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July 12 on the table, the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medina lies the letter. Collector Andrei Vasilyev asked him to check the vaults of the Russian Museum. Antiques says, the funds of one of the major art stores of the country were outsiders, and even, perhaps, they produced a fake. The museum charges denied. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies for a year now throws the materials and do not dare to bring criminal charges of selling fake paintings Vasilyev Boris Grigoriev. Mediator of the transaction made the European renown art historian Elena Basner.

Andrei Vasilyev History collector began in 2009 when he bought his friend Leonid Shumakova painting by Boris Grigoriev "restaurant" in 1913. From St. Petersburg to conduct examination did not: he said if it is not customary to do with such a provenance, "You know, there is much more important than purely subjective aesthetic moment: I like your work or not. It is important to the origin of the picture, which, indeed, it seemed perfect. "

Both the buyer and seller are the results of the transaction cost of 7.5 million rubles have been satisfied. However, in April 2011 in the Russian Museum (RM), an exhibition of works by Boris Grigoriev, in the catalog which has been declared the picture "Paris Cafe", one to one - as in the Vassiliev.

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And the canvas with the museum, and forgery, which, as was confirmed later by examination, went to the collector was connected with the name of Elena Basner, a former art critic of the Russian Museum. The daughter of the famous Soviet composer (author of the song "How to start a Homeland"), she became famous in 2007 when came up with a new way to identify fakes. In the 1980s, in cataloging the paintings Basner Grigorieva, the institution received from the collection of Professor Boris ballistics Okunev. And in 2009, as we found out Vasilyev, it was she who gave Shumakov fabric, supposedly taking place from the "good of the St. Petersburg home."

"Lena, I know for a long time. In the 1990s, we have a good friend. Then, because one is not very good episode had to interrupt the relationship - admits Vasiliev. - So first I tried to resolve the issue amicably. However, to return me the money, and Basner Shumakov refused. Lena could not immediately be called and the name of the person from whom received the picture. "

Later, the collector learned that Grigorievskoe fabric Basner allegedly received from an Estonian citizen Michael Aronson. "I took the time and went to Tallinn. It turned out that Aronson - repeatedly convicted felon, has never lived in Leningrad, - says Andrey Vasilyev. - One would think that the history of the painting rather, it plays the role of frontman. You know, like in Soviet times found in the book, Solzhenitsyn wrote off a search for the dead or those who left? Now, for this purpose, suitable, and foreigners. "

June 15, 2011 Vasiliev applied for committing fraud against him in large-scale former employee of the Russian Museum in the so-called "antique" an investigative department of the number 3 Research Affairs of Russia in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region. From this moment - all the more surprising that conflicts among collectors rarely get publicity.

Bureaucratic continued

"I would never have gone to the police, if not the name of the Russian Museum, which appeared in connection with a fake, - says Andrey Vasilyev. - After all, to get a fake high-end, you should always have three components: an art historian, an experienced restorer of the original paintings. " Given that the original Grigor'ev, "The restaurant" was in the timing of 1984, and before that picture was reproduced only once, and then not enough good quality, it could be assumed that the copy produced in the vaults of one of the major cultural institutions in the country. Or somewhere nearby.

For some time the statement carried in the "antique" the department where the work, and the truth, was carried out fairly quickly. His staff and all parties to the transaction questioned, and suspects identified. But then the materials were launched in the Ministry of Internal Affairs Investigation Department of the Petrograd district. It had to decide whether to initiate criminal proceedings. However, the guards suddenly doubted, and showed a maximum of indecision.

"I sat all summer in the city. I thought today would be called, to interview. But the statement a few months lay almost without motion. Golyshev investigator in early October said to me: "You do not worry, go on vacation." The next day, decided to refuse to institute criminal proceedings in connection with the absence of a crime "- 57-year-old Vasiliev, puzzled rubs his hands in a round-rimmed glasses.

Decision to deny the district investigators have signed two more times. It then canceled the leadership of the investigation department, the prosecutor's office. "In winter 2011, and I even received a refusal to initiate criminal proceedings, and a newsletter for its abolition in one envelope! - Laughs Vasiliev. - There was a feeling that I got into a vicious circle, and the police can continue this process indefinitely. "

In March of 2012 the collector went to seek the truth in the Petrograd district court, which filed a complaint against the omission of an investigator Timothy Nil, who by then were transferred to the materials. However, even Themis reach regional detention order was not immediately apparent. Several meetings ended without results: Data investigation verification to the court were not provided - "due to the uncertainty of their location." Only after the judge complained to the Chief Research Affairs of Russia in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, that such behavior is "evidence of contempt of court", after all documents were found. Inaction of the investigator was found to be unlawful. He was ordered to eliminate the violations.

