Documents will tell about the life of entrepreneur and philanthropist Pavel Tretyakov

On the occasion of the 190th anniversary of the birth of entrepreneur and philanthropist Pavel Tretyakov, the Main Archive spoke about his life. On September 15, 1892, Pavel Tretyakov donated his collection of Russian art to Moscow. According to the will of the donor, the Tretyakov mansion became a museum after the death of Pavel Tretyakov.

The Main Archive of Moscow stores materials on the creative activity of the merchant of the 1st guild, philanthropist and collector, founder of the Tretyakov Gallery Pavel Tretyakov. In honor of the 190th anniversary of his birth, the Main Archive tells about how the picturesque collection of one of the largest Moscow museums appeared.

Pavel Tretyakov was born into a merchant family in Moscow. In 1850, the brothers Pavel and Sergei inherited all the property after the death of their father Mikhail Tretyakov, a wealthy businessman. In 1851, the Tretyakov family (Alexander’s mother and sons) acquired the famous house in Lavrushinsky Lane, which was later turned into a world-famous museum. — Tretyakov Gallery.

In 1856, Pavel Tretyakov, who was seriously fond of fine art, bought the first paintings for his collection: The Temptation by Nikolai Schilder and Skirmish with Finnish Smugglers by Vasily Khudyakov. This event is considered to be the beginning of the official history of the future museum. By 1890, Tretyakov had collected the largest collection of Russian painting not only in the country, but also in the world. Mikhail Klodt, Ivan Shishkin, Karl Bryullov, Vasily Perov, Nikolai Ge, Vasily Vereshchagin, Isaac Levitan, Valentin Serov, Mikhail Nesterov – these are just some of the names of the artists whose paintings are included in the main exhibition. A special place in the collection is given to the collection of ancient Russian painting, which brought together icons.

Until 1892, all the paintings were kept in the Tretyakovs’ house, rooms were gradually added to the house, where new paintings were placed. The halls communicated directly with the living quarters and were open to the public. As conceived by the brothers, the gallery was to become public, and the collection of paintings reflected the truth of life and the poetry of art.

Pavel Tretyakov was married to Vera Mamontova, Savva Mamontov’s cousin. Their marriage developed happily and lasted 40 years. The children of Tretyakov and Mamontova received an excellent education at home and had the opportunity to communicate with prominent artists of their time: Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Ilya Repin, Ivan Kramskoy, Ivan Turgenev, Vasily Perov, Vasily Polenov, who often came to visit the Tretyakovs.

Pavel Tretyakov earned money for life and replenishment of the collection by doing business. Together with his sister’s husband Vladimir Konshin, he founded a partnership that owned a trading house with a “Shop of linen, paper and woolen goods Russian and foreign.”

In 1866, Tretyakov became one of the founders of the Moscow Merchant Bank, and became the founder of the Novo-Kostroma Linen Manufactory. In Kostroma and the Kostroma province, the Tretyakovs owned houses, sowing and forest areas, and in Moscow – tenement houses in Kitay-gorod and on the Kuznetsky bridge.

Tretyakov spent most of his own income not only on the maintenance and purchase of paintings, but also did charity work. He maintained the Arnold School for Deaf and Dumb Children, helped the Moscow Merchant Society, participated in the work of the Orthodox Missionary Society, provided financial assistance to Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay in organizing a scientific expedition, and also allocated money to equip the fine arts office at Moscow University and paid for a collection of plaster copies for artists.

On August 31, 1892, a historic event took place in the life of the city: Pavel Tretyakov wrote an application to the Moscow City Duma to donate his collection to Moscow, as well as the collection of his younger brother Sergei. The collection was given the name “City Art Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov.” After the transfer of the gallery to the city, Tretyakov remained its trustee, published museum catalogs. The document on the transfer of the gallery as a gift to the city, a letter addressed to the mayor with a notice of the purchase of new paintings for the collection, as well as the spiritual (testament) of Pavel Tretyakov, were preserved in Glavarkhiv.

Pavel Tretyakov died on December 16, 1898 in Moscow and was buried at the Danilovsky cemetery. In 1904, after the death of the merchant, according to the project of Viktor Vasnetsov, the gallery changed the design of the facade to the one that has survived to this day. In 1948, the ashes of the Tretyakov brothers were reburied at the Novodevichy Cemetery.

All the mentioned documents of Pavel Tretyakov from the funds of the Main Archive can be found in the reading room of the Main Archive of Moscow at 80 Profsoyuznaya Street. until 15.00.

Nina DONSKIKH.

According to the materials “My House Moscow»