Pavel Tretyakov: short biography. Gallery of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov

The world-famous Tretyakov Gallery is open to tourists all year round. However, not all visitors are familiar with the history of its creation, as well as the names of people, thanks to the efforts of which it appeared.

Childhood of a Collector

The biography of Pavel Tretyakov began on December 27, 1832. The future collector was born in Moscow in the family of a merchant. A very great influence on his life had a thorough education, which Pavel and his brother received at home. Brothers from early childhood helped their father at work.

The desire to help, and to expand the family business, was so strong that the young Tretyakovs engaged in the production of paper - they became the owners of paper mill with a total of five thousand workers.

Love of beauty

Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov from the earliest childhood in character was very kind, considerate, responsive. But at the same time, the simplicity and kindness of his heart were closely intertwined with real business acumen, the ability to highlight the main thing, perseverance. In addition to his main activity (factory manager), Pavel Tretyakov was passionately fond of art. The young man decided at all costs to collect a collection of the best works of that era and burned this idea to the end of his life.

Having started his collective work, Tretyakov Pavel Mikhailovich clearly understood the goals that stood before him and assessed the complexity of his work. Collecting the collection took him quite a lot of time. Since, in addition to his passion for art, Pavel Tretyakov and his brother were engaged in entrepreneurial activities, namely, the management of the flax-spinning factory in Kostroma and the sale of paper and fabrics, art did not have much time left. But Pavel Tretyakov was engaged in this noble cause not because of the desire for personal gain, success, authority, glory. He was tormented by these feelings, and he did everything he could to avoid any little publicity about his collecting. There is a famous case when after Stasov's laudatory article, where the author crumbled in praises to Pavel Mikhailovich for his selfless work, Tretyakov nearly fell ill with illness, being upset because of this. After the incident, Pavel Mikhailovich was forced to temporarily leave Moscow. After that, the collector refused to attend the solemn ceremony concerning the transfer of the Tretyakov Gallery to Moscow. This attitude to fame only confirms how simple and humble man was Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov. Biography of the collector, of course, can not but cause admiration.

Start of collection

It is difficult to say who exactly instilled Pavel Tretyakov interest in art, but he began to get involved in painting quite early. Little Paul, when he was a child, was excited by the noble idea to collect his own collection and thus to open for compatriots the opportunity to become closer to art, including the national one. His dream was destined to come true. Already in 1856 he laid the foundation for his collection. The greatest interest for him was the work of Russian national art. For a long time Tretyakov kept his collection in the offices, and in 1874 built for her a whole chic building. In 1881 the gallery was opened for free visiting.

Forming a gallery

Even acquiring and ordering paintings for his gallery, Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov followed all the same moderation, as in everything else. Even in the filling of the museum its balanced and judicious nature affected. Buying paintings, Pavel Tretyakov never tried to replenish his collection with extremely expensive exhibits. The collector held the golden mean.

The collector did not shy away and bargain with the artists. Most of Tretyakov's paintings were bought at an average price. The main task of Pavel Mikhailovich at that time was to collect as much as possible a collection of works that would reflect the present national Russian art.

The value of the Tretyakov Gallery

The main part of the gallery was composed of works of Russian painting. Many of the paintings were painted by the Wanderers. However, in addition to paintings, Pavel Mikhailovich was fond of sculpture and icons. In order to fill his collection, the collector often purchased whole series of works. To this end, Tretyakov attended a lot of domestic and foreign exhibitions, where he bought up paintings. In addition, the collector asked Russian artists to paint pictures for his gallery to order. Among these paintings are many portraits, including famous Russian figures and rulers, scientists, writers, musicians, artists, artists, for example, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev, Nekrasov, Goncharov, Tchaikovsky and other outstanding people.

In addition to the paintings bought by Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov at exhibitions or ordered from the best at that time domestic artists, as well as sculptures and icons, the collection included those works that were collected and preserved by Pavel Mikhailovich's brother. This collection consisted of the works of French artists. Until the middle of the twentieth century as many as 84 works were kept in the Tretyakov Gallery, and then were transferred to the Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum.

