The Khanenko Museum, formerly known as the Museum of Western and Eastern Art, is located right in the center of Kyiv. Now it is the largest collection of works of art in Ukraine. Read more about the history of the museum and its collection in the article.
Founding History
Khanenko's spouses came from noble families. Bogdan Khanenko was the son of a nobleman, and Varvara was the daughter of the famous Kyiv sugar producer Tereshchenko. The couple has always been interested in art, and the proceeds from the business went to buy antiques and paintings.
For about forty years Khanenko collected works of art. Varvara was one of the first to collect ancient Russian icons. The collection was also replenished with world masterpieces of painting and sculpture, brought from Berlin, Vienna, Madrid and other parts of the world. So, the collection included a still life of Zurbaran "Dishes and a mill for chocolate", works by the school of Rubens, Rembrandt, works by D. Velasquez F. Cesare and others.
In 1913, Bogdan Khanenko bought a profitable house in order to open an exposition of his collection in it. But during the war, most of the exhibits had to be taken to the Moscow Historical Museum. After deathBogdan Khanenko in 1917 Varvara returned the collection to Kyiv. According to her husband's will, she opens the Khanenko Museum in the capital.
Museum building
The street where the Khanenko Museum is located is the completion of the plan of the square near the University. House number 15 belonged to the entrepreneur and philanthropist Tereshchenko. The author of the project was the architect Meltzer.
In 1888, the house was bought by Bogdan Khanenko and placed in it a rich collection of works of art. The new owners immediately set to work on the interior design of the house. We have been working on the interiors for several years. Artists and architects Vrubel, Marconi, Meltzer, Kotarbinsky and others took part in this.
At first it was planned to create a private closed collection. But active patronage and work on the organization of the current National Art Museum of Ukraine inspired Bogdan Khanenko to open a public museum. To do this, the owners of the house decided to decorate each room according to the collection located in it.
The building of the future museum has a Renaissance-style “Red Room”, a Rococo-style “Golden Study”, a Dutch-style “Delft Dining Room”, a Russian Classicism “Karelian Birch Study” and a Gothic “Green Room”. The vestibule and main entrance were made in the Baroque style.
By 1891, the collection expanded noticeably. And the architect Krivosheev was entrusted with work on a two-story superstructure over the mansion. Images appear on the main façadecoat of arms of the Khanenko family.
Khanenko Museum: photos, collections
Among the exhibits collected by Varvara and Bogdan Khanenko are antique and Egyptian works, Japanese woodcuts, Italian majolica, Saxon and Chinese porcelain, bronze and faience from Iran. The Khanenko Museum presents works of Italian, Flanders, Dutch, Dutch, Spanish and French art.
The entire collection is placed in different rooms depending on the subject. There is a Chinese Art Hall, a Buddhist Art Hall, a hall dedicated to Japan, Islamic countries, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Painting, sculpture, graphics, arts and crafts are placed separately.
The most famous exhibits are the works of Paul Rubens, Leonart Bramer, the diptych "Adoration of the Magi", "Portrait of the Infanta Margaret". Italian art is represented by works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. French works include works by Claude Vernet, Louis Tocquet, Pierre Subleyre, decorative panels by Francois Boucher.
Oriental art is represented by Chinese painting on silk, bronze cast figures, enamels and lacquers, a collection of Japanese netsuke, engravings and swords. The art of Islamic countries is represented by works from Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Turkmenistan.
Khanenko Museum: address
In the very center of Kyiv, close to the University. T. G. Shevchenko is the Khanenko Museum of Art. Museum address: st. Tereshchenkovskaya, 15 - 17,Shevchenko district. The nearest metro station is Lev Tolstoy Square (blue line) or Teatralnaya metro station (red line).
Opening hours and prices
Museum is open all days except Monday and Tuesday.
For visitors it is open from 10.30 to 17.30.
On the first Wednesday of every month you can visit the museum for free, but these days the museum is only open until 2 pm.
Attendance to the expositions of Western and Eastern art is paid separately. The entrance fee for each of these exhibitions is:
- 15 UAH (39 rubles) - adult ticket;
- 8 UAH (20 rubles) - student.
Two exhibitions cost:
- 25 UAH (65 rubles) - for adults;
- 12 UAH (32 rubles) - for students;
- 8 UAH (20 rubles) - for schoolchildren and pensioners.
Temporary exhibitions:
- 8 UAH (20 rubles) - for adults;
- 4 UAH (11 rubles) - for students;
- 3 UAH (8 rubles) - for schoolchildren and pensioners.
