The State Tretyakov Gallery is one of the best-known picture galleries in Russia. It takes its name from its founder Pavel Tretyakov, a Moscow merchant and art connoisseur. In the mid-19th century, Tretyakov began to collect Russian paintings. He visited all the exhibitions and art studios and bought the best pictures of contemporary artists. He was especially fond of the works of'the Peredvizhniki' (or Wanderers) — the artists who belonged to the Society of Travelling Art Exhibitions. Little by little Tretyakov extended his range of interest and began to collect earlier Russian paintings. More than once he had to add' wings to his house in Lavrushinsky Pereulok, because his collection grew larger and larger. In 1881 Pavel Tretyakov opened his collection to the public. 11 years later he donated it to the city of Moscow. Since then the gallery has received hundreds of pictures from other museums and private collections. The Tretyakov Gallery reflects the whole history of Russian art, from the 11th century to the present day. It has a rich collection of old Russian icons. The world-famous icon is The Trinity, painted in the early 15 th century by Andrei Rublev. The gallery contains halls devoted to the magnificent works of such 18th-century celebrities as Rokotov, Levitsky, Borovikovsky, Shchedrin. The first half of the 19* century is represented by brilliant paintings by Bryullov, Tropinin, Ivanov, Venetsianov. The second half of the 19 century is especially well represented. The gallery has the best collection of the Peredvizhniki, such as Kramskoy, Perov, Ghe, Yaroshenko, Myasoyedov, and others. Linked with the Peredvizhniki are such great names in Russian art as Surikov, Repin, Vereshchagin, Vasnetsov, Levitan. There you can see historical paintings, portraits, still-lifes, landscapes, seascapes, etc. Further on we find the cream ofturn-of-the century Russian art: Serov, Vrubel, Kustodiev... Canvases of modern painters are housed in the new building situated on KrymskayaNaberezhnaya (Crimean Embankment). The Tretyakov Gallery is not only Russia's biggest and most important museum of Russian Art. It's also a research, cultural and educational centre.
Questions
1. When did Pavel Tretyakov begin to collect Russian paintings?
2. Whose works was he especially fond of?
3. What do you know about the Peredvizhniki?
4. Where did Tretyakov keep his collection?
5. When did he open his collection to the public?
6. What did Tretyakov do with his collection?
7. Who was The Trinity painted by?
8. Do you know any other famous icon-painters?
9. What 18* century portrait-painters do you know?
10. Why is the second half of the 19th century especially well represented at the Gallery?
11. What great Russian names are linked with the Peredvizhniki?
12. What turn-of-the-century Russian artists do you know?
13. Where are canvases of modern painters housed?
14. When did you last go to the Tretyakov Gallery?
15. Who are your favourite Russian painters?
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