Activity value

In 1892 Pavel Tretyakov took a generous step and transferred his gallery together with the entire collection to Moscow. At this point the collection consisted of more than a thousand paintings. Since that moment the gallery has acquired its official name of the City Art Gallery Tretyakov.

Especially of great importance for Russian cultural history is the fact that at the time of the creation of the gallery, national painting in the Russian Empire had a disparate character. Simply put, it was at the stage of formation. At that time, the art of domestic figures was constantly subjected to comparison, harsh criticism and in fact only was at the beginning of development. It was the work of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov that made it possible to systematize the works of the national school of painting and leave only selected works in the gallery, thereby setting the tone for the further development of Russian art.

Contribution to art

It must be said that in the old age the collector never ceased to replenish the gallery and even bequeathed his personal means for its maintenance and expansion. According to various sources, in the year Pavel Mikhailovich bought dozens of new works for the gallery, among which were drawings and sketches. With his active charitable work Pavel Tretyakov strengthened the world significance of the Tretyakov Gallery. But on this artistic activity of Pavel Mikhailovich does not end. In 1893 the collector became a member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The gallery of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov is very popular among tourists today. This only emphasizes the importance of its creation.

Cultural heritage

Thus, the idea of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov to create a national museum has fully come true. The Tretyakov Gallery was the first free gallery to visit. In this museum were collected the most valuable works for Russia. It was to this result that Pavel Tretyakov counted. In short, the gallery not only united the creations of the best authors of that era, but also became a kind of symbol and guide for the formation of the future of cultural Russia.

Throughout its history, the Tretyakov Gallery has become a repository for such outstanding works of art as the works of Shilder, Khudyakov, Trutnev, Savrasov, Trutovsky, Bruni, Lagorio and Bryullov.

Special reverence for the great connoisseur was the work of the Wanderers. Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov was impressed by their lively, spiritual creativity, impregnated with love to their native land, to their homeland, to Russia. The collector unmistakably identified with the innate sense of beauty inherent in him the extraordinary fullness in the works of these masters. In their paintings were deeply disturbed Pavel Mikhailovich themes of justice, the desire for truth and prosperity. It is not for nothing that the work of the Peredvizhniki artists occupies a significant place in the collection of Tretyakov.

The authority of Tretyakov

Thanks to a noble position, a great goal, and also a special character, Tretyakov had a lot of good acquaintances and friends among artists. Many figures on their own initiative offered assistance and support in the creation of the Tretyakov Gallery. Pavel Mikhailovich was very fond of and respected in this environment. Even among the other collectors, Tretyakov was given the palm tree and, among other things, allowed the first to choose among the written canvases for his museum. Pavel Tretyakov was well-known among all the artists. A brief biography of the collector only emphasizes that, in addition to his noble activities, he himself enjoyed authority among artists. So, Volnukhin wrote for the collector of his portrait.

Social activity

Pavel Tretyakov was friends with many artists and sponsored many of them. Among such figures are Kramskoy, Perov, Vasiliev and many other creators. But the charity of the collector does not end there either. Pavel Mikhailovich actively supported special educational institutions for hard of hearing people, financially supported widows of poor artists, as well as their children. He even took part in organizing a shelter for them. Such activities underscore how widespread Pavel Pavel Tretyakov was. The biography of the collector makes an indelible impression as the life path of an incredibly generous man.

Collector's achievements

Tretyakov Pavel Mikhailovich entered the Russian history as a real hero, who did a lot for his Motherland and its prosperity. Moreover, many art critics characterize him as a true patriot of his country. Of course, it's hard not to agree with this. After all, Pavel Mikhailovich's goal was to collect as large a collection of Russian works as possible, to multiply and show in all its glory the Russian fine art fund. Moreover, Tretyakov had absolutely no artistic education, nevertheless he unerringly chose the best exhibits for his gallery. Biography Tretyakov Pavel Mikhailovich serves as a perfect example of how much useful can be done for his country.