NUCLEUS OF ART GALLERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22788, 12 January 1944, Page 4

NUCLEUS OF ART GALLERY

Copies Of Famous

Paintings

Purchase By Timaru Library

Valuable additions to the nucleus of the Timaru Art Gailery. which is at present housed in the Public Library, are two folios of reproductions of famous paintings, the originals of which are in Russian galleries and museums. The purchase of these pictures reflects credit on the foresight and interest of the Librarian (Miss A. K. Elliot! in the establishment of a permanent repository for the growing collection of works of art in the possession of the town. There are 44 prints in the collection, which will be exhibited, half a dozen at a time, in the show case at the foot of the stairs. Interesting information concerning each artist and his painting is supplied and this will also be displayed. Twenty-four of the prints are reproductions of paintings in the Tretyakov Gallery, so named in honour of its founder. P. M. Tretyakov, who lived from 1832 to 1898, began to acquire Russian paintings during the 50’s of last century, and his collection soon exceeded the scope of a private art gallery. He purchased everything that attained prominence at exhibitions, and at the same time acquired many old Russian masters. In 1892 he presented the Gallery to the City of Moscow, remaining its curator until his death.

Art Gallery Nationalised After the Great October Socialist Revolution a new chapter began in the history of the Gallery. On June 3, 1918, Lenin signed a decree nationalising it, thereby the Soviet Government emphasising that it considered this treasure house of art the heritage of the entire Soviet people, and since that time the number of works of art has been greatly increased. The State is constantly purchasing for the Gallery masterpieces of painting, sculpture and graphic art from private collectors and artists.

The Tretyakov State Gallery now possesses the world’s best collection of Russian art of the eleventh to the seventeenth centuries, the works of Andrey Rublyov, an outstanding artist of the late fourteenth century, being of particular interest. Those reproductions now in the Timaru Library are representative of this famous Gallery and those on show at present include “The Rooks Have Returned,” by A. jSavrassov, in 1871; “March,” by I. Levitan, the inastew of Russian landscape; “Pine Trees In The Sunlight,” I. Shishkin; “Sitting Demon,” M. Vrubel (1890); “On The Island Of Capri,” S. Shchedrin.

World’s Largest Museum A folio of reproductions of paintings in the Hermitage State Museum, which is the largest in the world, is the other purchase made by the library. After the accession to power of the Soviet Government the old Hermitage collection was greatly enriched by the addition of the best works of art found in the Tsarist palaces and private collections. The classical art of ancient Greece, Roman portraits, rare bronzes of Urartu, early art of the Caucasus and Iran are represented by rich exhibitions, and the pictures received in Timaru are reproductions of some of the European artists, including Raphael, da Vinci, Giorgione, Titian, Carvaggio, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt. Terborch, Ponssin, Michelangelo. Lorenzetto, and others. That the value of these folios is appreciated is evinced in the interest that has already been shown in those displayed in the library.