[Евгений]

They say collecting - more disease than passion. Mikhail Krasnov, President of the group of companies Verysell, it started long ago - three years ago, before, he said, "neither money nor time." While interest in art came from him long ago - a student, he even seriously thought MSU and throw away in Stroganov School: took lessons in drawing, preparing for exams ...

Against the background of many corporate and private collections Krasnov not think his collection of "serious", but for three years he managed to collect more than fifty very decent collection of works. Interim coverage - nearly two centuries: there are Russian painters of the XIX century, the avant-garde early XX century, the sixties, but the choice of names rather limited.

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To increase the size of the collection, he does not seek, the last year working to improve its "quality". The collection is constantly updated - something previously bought or sold is changing, acquired a new, more interesting from the standpoint of the owner. "Appetite" of this collector is limitless - as far, however, can afford.

"This kind of hunting, the hunt for the rarities, and each time an adventure, just do not get, - says Mikhail Krasnov

The gems of his collection Krasnov says now Larionov ( "the dream of every collector") and a portrait Reichel Argunova hand, which he bought as an unknown portrait of an unknown author, but it turned out - quite an outstanding thing!

Russian painting remained in the country is not so much - war, revolution, socialism is not contributing to the preservation of artistic heritage. How many precious treasures were sold during the Soviet period abroad, often at bargain prices ... "I well remember the time when the avant-garde works were hung in all the antique shops and cost as a few bottles of brandy. True, the money then he had to have ..." - he recalls.

Over the past year and a half the price of Russian art increased so that the opportunity to buy good paintings for it becomes increasingly problematic. The fact is that in the West Russian art for many years underestimated. Now, finally being recognized and appreciated, not only have to buy Russian, no matter where they lived, but also serious western galleries and collectors, and as a result of the price of the auctioneer is about twice higher than in Moscow. How to take the red, he was lucky that he began to gather a collection of three years ago.

Big trouble Russia antiques market - the abundance of fakes. Because of the bends in our history "pedigree" is very difficult to trace the painting - where it was when and who bought it, etc. But any serious examination, because a domestic museums and galleries are not for their expert advice, no responsibility. For this reason, many major western galleries and foundations and refuse to buy Russian paintings, especially the avant-garde. According to Krasnov, he has repeatedly brought the picture with the expert opinion of Russia's leading galleries, and he, not being an expert, just saw: a fake.

Through a lot of time abroad, Michael knows the "place" where you can buy something interesting. Unfortunately, not everyone bought it can bring to Russia - it loses its meaning because of the stupid policies of our glorious customs, which, instead encourage the return of cultural property, is trying to impose a prohibitive tax collectors: that the clothes from China, that the work of art - pay 30%. Therefore, a number of works from his collection in Switzerland.

All the money that can distract from, so to speak, living expenses, go to the collection. "Often they say: collecting paintings - this is not an expenditure, and investment. But no collector will never sell his collection, will die of starvation, but not sell. Therefore, if this investment is already in children ", - he said.

In his home gallery a lot of empty seats, because its owner, always a pleasure gives his paintings at the exhibition - for the collector is very nice, also increases the value of the paintings, although it is very troublesome. For example, now in the Hermitage demonstrated portrait Reichel, Chief of the Imperial Mint at the beginning of the XIX century: it seems that this portrait of Argunova - the only surviving.

Krasnov, can afford no more than one picture in two or three months, so we have to choose. Sometimes a few dozen proposals. The most interesting thing here - guess: here, this work is a rare and promising, but not necessarily in terms of money.

"It is very important to the emotional attitude to the picture. If the work I do not like, I had never been to buy, whose signature would be there was not - he says. - Probably, there are investors who simply invest in art, but art collectors so never received. I am very pleased to see their pictures on the walls, but not in the closet or in vault. Collectors live in a very long time, because that passion brings a lot of positive emotions - every day you can communicate with the pictures, they delight the eye, recharge ... "
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"... This is a picture Khrutsky, he is considered the founder of Russian still life. I bought it in Germany, very good job, but not fully restored ...
... Portrait by Hope Lermontov, grandniece of the great poet ... talented artist of the Silver Age, died quite young ...
... Here Mashkov, period, "Jack of Diamonds", I was able to return the painting, though with great adventures, from one of the former Soviet republics ...
... And this "village" Boris Grigoriev, one of the brightest artists of avant-garde ... ... Boris Musatov, the ideologist flow "Blue Rose" ...
... Alexandra Exter, the costumes for "Romeo and Juliet", bought at auction in France ... ... This is Falk, late 20-ies ... All of his legacy is now in France ...
... Early work Larionov, which was displayed at one of the exhibitions "World of Art" in 1906, I was able to buy it in New York ...
... And this Somov, also bought in France ... it is true, the picture rather commercial, but find this very hard to Luba ...
... Levitan ...
... Kustodiyev, "Sellers cakes" - they were on the cover of the catalog Sothby's ...
... And here Rokotov, a very famous Russian portrait painter. While this "portrait of an unknown, but the person I am now install, then you want some historical research ..."
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Mikhail Krasnov was born April 29, 1952 President of the group of companies Verysell. After graduating from MSU he worked 14 years at the Institute of USA and Canada, USSR, Ph.D. in Economics.