Since then, more than a month. The criminal case was never prosecuted. This, incidentally, are concerned not only collectors but also the "antique" Department of Research Affairs. Its chief Vladislav Kirillov said "Fontanka" that has repeatedly drawn attention to the situation with cupola "throwing" of materials at the request of Vasiliev. But only last week revealed some progress. Now the question is decided that the criminal proceedings were instituted, and yet passed under the control of the Prosecutor General.

The Minister will understand

Not long ago, a collector, desperate to defend their point of view in St. Petersburg, sent an appeal to the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky. July 12, it must lie on a table in a high-ranking official. There Vasilyev said bluntly that "has every reason to believe that the timing is putting pressure on the investigation." And asked to check the storage conditions of the art facility in terms of access to the storerooms of the general public. Scrutiny, according to Vasilyev, and must undergo the entire collection passed to the timing of a bequest of Professor Boris Okunev. Also located in the vaults of the original painting Grigorieva "restaurant."

The point of view of the Russian Museum was announced during the hearing in a civil lawsuit filed by the collector to Leonid Shumakov, which wrote "Fontanka". Then the representatives of the timing claimed: bought a fake, indeed, made with fabric Grigor'ev. But not with what is stored in the vaults of St. Petersburg. And with some kind of copy written by the artist in the 1910s: its location is unknown. "Interestingly, Boris Grigoriev, not in the habit of making replicas of their own work. The only pair created for the film "Old Paris" in 1913, but the replica and the original, there are significant differences - says Vasilyev. - Also, in my possession was owned by the artist edition number Burtseva "My journal for the few" in 1914, where the picture was published "in the restaurant." There are notes about typos Grigorieva and error, but no information about the options and the "twins" no. "

The lawsuit Vasiliev lost. May 28, 2012 the Vyborg district court refused to allow him to meet the requirements for recognition of the transaction for the purchase void and recover the amount paid for the painting. Collector missed the statute of limitations, expired in June 2011. In addition, he could not "unequivocally establish the identity he had received from the defendant, the 10/07/2009 Shumakova paintings and pictures transferred to them in March 2011 for the examination." Vasilyev said that before August 1, would appeal to the St. Petersburg City Court.

In response to a formal request "Fontanka" deputy director of the timing Eugene Petrov wrote: the assumption that the forgery could be made at the museum, are not baseless. "The Russian Museum, there are strict rules for handling the originals. All of them are in custody of certain people. Moving products from one fund to another is recorded acts "- she said. In addition, Petrova recalled that the product received Grigorieva to the museum in the late 1980s from the collection of Okunev. What happened to him before that time, "is currently unknown," said the deputy director.

"I myself have been to in my childhood with my grandfather's house perch. Okunev nothing to sell, let alone imagine the production of fakes out there and is impossible to conceive "- retorts Vasiliev.

To be continued

Elena Basner to comment "Fontanka" refused, even though previously expressed our publishing their views on events. "As for the story, fabricated, and not having to do with me, I will not say anything. Refer to my lawyer, "- she said. Meanwhile, Basner name and brand of the Russian Museum were involved in yet another ambiguous situation.

Not long ago, the Moscow collector Victor Spengler said that he bought for 120,000 dollars a picture of Armenian painter Saryan "View of Mount Ararat." To be accompanied by an official examination of the work signed by the deputy director of the timing Evgenia Petrova and Elena Basner examination, confirming the authorship of Sarian. Later, members of scientific and Restoration Center Academician Grabar and research expertise of the name of the Tretyakov found that painting a fake. "Timing Experts conclude that" the forefront of the picture just outlined ... In this part there are authors alterations. " I dare say, these so-called alterations occur precisely at the spot where the sign "- Spengler wrote a granddaughter of the artist and the director of the museum in his name Ruzan Saryan.

"Basner has helped put the work up for auction Bukowskis, where Helen is now working for 50 - 70 thousand dollars, but no one bought the landscape. Later, the canvas was taken to St. Petersburg for the implementation, but even here the buyer is not found ", - said Victor Spengler" Fontanka ".

According to the Spengler Moscow police opened a criminal case, but it was closed. Andrey Vasilyev, believes that his story will end differently. "They say that after three years people involved in lawsuits, crazy. I have in stock more than a year "- do not lose hope collector.

P. S.: As a perfect order, often there are situations when large systems, it is not possible. So many people remember: in 1997 were convicted smuggler known Potashinsky Moses and the employee of the Russian Museum Tatiana King. They replaced a few stored in the facility at the paintings of Pavel Filonov copies to sell originals. Major theft also occurred in 1978-1981, when the seven drawings from the collections of Filonov's timing were abroad. They were discovered in 1983 in behalf of the Centre Georges Pompidou, and only in 2000 returned to Russia.

Elena Kuznetsova, "Fontanka.ru"