Russia and the Arts: The Age of Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky

The book was written in the context of an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London of portraits from the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.Russian portraiture enjoyed a golden age between the late 1860s and the First World War. The Realism of the 1870s and 1880s was later complemented by the brighter hues of the Russian Impressionism and the bold forms of Symbolist painting.Pavel Tretyakov from the late 1860s began to commission works and acquire portraits of outstanding figures in Russian culture. He was guided by two principles - the historical role of the sitter and the artistic value of the portrait - an approach that was continued after the collector's death. He commissioned works combining artistic quality with physical likeness and documenting authenticity that is a painting that caught the sitter's internal and and external qualities alike.Tretyakov's portrait collection had special significance in the second half of the nineteenth century as it emerged alongside growing preoccupation with history, identity and spiritual growth. The portrait gallery of the nation's most esteemed literary, artistic, scientific and spiritual personalities, functioned as something of a moral anchor. The individual was seen as a beacon, a teacher of life and the portrait as an icon.Pride of place was given to portraits of writers for they were seen to be the nation's most representative teachers and bearers of truth thus dominating the public attention. Their significance was confirmed in Tretyakov's Gallery by paintings of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and Turgenev.In the Tretyakov family, a passion for literature and art was matched by that of music and theater. Masterpieces in the collection include portraits of famous composers and musicians such as Modest Mussorgsky, Petr Tchaikovsky and conductor Anton Rubinstein. Among the last portraits of a composer to enter the collection, in the year of Tretyakov's death was that of Rimsky - Korsakov. Among female portraits is that of Anna Akhmatova, one of the powerful poets of the century, who also graces the cover of the book and of the distinguished theater actresses Pelageia Srepetova and Maria Ermolova.It would be an omission not to mention the portrait of a major patron of the arts, Ivan Morozov.I visited years ago the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow but I had missed then the portrait of its founder, Pavel Tretyakov. His portrait along with his photo are present in the book and reveal a refined, noble and patrician figure.

I liked the combination and merging of the Arts.It was the cover picture of Anna of all the Russias that attracted me in the first place.

Was a Christmas gift for a friend. She was delighted. Lovely quality.

I'm very happy to have this book as a reminder of the excellent exhibition, and am very happy with the price I paid through Amazon rather than the publishers price.

Beautifully written, and reproductions of the highest quality, this is a catalogue to be treasured and enjoyed , it combines history and art in a most accessible way.

A delightful book about some remarkable people.

Stunning book