Art collector's legacy puts generosity in the frame

The State Tretyakov Gallery paintings allow visitors a glimpse into Moscow's people and history, Lin Qi reports.

In 1856, 24-year-old Moscow merchant Pavel Tretyakov (1832-98) acquired the oil works of two Russian painters — Skirmish with Finnish Smugglers by V.G. Khudyakov and Temptation by N.G. Schilder.

It was his first purchase of "serious" works of art.

Before that, Tretyakov, who had been long fascinated by music, literature and art, bought books and drawings at the market.

The possession of the two oil paintings led to buying a large number of paintings in the years before his death, with a focus on "work that would reflect the face of Russian painting".

That year marked the beginning of a fine collection, with the painstaking process costing Tretyakov a great deal of time and money.

He built a gallery to house and display the paintings, and turned it into a public museum. Before he died, he donated the collection and gallery to the Moscow city government to benefit as many people as possible.

Now, 56 paintings from Tretyakov's legacy of the State Tretyakov Gallery — some added to the gallery collection after he passed — have arrived in Beijing.

The Soul of Russia exhibition at the Capital Museum on Chang'an Avenue is the first stop on its China tour and runs until Dec 8. It introduces audiences to Tretyakov's decades-long commitment to popularizing Russian art and unfolding the many aspects of the country and its people.

The show celebrates the 75th anniversary of Sino-Russian diplomatic relations and the China-Russia Years of Culture (2024-25).