriage.

Pavel Mikhailovich adhered to traditional merchant views on the upbringing of children. He gave the children an excellent home education. Of course, artists, musicians and writers who visited Tretyakov almost every day played a significant role in shaping the children. In 1887, Pavel Mikhailovich's son Vanya, his father's favorite and hope, died of scarlet fever complicated by meningitis. Tretyakov painfully endured this heavy loss. The second son Mikhail suffered from dementia and could not become a full-fledged heir and continuer of the family business. Alexander's daughter recalled: “Since that time, the character of my father has changed a lot. He became sullen and silent. Only the grandchildren made the former affection appear in his eyes.

For a long time, Tretyakov was the only collector of Russian art, at least on such a scale. But in the 1880s, he had a more than worthy rival - Emperor Alexander III. There are many legends associated with the confrontation between Tretyakov and the Tsar. Pavel Mikhailovich several times literally from under Alexander's nose took away paintings by artists who, with all due respect to the august person, preferred Tretyakov. Alexander III, who was called the “peasant tsar”, became furious if, visiting traveling exhibitions, he saw the marks “property of P.M. Tretyakov.

But there were cases when the representatives of the emperor simply interrupted the price of Tretyakov. For example, after the death of Alexander III, his son Nicholas II offered an incredible amount for those times for the painting “The Conquest of Siberia by Yermak” by V.I. Surikov - forty thousand rubles. The newly-appeared emperor did not want to skimp in memory of his father, who dreamed of acquiring this painting. Surikov already had an agreement with Pavel Mikhailovich, but he could not refuse such a lucrative deal. Tretyakov simply could not offer more. As a consolation, the artist gave the collector a sketch for the painting for free, which still hangs in the museum.

Sergei Mikhailovich died in 1892. Long before his death, the Tretyakov brothers decide to donate their collections to Moscow. In his will, Sergei Mikhailovich donated to the city half of the house in Lavrushinsky Lane, all the paintings and the amount of one hundred thousand rubles. Pavel Mikhailovich donated his huge collection (more than three thousand works) to Moscow during his lifetime together with his brother's collection. In 1893, the opening of the Moscow Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov took place, with a collection of Western art hanging next to paintings by Russian artists. On December 4, 1898, Tretyakov died. His last words were: "Take care of the gallery and be healthy."

After the death of Tretyakov during 1899-1906, the main house was converted into exhibition halls. The facade, designed according to the drawing by V.M. Vasnetsov, became for many years the emblem of the Tretyakov Gallery. The central part of the facade was highlighted by a chic kokoshnik with a relief image of George the Victorious - the ancient coat of arms of Moscow. At that time, artists showed interest in the forms of ancient Russian art. Luxuriously decorated portals, lush window frames, bright patterns and other decorations - all this speaks of Vasnetsov's desire to turn the Tretyakov Gallery into an old Russian fairy-tale tower.

In 1913, the artist I.E. Grabar. The alteration of the exposition according to the scientific principle began, as in the best museums of the world. The works of one artist began to hang in a separate room, and the arrangement of the paintings became strictly chronological. In 1918, the Tretyakov Gallery was nationalized and transferred to the administration of the People's Commissariat of Education. It was at this time that the museum was significantly replenished with huge collections of P.I. and V.A. Kharitonenko, E.V. Borisova-Musatova, A.P. Botkina, V.O. Girshman, M.P. Ryabushinsky and collections from estates near Moscow.

In the 1980s, a grandiose reconstruction of the gallery took place. The project envisaged "the creation of a large museum complex, including storage facilities, an extensive exhibition space, a conference hall through the development of courtyards and the refurbishment of an old building while maintaining its historical appearance." Unfortunately, the new building, built at the intersection of Lavrushinsky and Bolshoy Tolmachevsky lanes, turned out to be alien to the architectural ensemble of the old buildings of the Tretyakov Gallery. The reconstruction turned into the actual death of the monument. The new corner building turned out to be outside the traditional ties with the environment.

As a result of the reconstruction, the exhibition area of ​​the Tretyakov Gallery has increased one and a half times. In 1998, the first permanent exhibition of art of the 20th century was opened in the new building of the museum on Krymsky Val, built according to historical, chronological and monographic principles. The collection of the museum now has about one hundred and fifty thousand works. The collection of Pavel Mikhailovich has increased more than fifty times. The Tretyakov Gallery is a huge educational and cultural center engaged in scientific, restoration, educational, publishing, popularization and other activities.

In one of the letters to the artist Vasily Vasilievich Vereshchagin P.M. Tretyakov wrote: “Your indignation against Moscow is understandable, I myself would have been indignant and would have abandoned my goal of collecting works of art long ago if I had in mind only our generation, but believe that Moscow is no worse than St. Petersburg: Moscow is only simpler and, as it were, ignorant . Why is Petersburg better than Moscow? In the future, Moscow will be of great, enormous importance (of course, we will not live to see this). Pavel Mikhailovich Tretkov was a true patriot and noblest man. And then he turned out to be a real visionary.

