THE ROLE OF PAVEL TRETYAKOV IN THE HISTORY OF RUSSIAN ART

The article discusses the role of Moscow merchant, philanthropist and collector of works of Russian artistic culture, Pavel Tretyakov in the creation, formation and development of the treasury of masterpieces of painting, iconography and graphics, Art Gallery, gifted by him to the city of Moscow (the society and the people). History of the Tretyakov Gallery started in 186, after a visit to an art gallery of the State grandee and public figure F.I. Pryanishnikova in St. Petersburg. Since that moment Pavel had purposefully begun to be engaged in collecting activities. In 1860-ies Tretyakov's collection got the pictures of the artists of previous eras. After the emergence of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions the Tretyakov collecting activities were closely associated with this association. Tretvakov's role in the artistic life in Russia became so important that the Arts Academy recognized him in 1868 as a Honorary, and later as a full member. By the mid-1870s Tretyakov had established the authority of leading collector of contemporary art. He sent exhibits from his collection of paintings to various exhibitions. In 1874, the first exhibition of paintings was opened to the public. This year is considered to be the beginning of gallery existence as a museum. Since 1881 the gallery has been fully open for free visits. In 1892 Pavel Tretyakov donated his collection of Russian artists paintings to the city. May 16, 1893 the museum was opened to the public free access as a Moscow city art gallery named after Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov. In 1913, a well-known art historian Igor Grabar became a trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery. Under the Decree of 1918 Tretyakov Gallery was nationalized as the State Museum of Russian Art.