The Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow is a museum that possessed a huge collection of books, coins, manuscripts, ethnographic collections and historical documents. The Kunstkamera originally arose as a private. Her collections were collected during the life of Rumyantsev Nikolai Petrovich. For a long time it was the only museum in Moscow that had a public status. What is the story of this amazing object? What collections did he possess? What remains of him after the October Revolution? What historical buildings did it reside in? This and much more will be discussed in our article.
History of the Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow
Let's start from the very beginning. Rumyantsev Nikolay Petrovich all his life was fond of art, nature and history of Russia. For a long time he collected books and manuscripts on history, studied the rites of the peoples, was engaged in the publication of chronicles of ancient Russian cities, and helped organize an expedition around the world. This all made it possible to assemble an extensive collection of the private museum of the Rumyantsev family. But, his main hobby was manuscripts, so the largest collection in his collection was a library, in which there were about 28 thousand volumes. Manuscripts and books were acquired in Russia and Europe. Sometimes, whole private libraries were bought, for example, the Lerberg library. After the death of N.P. Rumyantsev, the collection was transferred by will to his brother. In 1826, the entire library and collection of the Rumyantsev’s house was transferred to the state.
March 22, 1828 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I, the Rumyantsev Museum was established.
The Rumyantsev Museum was opened in 1831 in the Rumyantsev family mansion in St. Petersburg. To protect him from collapse, since almost no one visited him, a decision was made to transfer him.
In 1861, the museum was transferred to Moscow, where it was located in the Pashkov house. In Moscow, it was merged with the Moscow Public Museum. Isakov Nikolay Vladimirovich began to deal with the affairs of the museum. It was at this time that his collection began to grow rapidly: paintings by Bryullov, Bremen, Levitsky, Wilmeer, engravings and books from the Hermitage, a tabletop made from malachite and other works by Ural craftsmen were acquired.
For visitors, the museum was opened a year after the transfer. He became very popular among both the people and the emperor. Alexander II, fell in love with him and became his patron, it was he who acquired valuable paintings, such as Artaxerxes, Haman and Esther, The Appearance of Christ to the People, and many others.
The newly formed museum consisted of three departments: engraving, Dashkovsky and painting. The library, which was part of it, received public status.
Before the revolution, the Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow constantly replenished its collections through sponsorship. For example, Soldatenkov gave money for the purchase of books, and bequeathed his personal library, and a collection of paintings by Russian painters, sculptures.
Prince Dolgoruky, replenished the collection with precious stones, products from precious metals.
Ordinary people could see all the exhibits, he worked every day, and on Sunday the visit was generally free. So, he turned into a folk. In old photos of the Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow, you can see how the halls looked at that time, what exhibits were stored there.
Soon, numerous exhibits did not fit in Pashkov’s house, a decision was made to transfer collections to another building.
In 1863, the first reading room was opened in the Museum Library, with a capacity of 20 seats, in 1870 a new reading room with 80 seats was opened, which was later expanded to 120 seats.
In 1913, the Rumyantsev Museum was renamed the Imperial Moscow and Rumyantsev Museum.
In 1915, the central part of the house was reconstructed and a reading room with a capacity of 300 seats was opened. The hall occupied the space of the second and third floors. During the years of Soviet power, it became the main reading room in the Lenin Library.
The museum fund, as of 1917, totaled about 1 million 200 thousand exhibits.
Exhibits
The main fund of the Rumyantsev Museum in Moscow consisted of exhibits of a private collection of this family, but, after the museum was transferred to the capital, the exhibits were acquired at the expense of patrons.
In 1864, with the funds donated by A. Koshelev, a collection of S. Poltoratsky, a researcher and a bibliographer, was acquired. These are more than 22 thousand volumes of literature of the 17-19 centuries, valuable books, manuscripts, early printed editions, prints and so on.
In 1868, Poltoratsky himself handed over to the museum his own notes to Empress Catherine the Second and a fragment of the note to Peter the Great.
In 1880, relatives of the poet Pushkin A.S. to the museum handed over his manuscripts.
In 1898, Tolstaya S.A. handed over to the museum part of the manuscripts of Tolstoy L.N.
Many critics, writers, writers, philosophers transferred their books and manuscripts to the library: Florensky P.A., Shaginyan M.S., Vernadsky V.I., Gauthier Yu.V., Klyuchevsky V.O. and many others.
Emperor Alexander the First acquired several famous paintings by Ivanov Alexander, a unique bowl made of black jasper and many other exhibits of the Hermitage.
