Bakhrushin Theater Museum in Moscow

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:51

There are thousands of interesting, unexpected and beautiful things in the house of theater history. The Bakhrushin Museum is the largest theater collection in Europe. His masterpieces begin with the imprint of Tommaso Salvini's make-up on Maria Yermolova's glove and end with the piano, to the accompaniment of which Fyodor Chaliapin sang. Alexey Alexandrovich Bakhrushin was not just a hospitable host of the house, but also the owner of the gallery.

Aleksey Bakhrushin's mansion

The famous builder Karl Karlovich Gippius, from whose drawings came the Moscow Zoo and the Chinese facade of the Perlovs' tea house on Myasnitskaya, was also the Bakhrushins' family architect. He built not just a house - the Bakhrushin Museum, but he himself did not know this yet. 1895-1896 Gippius independently worked on the project of a pseudo-Gothic two-story mansion on Zatsepsky Val Street, 12.

Besides English Gothic, it was a combination of two more styles: Russian and Moorish. Because of the magnificence and luxury of the house, it was called Versailles. And since the mansion is located on Zatsepsky Val, they began to call it Versailles on Zatsep.

In the 50-60s of the last century due to repairspart of the interior was damaged, but the front remained the same as it was originally.

The mansion for the young Bakhrushin, who had just married, was not Gippius' only work for the family.

The dynasty of Bakhrushin's benefactors

Now the average Russian knows little about the dynasty of the Moscow family of a merchant, except for the phrase “Theatre Museum. Bakhrushin. But before 1917 they were known as benefactors.

The first mention of the future family of patrons was in the 17th century. A man named Bakhrush was baptized, and in the church the surname Bakhrushin was added to his name. The founder of the Moscow line was Alexei Fedorovich with his wife Ekaterina Ivanovna. The family moved to Moscow without money. Within a few years, they opened the plant, which required huge funds.

In 1848, Alexei Fedorovich dies and leaves his wife and three sons many unpaid debts. The children decide to develop their father's business and in 1860 the Bakhrushins expand the family business. With income, they allocate funds for medicine, culture.

In 1887, a family builds a hospital for the poor. The quality of medicine was so high that even the rich were treated there (but, unlike the poor, for money). Then they build an orphanage where they can get an education. And in 1895 - a house for widows and orphans with medical, cultural and educational centers. Then 6 more schools, 8 churches and 3 theaters, totaling more than 100 buildings.

The third generation was glorified by Alexei Petrovich and Alexei Alexandrovich. The first collected Russian antiques, the second -theater props. It was from his collection that the Bakhrushin Museum grew.

Founder and pride of the museum

Bakhrushin Alexey Alexandrovich was born on January 31, 1865 in Moscow, in a we althy but modest family. Since childhood, he was instilled with a love of art. His grandfather wrote poetry, and all his relatives collected something. From the age of six, the boy went to the Bolshoi and Maly theaters. He took part in performances. At a young age, he studied the family business, but as a result, the hobby replaced all other activities.

But not immediately Alexey Alexandrovich began to collect specimens, which later entered the Bakhrushin Museum. At first, he became interested in rare things from the East. Then he collected everything related to Napoleon.

Interests spanning centuries

There is a legend that the impetus for collecting theatrical antiquities was a dispute with the merchant-collector N. A. Kupriyanov. He boasted in front of Bakhrushin's collection of theater posters, to which the second said that his collection would be wider. Then Alexey won not only the dispute, but a hobby for life. And since 1890, various theatrical objects began to flock to the Bakhrushin mansion.

In the beginning, his passion made all of Moscow laugh. Fyodor Chaliapin even once left an autograph on a napkin and said that he would send it to Bakhrushin.

And he continued to collect things from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Paris theaters.

On May 30, 1894, Bakhrushin showed his collection to colleagues and friends for the first time. And on October 29 he presented the meeting to the public. Then the Bakhrushin Museum in Moscow was born. Afterthis lineup was replenished with gifts from the actors who supported his passion.

Collector by inheritance

According to one version, it was his cousin Alexei Petrovich Bakhrushin who inspired Alexei Alexandrovich to take up a hobby. He gave useful advice about collecting. He advised not to spend money in expensive stores, but to buy copies in the markets and Sukharevka.

At first, the exhibits were only in the basement of the house, but eventually spread to the upper rooms. The collection has grown. This is how the future host of the Bakhrushin State Central Theater Museum was formed.

Museum as a gift

When there were only three rooms left in the mansion free from the theatre, Alexei Alexandrovich decides to transfer the gallery free of charge and completely under the care of the state.

