Sale of paintings from the Hermitage collection

[Игорь Гурьев]

Сообщение от Tana

Igor Guriev Well then what was the meaning of this sale?

Political.
Gulbenkian was actually a Soviet agent.

Mallon, who were selling was a major figure in the U.S., who was a Soviet agent of influence and pushed the law of MFN to the Soviet Union to trade with the United States, which was more expensive than any money.

By the way, pictures, EMNIP, sold until 1940.

About Mallon was written in Ogonyok 18 years ago, and he served Soviet interests.

He sold a few paintings at a price cheaper than it was in the market - that he acted in the Soviet interest.
And he was a collector, such as U.S. Secretary of State.