Tretyakov Gallery

Tretyakov Gallery
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Name	Tretyakov Gallery
Established	1856
Location	Lavrushinsky Lane, Moscow, Russia
Type	Art museum
Collection	Russian art
Founder	Pavel Tretyakov
Director	Zelfira Tregulova
Publictransit	Tretyakovskaya, Novokuznetskaya
Website	www.tretyakovgallery.ru

Tretyakov Gallery. It is the foremost repository of Russian art in the world, tracing its origins to the private collection of the Moscow merchant Pavel Tretyakov. Founded in 1856, the institution was donated to the city in 1892 and has since grown into a vast museum complex. Its unparalleled holdings span from medieval Russian icons to masterpieces of the Russian avant-garde, making it an essential destination for understanding Russia's cultural history.

History

The gallery's history is inextricably linked to its founder, the textile magnate and patron Pavel Tretyakov, who began systematically collecting works by his contemporaries in the mid-19th century. He was advised by influential critics like Vladimir Stasov and formed close relationships with artists from the The Wanderers movement, including Ilya Repin, Vasily Perov, and Ivan Kramskoy. In 1892, following the death of his brother Sergei Tretyakov, Pavel donated their combined collection of over 2,000 works to the Moscow City Duma. The early 20th century saw expansion under directors like the artist Igor Grabar, who implemented modern museum practices. During the Soviet era, the collection was nationalized and significantly enriched through the acquisition of private collections and works from state repositories like the Russian Museum. A major branch, the New Tretyakov Gallery, opened in 1985 on Krymsky Val to house 20th-century art.

Collection

The collection provides a comprehensive survey of Russian art across centuries. Its foundation is the world's finest assembly of Russian icons, featuring seminal works by Andrei Rublev, including his revered *Trinity*, and Dionysius. The core of the 18th- and 19th-century holdings is built around the realist and socially critical works of the The Wanderers, with profound canvases by Vasily Surikov, Ivan Shishkin, and Viktor Vasnetsov. The collection extends into the Silver Age with symbolism from Mikhail Vrubel and the radical innovations of the Russian avant-garde, including major works by Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, and Vladimir Tatlin. Later Soviet art and post-war periods are also represented, though the presentation of this era has evolved significantly since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Building and architecture

The main gallery is housed in a distinctive building in the Zamoskvorechye District, its facade designed by the painter Viktor Vasnetsov in a neo-Russian style reminiscent of a fairy-tale terem. This historic complex on Lavrushinsky Lane was expanded over decades, incorporating neighboring buildings and the iconic Vasnetsov facade, completed in 1905. The modern branch, the New Tretyakov Gallery, is located in a large modernist building on the banks of the Moscow River, constructed for a 1985 exhibition of Soviet art. This building now hosts significant exhibitions of 20th and 21st-century art, including the controversial *Demon Downcast by Mikhail Vrubel* and reconstructions of avant-garde installations.

Notable works

Among its thousands of masterpieces, several works define the gallery's identity. Andrei Rublev's early 15th-century icon *Trinity* is a pinnacle of medieval Russian art. Alexander Ivanov's monumental *The Appearance of Christ Before the People* represents a landmark of Russian religious painting. Ilya Repin's powerful historical canvas *Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan* and his portrait of the tormented composer *Modest Mussorgsky* are highlights. The mystical genius of Mikhail Vrubel is captured in *The Swan Princess* and the monumental *Demon Seated*. The avant-garde is epitomized by Kazimir Malevich's revolutionary *Black Square* and Wassily Kandinsky's pioneering abstractions like *Composition VII*.

Management and influence

Since 2015, the gallery has been directed by art historian Zelfira Tregulova, under whose leadership it has undergone extensive renovation and modernized its exhibition programming. The gallery exerts considerable influence through major international loan exhibitions, scholarly publications, and its role in defining the canon of Russian art. It actively collaborates with global institutions like the State Hermitage Museum, the Russian Museum, and museums worldwide. The gallery also manages several memorial museums dedicated to artists such as Viktor Vasnetsov, Anna Golubkina, and Pavel Korin. Its educational programs and the prestigious Tretyakov Prize continue to shape artistic and cultural discourse in Russia and beyond. Category:Art museums and galleries in Moscow Category:National museums of Russia Category:Art museums established in 1856