The Day has already published articles on the 85th anniversary of the Museum of Russian Art in our capital and the fact that there are only two other museums in the world like the Kyiv one-the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the Museum of Russian Art in St. Petersburg. The Kyiv museum has works by such famous painters as Aivazovsky, Vasnetsov, Repin, Vrubel, Shishkin, Vereshchagin, and many others. The museum is like a living organism: everything that takes place in society leaves a mark on its activity and collection. For example, during the Second World War the Nazis looted hundreds of paintings that have not been returned to Ukraine to this day. Nonetheless, after the war the museum’s collection continued to expand thanks to the assistance of Russian colleagues and donations from Ukrainian museums. Museum Director Yurii Vakulenko told The Day about the uniqueness of the museum’s collection.
Mr. Vakulenko, in what way is our museum different from its Russian counterparts?
“For one thing, we have a unique collection of Vrubel paintings. No other museum in the world has anything similar. We also have an exemplary collection of masterpieces by Shishkin. A thematic exhibit of Shishkin’s works is now underway at the Tretrakov Gallery, and it was our museum that provided the master’s paintings. Without them such an exhibition would be out of the question.
“We have a total of 5,000 works by famous painters, including Aivazovsky, Nesterov, Vasiliev, Matveev, Polenov, and others. The pre- Soviet era is reflected in the paintings of Levitzky, Tropinin, Serov, Perov, Makovsky, Shishkin, Vasnetsov, Repin, and Vereshchagin.”
Which exhibit is the most valuable and unique?
“The most unique exhibit in our museum is the ancient Rus’ icon of Boris and Gleb, which was created in Novgorod in the 13th century. But in general, every painting is valuable and unique. The works exhibited in each room of the museum are united not only by the time line, but also by color and thematic leitmotifs.”
Has the museum always been located at 3 Vulytsia Tereshchenkivska?
“During the war the collection was moved, but otherwise the museum has always occupied this building. Before 1880 it was a one-story building. In 1882 the architect Vladimir Nikolaev built the third floor and extended the premises according to Viktor Shreter’s plans, and the architect Robert Friedrich Meltzer did the interior design.”
What was lost during the war and the Stalinist repressions?
“During the war the Nazis looted 600 paintings that still have not been returned. So far we have only compiled a list of these paintings. We held negotiations with the German embassy several times. Information about the paintings from our museum is published on the Interpol’s Web sites, but so far no works have been found.”
Have there been any burglaries?
“Fortunately, no. There have only been failed burglary attempts.”
Does the museum have enough space for an exhibit of the entire collection?
“Unfortunately, no. Today the museum has nearly 13,000 exhibits. Besides paintings, we have sculptures (800 items), china, glassware, furniture, and other unique objects. The current show features only 800- 900 exhibits.
“The museum has undergone some remodeling. A tall building has been built next to the museum, which has affected the structural integrity of our building. So now we are preparing for a fairly large-scale reconstruction. The budget for the new building is being drafted, and when we move, the main building will close for restoration. According to our plans, this will happen in about three years.”
What has changed in the museum lately?
“The Lviv Picture Gallery kindly donated 17 paintings to our collection. After 22 years, 20 paintings have been returned from the Mariinsky Palace. Ukrainian painters also donate their paintings, so our collection increases on a regular basis.”
What attendance trends have you noted?
“Every year the numbers of visitors increase by 10 percent, which is comforting because this tells us that more people are becoming interested in art. In our museum people become spiritually enriched and boost their cultural level. It is important to note that our visitors are from different age groups. Many officials come here too. We have lecture halls, so some people buy season tickets. Very often, when people come once, they want to visit again. The atmosphere in our museum is not formal or impersonal. It is more like the hearth of an old home built with love.”
THE DAY’S FACTFILE
The Kyiv Museum of Russian Art opened in 1922 as the Kyiv Picture Gallery. The main part of the museum’s collection consisted of art collections owned by the Tereshchenkos, a Kyiv family of manufacturers and patrons of art, paintings from the Kyivan Cave Monastery, and works from the private collection of Varvara and Bohdan Khanenko. The first exhibit consisted of nearly 200 works, including ancient Rus’ icons, portraits, works of the art nouveau and symbolist periods, paintings of the revolutionary period, graphics, sculptures, as well as decorative and applied art from the 16th through the 19th century.
