Tretyakov Gallery

Ivanov made several pre-studies for his Appearance of Christ, like this one

"the Siege of Pskov" by Stephen Báthory from 1581

"Celebration of a wedding agreement" by M Shibanov. Somehow she seems not amused

our guide Ilja explains the history of the Gallery

Pavel Tretyakov is guarding his property

"The Demon Seated" is also from Michael Vrubel

Mikhail Vrubel painted the 14 meter wide panel “Princess of Dreams” in early 1896

Perov painted the "Troika Apprentices Carrying Water"

a tense "Dispute on the Confession of Faith", by Vasily Perov

Orest Kiprenski painted the poet Pushkin in 1827

the Tretyakov Art Gallery

the arches on Lavrushinsky Lane opposite the Tretyakov Gallery

Viktor Vasnetsov designed the fairy-tale facade of the Gallery

it took Alexander Ivanov 20 years to complete his "The appearance of Christ Before the People"

Suricov painted "The Morning of the Streltsy Execution". Peter the Great, on horseback, participated in the execution

but in the final painting one of the boys became an old man

The brothers Sergey and Pavel Tretyakov were successful Moscow businessmen and avid art collectors who lived in the second half of the 19th century.

Pavel's dream was to create a National Gallery of Russian fine art.

The gallery was located in his home and as the collection grew, the house had to be enlarged several times. After Pavel inherited the collection of his brother, he donated his entire collection to the city of Moscow in 1892. The next year the Tretyakov Gallery museum was officially opened. Tretyakov continued to donate newly acquired art till his death in 1898.

The huge collection makes for a very comprehensive view of Russian art from medieval times to avant-garde.

Notable items are:

-The appearance of Christ Before the People. It took A Ivanov 20 years to complete this huge painting.

- The Princess of the Dream, a 14 meter wide panel by M Vrubel, who also painted an intriguingthe Demon Seated.

- The Morning of the Strelski Execution, with Tsar Peter as waiting nemesis, painted by V Surikov.

We visited Tretyakov in August 2019.