Post-revolutionary years and the distribution of masterpieces
In 1917, the museum was renamed the State Rumyantsev Museum.
In 1924, the library and the Pashkov building were transferred to the Lenin Library. The museum has been disbanded. The collection of books remained in the Lenin Library, the canvases of European painters were transferred to the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, the work of Russian painters to the Tretyakov Gallery, the exhibits of the Dashkov department replenished the collections of the Museum of Peoples. Historic furniture was stolen, only 11 exhibits got into the furniture museum. The movement of exhibits continued until the 30s of the 20th century, the last one left the picture gallery of the Rumyantsev Museum was a painting by Ivanov Alexander.
Forever lost exhibits
Unfortunately, some works were forever lost for the society and historical heritage of the country. Part of the furniture was stolen and did not get into the museum collection. A marble table and chairs, a bust of Spinoza and candelabra were lost. Rambrandt's canvas was barbarously carved from the frame and stolen. True, a few years later he was found, restored and sold abroad. Currently, the painting is in America at the Hyde Museum.
Legacy of perestroika
In 1988, a large-scale reconstruction of the building began, but in the 90s a completely gloomy period began for the Pashkov house. The roof began to leak, the windows on the windows were knocked out. The building was in very poor condition.
But in the end, money was found for its reconstruction, and in 2007 the Pashkov house opened its doors to visitors.
It should be noted that the building is historical. It was built in 1788, according to the project of the architect V. Bazhenov. The building is located next to the Kremlin in the historical center of the capital. The house has a very interesting history, it has repeatedly changed owners, but the most significant event in its history is the placement of the Rumyantsev Museum in its walls.
Currently
Now in the Pashkov house are located:
- Manuscript Research Department. The fund is about 610 thousand copies. The oldest manuscripts date back to the 6th century. There are funds of Peter the Great, Derzhavin G.R., Kutuzov M.I., Griboedov A.S., Lermontov M.Yu., Tyutcheva F.I. and other figures of Russian literature and history. Here there are meetings in ancient Greek and Old Russian, in Slavic and Latin.
- Department of cartographic publications. This is one of the largest funds in the world. It has about 250 thousand copies of maps, plans, atlases, globes, and map diagrams. The oldest maps are from the 15th century. There are atlases of Cartes, and modern interactive maps. At the very entrance to the department is a collection of minerals and stones.
- Department of sound recordings and music publications. Here is the world's largest fund of music publications, which stores about 400 thousand foreign and domestic notes, and about 30 thousand sound recordings. Intravital editions of notes by Mozart, Handel, Bach, Gluck, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Shostakovich, Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss, Verdi and many other composers. Here you can see and hear the first records and underground home-made records created on x-rays.
- Cultural and Exhibition Complex RSL (Russian State Library). Various exhibitions, balls, musical evenings, various presentations and award ceremonies are organized here.
On October 16, 2017, for example, the exhibition “The First Teaching as a Boy” opened, which presents unique primers from the research department of manuscripts and rare books.
Tours
Sundays and thematic tours are held in the Pashkov house every Sunday, on which everyone can get acquainted with the house, with the history of the Rumyantsev Museum.
Here you can see the famous vase donated to the museum by Alexander the Second, the magnificent hall - the library reading room. Currently, exhibitions are being held here dedicated to the Rumyantsev Museum of Moscow. It also holds a total dictation.
The balcony of the Great Hall of the library offers a magnificent panoramic view of the capital.
In a small room on the third floor of the building, visitors can see the sculpture of Beklemisheva E.I. "Salome". Right here, on the third floor, there is a sculptural work by Magny Pietro, The Reading Girl.
The house has preserved cast-iron stairs located in the wings.
But the main treasure of the house are manuscripts and books. The program of excursions includes visits to three departments: manuscripts, cartographic publications and sound recordings and notes.
The attraction of Pashkov’s house is the Large Reading Room.
Address, opening hours. When to visit?
RSL (Rumyantsev Museum) in Moscow, address: Znamenka street, house number 1.
The Russian State Library is open from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 20:00, on Sunday - an official day off. The library and reading rooms can only be accessed by appointment.
The exhibition hall of the RSL (Rumyantsev Museum) in Moscow, opening hours: exhibition hall, Ivanovo Hall, Museum of books are open on all days of the week, except Monday, from 9:00 to 18:00.
Registration for excursions and exhibition halls is preliminary.
Pashkov House (Rumyantsev Museum) in Moscow - how to get to it? It is located in the central district of the capital. You can take the metro to the Borovitskaya station, about 100 meters from the station to the Pashkov House.