Apparently, on yet another advice from his cousin, he is giving away his treasure. The advice sounded like this: “do not pass the collection to children, because they will not appreciate the work and dissolve the museum.”

He appeals to the State Duma, but they refuse him, based on the lack of funds in the city budget.

The museum was taken under its wing by Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov (President of the Academy of Sciences). By his decision, the gallery came under the control of the Academy. It happened on November 25, 1913

Even after the revolution Theatrical Museum. Bakhrushina bore his "bourgeois name".

With the advent of the new authorities, life has deteriorated. The family worked hard to heat the exhibit rooms.

The benefactor died June 7, 1929years in the suburban estate Small Hills. He was buried at the Vagankovsky cemetery. Alexey Alexandrovich remained the head of the museum until the last day.

Journey through the mansion of Alexei Bakhrushin

The Moscow Bakhrushin Museum is proud of its collection.

One of the outstanding exhibits is the portrait of Fyodor Chaliapin, painted in 1909. This is a master of Russian opera. At one time he was a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres. Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The portrait is the work of Alexander Yakovlevich Golovin, an artist, stage designer and artist. Chaliapin as Mephistopheles.

This portrait hangs in front of the office of Alexei Alexandrovich, the other - at the exit from the museum. This time in the image of Boris Godunov. The author of the picture is Nikolai Vasilevich Kharitonov.

Fyodor Ivanovich himself was a frequent guest of the gallery and a friend of the owner, so a certain part of the story about him is left by him.

Founder's office

The Bakhrushin Museum in Moscow has in its ranks the personal belongings of the greatest admirer. In the center of the cabinet is his portrait and a desk. Like any creative person, the table is filled with thousands of little things. Each has its own story. Among them is a fist cast in silver. There is a theory that the actors of the Maly Theater poured it out for the official and thus asked him to loosen his control over them.

In the office - the work of A. L. Roller, O. A. Kiprensky, I. E. Repin, K. P. Bryullov, Sorin, Z. E. Serebryakova, A. V. Fonvizin and many others.

A unique collection of posters made by famous masters: A. M. and V. M. Vasnetsov, A. Ya. Golovin, S. Yu. Sudeikin, I. Ya. Bilibin, L. S. Bakst.

There is a showcase dedicated to ballet. The collection of ballet shoes shows the evolution of this art.

Birth Hall of the theater

Bakhrushin's house tells the story of the Melpomene temple. In the exhibition hall, all tours begin with a portrait of Fyodor Volkov, who created the permanent Russian theater and is considered its founder. The collection contains the official Decree of 1758 by Elizabeth II on the creation of the first state art. There is also a real letter of nobility, which he received from Empress Catherine II.

The Bakhrushin Museum is also rich in unusual collections, such as props from the Count Sheremetyev's Theatre, and dens of puppet arenas. There is a hall dedicated to the first half of the 19th century, where a corner is reserved for Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. The exhibition is rich in the poet's letters, portraits of actors of that century, their personal belongings.

A lot of territory is reserved for samples from the founder's favorite temple of Melpomene - the Maly Theatre. There is a model of the building from 1840.

Part of the stuff is thanks to the actors from the fans. The museum of Bakhrushin is full of emotional letters, personalized gifts. Exhibitions of stage costumes, drama manuscripts, autographs of performers - all this is in the mansion.

Road of exhibits to the museum

Often Alexey Alexandrovich was cunning. He invited an actor to his place, led him to a window with the guest's name,having previously removed several interesting specimens from the shelf, and complained about the poverty of the presentation. And the theater-goers immediately bombarded him with their personal belongings, which could be useful for the collection. This is how the Bakhrushin Museum was replenished.

He bought a lot in the markets. It was on Sukharevka that he bought 22 portraits of serf actors from the Sheremetiev Theater for 50 rubles. Later it turned out that the paintings were stolen. It was also there that he learned to bargain. I was looking for an interesting thing and asked about the price of a neighboring one. The seller, carried away by the client, praised the goods and filled the price. Bakhrushin, as if by chance, asked the price of the nearby goods, the seller, not paying attention, named a low amount. Then the man bought the right thing on the cheap.

There was an anecdote in Moscow that Bakhrushin was faster than gravediggers. After all, as soon as a famous actor left the next world, the man took his things to his collection. Copies were given to him with a calm soul, because they knew how carefully this person treats them.

Today, the gallery includes nine branches - these are memorial houses, apartments of famous figures of the Russian theater, as well as an exhibition hall.

Many want to join the world of art. From time to time, vacancies appear in this institution. The Bakhrushin Museum is pleased to welcome a person who appreciates and respects the history of the theater to its team.