Every time we come to the gallery, we remember its great creator, not only because there is a monument to Tretyakov in front of the entrance (a wonderful monument, by the way). Pavel Mikhailovich is not just a collector, the founder of the museum, he, along with artists, created Russian fine art, and the role of Tretyakov here is objectively greater than the role of any of them. I.E. Repin (and he knew a lot about this) once said: “Tretyakov brought his work to grandiose, unparalleled proportions and bore the question of the existence of an entire Russian school of painting on his shoulders.”

In St. Petersburg, Tretyakov saw a collection of paintings by Fyodor Pryanishnikov. He was struck by the works of Tropinin, Venetsianov, and especially the "Major's Matchmaking" and "The Fresh Cavalier" by Fedotov. The owner of the collection offered it for 70,000 rubles. Tretyakov did not have that kind of money, and then Pryanishnikov recommended buying paintings from the artists themselves: it was cheaper that way.

Pavel Mikhailovich went to the workshops of the capital's painters, and Nikolai Schilder saw the work "Temptation": a seriously ill woman is on the bed, and next to her is a matchmaker with an offer of a profitable marriage for her daughter. The heroine of the picture refused, but her determination was fading, because her mother urgently needed money for medicines. This story stirred up Tretyakov himself, whose lover in the same situation could not reject the offer of a rich boyfriend. Pavel Mikhailovich did not reveal this secret to anyone in order to preserve the good name of the girl, but he bought the painting by Schilder. This is how the principle of the collection was determined: no ceremonial portraits - only realism and lively subjects.

Pavel Tretyakov replenished the collection throughout his life. It was located in his house in Lavrushensky Lane. The Tretyakovs bought it from the merchants Shestovs back in 1851. And in 1860, Pavel Mikhailovich wrote the first will, where he allocated 150,000 rubles for the creation of a gallery of paintings by Russian artists. For this good cause, he bequeathed his collection and offered to buy several more collections. His brother, Sergei Tretyakov, was also a collector, but collected Western art.

Pavel Mikhailovich gave preference exclusively to Russian artists.

For example, he did not buy paintings by Semiramidsky, as he presented his best work to Krakow. When choosing paintings, Tretyakov relied on his own taste. Once, at an exhibition of the Wanderers, art critics rushed to criticize Nesterov's Bartholomew. They convinced Tretyakov that the painting should be removed. After listening to the arguments, Pavel Mikhailovich replied that he had bought this work long before the exhibition, and would have bought it again even after the angry tirade of his opponents.

Soon Tretyakov began to have a huge impact on the development of art. He could demand that the artists make changes. He ordered portraits of those persons whom he considered worthy for the gallery. So Herzen, Nekrasov, Saltykov-Shchedrin appeared there. And Konstantin Ton or Apollo Maykov seemed to not exist for him.

It was a cherished dream of every young artist (and even an old one) to get into his gallery, and even more so for mine: after all, my father announced to me semi-seriously a long time ago that all my medals and titles would not convince him that I was a “ready artist”, until my painting is in the gallery.

True, Tretyakov had a rival in the field of collecting. And what - Alexander III himself! The tsar was furious when at the exhibitions of the Wanderers he saw on the best works the mark “Property of P.M. Tretyakov. But often he managed to interrupt the price offered by Pavel Mikhailovich. So already Nicholas II, in memory of his father, bought from Surikov for fabulous money "The Conquest of Siberia by Ermak." The artist promised this picture to Tretyakov, but could not resist a good deal. And he gave the sketch of the work to the philanthropist free of charge. He is still exhibited in the gallery.

All this did not prevent the Tretyakov collection from growing, and the architect Kaminsky rebuilt the gallery building several times.

In the winter of 1887, Pavel Tretyakov's beloved son died of scarlet fever. His last words were a request to go to church. And then Pavel Mikhailovich began to collect icons.

In 1892, after the death of Sergei Tretyakov, the brothers' collections were merged. Pavel Mikhailovich donated them and the building in Lavrushensky Lane to Moscow. This is how the Tretyakov Gallery Museum appeared.

At the time of foundation, the collection included 1,369 paintings, 454 drawings, 19 sculptures, 62 icons. Pavel Tretyakov received the title of honorary citizen of Moscow and remained a trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery until his death. He continued to replenish the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery at his own expense. And this required the expansion of the exposition area, so new premises were added to the mansion. At the same time, the gallery bore the name of both brothers, although, in fact, it was the collection of Pavel Mikhailovich.

After the death of the patron, the facade of the Tretyakov Gallery was rebuilt according to the sketches of V.M. Vasnetsov in the form of a fabulous tower. Above the entrance to the museum appeared a bas-relief of the saint and the name written in Old Russian script.

In 1913, the Moscow City Duma appointed Igor Grabar as a trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery. He turned the Tretyakov Gallery into a European-style museum with chronological exposition.

