Botkin: art on the verge of crime

[Artem]

January 23, 2012, 12:36|Culture|Alex Mokrousov

Botkin: art on the verge of crime

The exhibition at the Russian Museum confirms that the creators of the great collections can not be friends with the law

In the Russian Museum opened an exhibition of collections of Botkins. The show of 150 drawings 1.3 thousand pages of graphics, passed in 1917 the widow of Sergei Botkin (1859-1910) for temporary storage in the Russian Museum, and later actually confiscated by the state. Another 130 exhibits, including the Italian sketches by Alexander Ivanov and objects of arts and crafts come from the collection of his uncle, Michael Botkin (1839-1914).
"SS Botkin was before my departure to the village and my highly requested leave some pictures of him, and on their return from abroad, it will be possible to arrange "- a phrase from a letter from Sergei Diaghilev Malyutin artist recalls the passions which devour the collector.
Before leaving the cottage Botkin you done specifically to the editor of "World of Art" to your favorite book him a job. Two months later Malyutin receives a letter from Diaghilev c reminder of Botkin's interest in the sketches to "Ruslan and Lyudmila."
At this same show in the Russian Museum, dedicated to the collection of Botkins, Malyutina work there, but there Repin and Somov, Polenov and Vereshchagin, Yakunchikova and Shchedrin. The building is on a channel you can see Griboyedov sketch version of the "Crucifixion," Gay, landscapes Levitan, Perov sketches, sketch Surikov to "Boyar Morozova" as well as the work is not as well-known authors. Much has exhibited for the first time.
The Apotheosis of the exhibition - Serov Portrait of Anna Pavlova in "Les Sylphides", which became the poster-symbol "Russian Seasons". Taste Botkin was not to take a son of the great doctor and very distinguished physician, son of Pavel Tretyakov, he was friends with the World of Art, whose meetings are often held at his house, gave his collection of works in their exhibitions, and some are preparing myself.
The earliest works of the channel displayed on the Griboyedov - Buckle Hun era (end of IV - V century AD), the Merovingian era ring (VI-VII century), the tenth century Scandinavian fibula (clasp-ornament for clothing). But the basis for the collection of ancient times were orthodox, and not only Russian. The exhibition includes, in particular, Byzantine and ancient Georgian cloisonne enamel.
Apparently, the interest has spawned Botkin on the St. Petersburg market, a lot of fakes. They had been involved in the production of a photographer and restorer Sabine Gus-back in 1880 quietly robbing Georgian monasteries, as well as the master of Faberge.
Fakes, imitating the old technique of cloisonné enamel, settled in the collections of not only hepatitis but other collectors, including the U.S.. So the authenticity of many works of ancient Georgian enamel - for example, those that went to the Metropolitan Museum, the Louvre and the Cluny Museum - now requires verification.
The criminal trail, there are many things before were in the church or state property. Thus, the exhibition shows a silver pepper 1605-1619 period, which belonged to Metropolitan Filaret, the father of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. Before getting to Michael Botkin, it was kept in the churches of the Kremlin.
Two more exhibits - Khoros (church lighting) and breast scapular with the images of Our Lady and St. Nicholas Oranta - come from Nikita Church in Novgorod, where Botkin been as an expert on the restoration of St. Sophia Cathedral (he claimed that the items purchased in churches all over Europe) .
As a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission, Botkin priced antiques before buying them to the Hermitage. Sometimes he underestimated the amount a potential buyer refused to cheap, and then buy something more expensive Botkin - as an individual. When he was caught at the same time, he conceded that the State acquired.
The catalog describes how the Soviet Union secretly plundered collection of Botkin. In the 1930s, subjects were given at the exhibition, where they have not returned. Among the addresses of the trust issue therefore non-ferrous metals. Not surprisingly, the two-volume catalog Raisonné, on which she worked for a long time widow of Sergei Botkin, was not published either in her lifetime or after her death.
A belated gesture of apology is this well done show. Meaningful to the catalog attached DVD-ROM - a bonus, rather rare in the publishing practices of Russian museums.

The exhibition at the Russian Museum will run until March 12.
http://www.izvestia.ru/news/512739