There is no topic that would not be reflected in the cultural life of the capital of Russia. Whatever your area of interest, you can always find what you like: exhibitions in museums in Moscow will help everyone expand their horizons, learn something new in an area that, it would seem, has long been familiar. The real event was the exhibition in the Pushkin Museum of the capital of the Leiden meeting of the spouses Thomas and Daphne Kaplan. Muscovites and guests of the capital will be able to see 82 masterpieces of Dutch painting for the first time.
17th century Leiden collection
This private collection of Kaplan spouses has never come to Russia before, so it can be safely called the opening of the 2018 season. The Rembrandt exhibition in Moscow at the Pushkin Museum can tell a lot to those who can observe and peer. For example, about the beginning of the artist’s career, about the brothers around him by brush, as well as about the practice that had developed in the 17th century in Dutch painting. It is no coincidence that this period was called golden for artists of the Leiden circle.
Exhibited exhibitions of this level present a rare opportunity to get acquainted with masterpieces that have long been hidden in private collections. Guests of the Pushkin Museum will be able to get in touch with the work of not only the great Rembrandt, 12 paintings of which are presented in the exposition together with one outline, but also Jan Vermeer Delftsky, known to the general public on the painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring"; Dutch artist Jan Leavens, whose writing style was reminiscent of Rembrandt, with whom they had friendly relations and work in the same workshop until Leavens left for England; as well as with the works of their contemporaries.
Among the exhibits of the exhibition of museums in Moscow presented a sketch of Leonardo da Vinci, who created during the High Renaissance, but interest in his works is always the closest.
Collectors collection
The Leiden collection of paintings includes about 250 works of art and graphics. 175 of them can be seen on the site. Thomas Kaplan is a famous person in the business world of America. Having a billionth fortune, he, together with his wife Daphne, decided to invest it since 2003 in something that never depreciates and only rises in price over time - objects of art.
This was not a decision based on a cold calculation, but rather the opposite: Thomas's interest in Rembrandt's paintings was manifested from early childhood. Confirmation of this is the request of a seven-year-old boy to show him the places in Holland where the famous painter lived and worked. Parents fulfilled the request of their son, and this was the beginning of Kaplan's conscious love for the work of artists of the "Golden Age".
As an adult, the young man did not lose interest in Dutch art, but he understood that the supply of free paintings was almost exhausted, so only two options were possible to collect a collection: luck and a lot of money. He had both the first and the second, thanks to a successful marriage: his wife was Daphne Recanatti - the only heir to the banker Recanatti. Her photographs on the network are practically absent, since the list of her priorities includes conspiracy theology. However, Daphne is known to be very smart.
Now Thomas is about 55 years old, in the world catalog of billionaires, he is in 1694 place. His hobbies are art, the direction of charity is endangered animals, and the area of interest is the mining of precious metals. And he decided to demonstrate his collection of masterpieces of painting at an exhibition in the Museum of Moscow, where it is recommended to go to residents and guests of the capital.
Rare find
Kaplan’s collection contains priceless exhibits: the painting by Jan Vermeer “The Girl at the Verginal” and “The Apparition of the Angel of Hagar” by the founder of the School of Delphi Karel Fabrizius, whose painting “Goldfinch” is widely known. Of the 16 works found around the world, not all can be said with certainty that they belong to this particular artist.
One of the latest acquisitions of the Kaplan spouses is the work of early Rembrandt, which was sold at an auction in 2015 under the marker "unknown artist". However, amateurs are rarely seen among bidders, and therefore a real battle has unfolded for the painting “The patient fainted”, despite the fact that the initial cost was announced at $ 800.
Canvases of the Great Dutchman
So, the Rembrandt canvas, which was considered lost, became an excellent addition to the Kaplan collection, consisting of 12 works.
Among them, an allegorical series occupies a special place: "Extraction of the stone of stupidity", which corresponds to the allegory of touch, "Three musicians", representing an allegory of hearing, and that same allegory of smell, accidentally identified in 2015.
In addition, you can admire the canvases of mature Rembrandt painted in Amsterdam: "Portrait of a Man in a Red Doublet, " "Girl in an Embroidered Golden Cape" (1632); "Self-portrait with shaded eyes" (1634),
as well as Minevra, stylistically echoing the works performed in 1633-1635 and exhibited in museums around the world, including in the Hermitage.
Unique registry
In addition to the listed masterpieces, the collection is represented by the works of Rembrandt teacher Peter Lastman; Gerard Dau, a member of the "small Dutch" society; the founder of the dynasty of painters, Frans van Miris (Elder); genre painter Gerard Terborch; master of portraiture and historical painting Gabriel Metsu; Karela Fabricius ("The Apparition of the Angel Hagar").
In addition to these canvases, you can see two paintings by Frans Hals, whose style of execution is distinguished by freedom and brightness: "Portrait of Samuel Ampzing" and "Portrait of Conrad Vitor."
The museum also exhibits two sketches depicting a young lion (Rembrandt) and "The Bear's Head" (Leonardo da Vinci).
Exhibitions in museums in Moscow
The name of Vasily Vereshchagin needs no introduction: Paris admired his work, the Berlin audience appreciated his talent, connoisseurs of art in London also considered him a high-level master.
Therefore, connoisseurs and just people who love art, the Tretyakov Gallery invites you to open a personal exhibition of the battle painter Vereshchagin, whose death in 1904 during the explosion in Port Arthur of the battleship called "Petropavlovsk" was a great loss for Russia and world art.
There are a great many exhibitions and museums in the capital where you can go any day: the Russian and Historical Museums, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Historical Museum, the Lefortovo History Museum, the Museum of the History of the Estate and many others.
Universal artist
The exhibition at the Museum of Impressionism in Moscow continues the list of places of interest in terms of cultural growth. The work of the artist of the late XIX - early XX centuries David Davidovich Burliuk can significantly expand your understanding of the beautiful, since he is considered one of the founders of the Russian avant-garde. According to the artist, he is the author of 16, 000 paintings. With a light hand Vasily Kandinsky Burliuk became known as the "father of Russian futurism."