The principles of choosing paintings for the collection have also changed. Already in 1900, the gallery bought Vasnetsov's Alyonushka from von Meck. Previously rejected by Tretyakov.

And in 1925, contrary to the will of the founders of the Tretyakov Gallery, its collection was divided. Part of the collection was transferred to the Museum of Western Painting (now the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts), and some paintings were taken to the Hermitage.

But in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery there were real treasures. The most complete is the collection of art of the second half of the XIX century - it has no equal. Here are just some of the masterpieces of the Tretyakov Gallery: "They did not expect", "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan" I.E. Repin, “Morning of the Streltsy Execution”, “Menshikov in Berezovo”, “Boyar Morozova” by V.I. Surikov, "Trinity" by A. Rublev, "Apotheosis of War" by V. Vereshchagin, "The Tempest" by I. Aivazovsky, "The Last Day of Pompeii" by K. Bryullov, "Bogatyrs" by V. Vasnetsov, Portrait of A.S. Pushkin by O. Kiprensky, “Unknown” by I. Kramskoy, “Golden Autumn” by I. Levitan, “Troika” by V. Perov, “Unequal Marriage” by V. Pukirev, “The Rooks Have Arrived” by A. Savrasov, “Princess Tarakanova” by K. Flavitsky. There is a separate room where the “Appearance of Christ to the People” by A.A. Ivanova. In the Vrubel Hall you can see the "Princess of the Dream", "The Swan Princess", majolica. And the paintings of P.A. Fedotov was usually accompanied by poetry.

I'm a fresh cavalier
And now it's clear to everyone
I will be an example to everyone
And everything will count.
I'm a fresh cavalier
I'm an imposing guy
This satin fleur
It suits me very well.
Open the door wider
For some reason I'm hot
I deserve a cross
And glory to me
I'm a fresh cavalier
Come close to me, cook
And show kindness
You are my night time.
Now I'm like an actor
I am Hamlet, I am Othello
splendid dignity,
I shine like a portrait
And my satin fleur
Thrown so skillfully
And even my trestle bed
Everyone radiates light.
I have a cross
But that's not enough for me
I'm a fresh cavalier
I am the conqueror of ladies
I'll wait for a day like this
How do I become a general?
And I will be an example to everyone
For daughters and mothers...

Among the treasures of the Tretyakov Gallery there are real secrets.

For example, in the painting “Morning in a Pine Forest”, only Shishkin is indicated by the author, although Savitsky painted the bears. But Pavel Tretyakov, who was not told about the second author, personally erased Savitsky's signature with turpentine.

Rokotov's painting "Unknown in a cocked hat" depicts a woman. Initially, it was a portrait of the artist's friend's first wife. When, having become a widow, he married a second time, he asked Rokotov to spare the feelings of his second wife, and the painter applied a second layer, turning the woman into a man, but did not touch his face.

And when in 1885 Pavel Mikhailovich bought Repin's painting "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan", he was forbidden to exhibit it. At first he showed the canvas in a narrow circle, and then hung it in a special room. In 1913, the Old Believer Abram Balashev came to the gallery with a knife in his boot and slashed the canvas. Fortunately, the painting has been restored.

On May 25, 2018, Repin's canvas suffered again: a resident of Voronezh, Igor Podporin, broke the glass and tore the canvas. He explained his actions by the fact that the picture depicts unreliable events. And on January 27, 2019, Arkhip Kuindzhi’s painting “Ai-Petri. Crimea". The perpetrator was quickly found, and the painting was returned.

Now the Tretyakov Gallery welcomes guests with a fabulous facade. And in the courtyard there is a monument to the founder - P.M. Tretyakov. He replaced the monument to I.V. Stalin of the work of S.D. Merkulov 1939.

They say that......the building of the Tretyakov Gallery was damaged during the Great Patriotic War: two high-explosive bombs broke the glass roof in several places, destroyed the interfloor ceilings of some halls and the main entrance. The restoration of the building began already in 1942, and in 1944 40 of the 52 halls were in operation, where the evacuated exhibits returned.
...single girls can make a wish near V.M. Vasnetsov "Alyonushka", and love is not long in coming.
...girls are not allowed to look at the portrait of Maria Lopukhina in the Tretyakov Gallery for a long time. She died shortly after painting, and her father, a mystic and master of the Masonic Lodge, lured the spirit of his daughter into this portrait.
... the doormen of the Tretyakov Gallery did not let Ilya Repin near the paintings if he had brushes in his hands. The artist was so self-critical that he strove to correct already completed paintings.
...the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery almost perished in the flood of 1908. When Lavrushinsky began to flood with water, the building was surrounded by a brick wall, which was constantly built on to hold back the water. And the gallery workers at the time of the flood moved all the paintings to the second floor.
... in the Tretyakov Gallery there is a portrait of Ivan Abramovich Morozov against the backdrop of a still life by Henri Matisse. The curators joke that Serov copied the French artist so accurately that there was one more Matisse painting in Russia.

The Tretyakov Gallery in photographs of different years: