Getting in an artist's studio, as if you drove a depressingly flat and monochrome world of Soviet life and into another - a harmonious, colorful and, most importantly, intoxicating the free world. Suppose that on one evening. But everyone that night was unforgettable.

In workshops often wander and "just" passing, or find themselves nearby. Surprise visits are not always pleased the artist, and if he said "sorry, old man, I'm working, nobody was offended: work - is sacred. An acquaintance of the artist has made a whole book out of them accumulated over many years of notes left by the door workshop unlucky visitors. Some were very funny, some struck existential depth.

Then many of these artists have become world celebrities, and the era of magical workshops "gatherings gone to the actual scene, found his last refuge in the pages of numerous memoirs.

But this tradition is much older. And workshops were attended not only friends and fellow artist. Different people have been there.

In the years of occupation in the Paris studio of Pablo Picasso came without warning and the more inviting several Nazi officers. They were strict, but correct. We went along the wall and silently regarded the work. One of them, seeing the photograph of the famous "Guernica", asked: "Are you done?" "No, you have done," - replied the great Picasso. Perhaps this legend. But beautiful.

And in the mid-70's in the shop my friend the artist, now one of the most celebrated artists of the world, came two, but not in form - in civilian clothes. Posing as a captain Petrov and Major Nikolayev, they began to conduct a friendly conversation with the artist. They wondered, in general, one question: how photographs of paintings of the artist came to Paris where he was most recently released a great album dedicated to the unofficial Soviet art. "You were not sent through official channels?" - Ask him. "No, I did not send - the artist responsible." Then what? "-" I do not know "- according to the unwritten behavioral etiquette of that time and the circle corresponds to the artist." What do you mean you do not know? "-" Well I do not know all. To me as different people come to the studio. Some pictures. What's wrong with it. "-" What do you mean different people? Are you right now because of all the sets in the studio? "-" And why not? "-" Wow! But if you Hitler, for instance, come from? You should also let him? "At this point, an artist, suddenly, with all the brightness to imagine this scene, he began to laugh uncontrollably." There is nothing funny about it, "- dryly responded whether Petrov, whether Nikolaev. However, after talking for some more minutes five-ten, they left behind and left, promising to continue the conversation. Do not continue - the times were not very scary.

And in the studio of another artist, is also now very famous, about the same period came to a Japanese collector, accompanied by the quiet and very obvious from Intourist interpreter. The Japanese looked at the picture, was very satisfied, intended to buy something, and then said: "I very much admire your work. I really would like to arrange in his gallery your exhibition. Do you mind?" - "I do not mind," - said flattered by the artist. "And also, - said the Japanese - I would really like you to personally come to the opening of your exhibition. Here the artist slightly hesitated and glanced in the direction of an interpreter. "The fact is - cough, said the artist, and again glanced at the imperturbable interpreter - The fact that it's not so simple ..." "I realized - the guest said, - If you're referring to the cost of travel and accommodation, all this I take upon myself. You will be my personal guest." - "Thank you. But it's not only that - the artist said - even, you know, you want a formal invitation ..."

A few seconds of silence Japanese delved into what had just said to him, the artist, and the interpreter translated. Then his face brightened and he said: "Oh, now I understand!" In all its modest growth, he rose from his chair, then bent in half and ceremoniously said: "I officially invite you!"

But recently, following the glorious tradition, a small but cozy studio of artist Ilya Glazunov, visited Prime Minister Putin.

It would seem: the Prime Minister visited the artist in his studio. So what? Very good, very correctly, very human.

Power should be interested in art. Not to be retreating from it. The artist as a member of the community, are very vulnerable in a social sense, must always remember that he is under the protection of a strong, kind and intelligent states that he was not alone in this soulless, hard and pragmatic world, that the high positions of trust of the people of the great leaders of the country is not so bogged down in routine practicality to lose the ability to be moved touching the flower, break through the dense asphalt profane life that they know how to think not only about the price of fuel, gas transit and the threats to the security of our southern borders, and they need to from time to time to breathe life-giving breath air of something eternal, true, not measured in terms of despicable use.

And everyone who watches TV, saw this memorable meeting of two great men.

Whatever it is tempting, but no association with any Japanese gallerists, nor with Hitler officer, nor even with Petrov-Nikolava this historic visit of the cause should not and can not. Because it was not in this meeting, no socio-cultural dissonance observed in the above stories. And there were, on the contrary, complete harmony, full understanding and complete salubrity air, so rare in the history of relations between art and power. All this talk about the length of the sword and nepatsanskoe behavior of two Orthodox saints funny, of course, but they do not cut or hearing, no eyes, because it's easy and nenatuzhno fit into a specific historical and cultural context.

It was a natural in this context and the reaction of the artist, expressed in all of this immediately available immediately corrected in accordance with the wise counsel of wise leadership.

All this has been repeatedly reproduced in a well-known historical stage settings such as "Comrades Stalin, Voroshilov, Kaganovich, and meet with writers in the apartment of Maxim Gorky's" or "Comrade Khrushchev talks with the creative intelligentsia in his dacha."

That's all there, from the still disappearing world, and there is nothing to be surprised. It would be ridiculous, absurd and tasteless, if we suddenly imagined that Glazunov really an artist, and Putin is actually a politician of the modern state. The fact that Glazunov exactly the same artist, as Putin prime minister. They are quite congenial to each other, and therefore, their meeting is so natural and so organic.

Just as natural, organic and, most importantly, happy, were my visits to my friends and fellow artists in those early years and fine.

Lev Rubinstein