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Issues of 2008
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Collection of Ivan Morozov: price analysis
Estimating the “Russian section” of the collection of Ivan Morozov (who, by the way, valued his Russian selection less than the European one) I have come to curious and unexpected conclusion. Nowadays it seems quite unreal, but Impressionist, Fauve and Nabi paintings were once comparable in price with works by Russian artists of the same period. Archives of Ivan Morozov and receipts given in Paris, St. Petersburg and Moscow offer us a unique chance to make comparison. Among the most comprehensive informational sources are two handwritten catalogues of Morozov’s collection compiled by B. N. Ternovets, the first director of the State Museum of the new western art and the first curator of the collection. People’s Commissariat of Education sent Ternovets to Morozov’s manor (21, Prechistenka Street, Moscow) in 1919. Some researchers believe that he began to make the list of art pieces together with Morozov. As like as not, they managed to finish their work before May 1919, when Morozov was evicted from his house and “went to Petrograd” (as it was noted in the house register), where nobody saw him again. First, I did not intend to analyze Russian and French sections of the collection in terms of price; I meant only to illustrate the mentioned phrase of Efros that Morozov managed to unite “Parisian aristocrats of art” and “typically Russian newly originated painters”. I also tried to bring together Morozov’s collection in the virtual form, as I did in my book “Life and Collection of Sergei Shchukin”. Research catalogues presented by the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State Hermitage facilitated compilation of the French section of the collection, while prices paid by Morozov for each of the paintings were listed in Ternovets’ catalogue. Notably, it was impossible to make the list of Russian section of the collection without recently discovered catalogue of Ternovets. That is why researchers and art critics did not show interest towards the Russian collection of Ivan Morozov for a long time. All pieces from the French section of the collection were passed to the second department (the so-called “Morozov” department) of the State Museum of the new western art. After the liquidation of the museum in 1948, the French selection was divided between Moscow and St. Petersburg museums. The fate of the Russian section was less lucky. In 1927, the most important works from the selection were passed to the State Tretyakov Gallery (some paintings came to the Gallery through the State Museum Fund in 1923–1925). However, more than one hundred masterpieces were distributed among provincial art museums or sold retail. By December 18, when the Soviet government issued the Nationalization edict, the Russian section of the collection was equal in value to the Western selection: 309 paintings and drawings, seven sculptures (six pieces by Sergei Konenkov and one sculpture by Yan Koort — the future originator of Estonian school of sculpture) and 278 paintings and 23 sculptures by foreign artists.
Morozov started to buy works by Russian and foreign artists in 1901. In autumn 1901, he acquired a landscape by Manuil Aladjalov and an idyllic landscape by the German painter Dukker at an exhibition of Itinerants. In spring 1903 the collector purchased the painting “Frosty Day in Luvesienne” by Alfred Sisley. Morozov paid 11,500 francs or about 5,000 golden roubles for the Impressionist masterpiece. Let us talk about prices on Russian paintings. In 1892 the canvas “At a Deep Pool” by Isaac Levitan cost 3,000 roubles; in 1897 the painting “Tsar Ivan Vasilievich” by Victor Vasnetsov cost 15,000 roubles; in 1895 the large-scale picture “Conquest of Siberia by Ermak” by Vasiliy Surikov cost 40,000 roubles (due to impressive size of the painting). The same price (40,000 roubles) was paid for the picture “Death of Ivan the Terrible” created by Konstantin Makovsky, who was extremely popular in the early XX century. Notably, only the author of fantastic landscapes Arkhip Kuindji could rival him in popularity (some years earlier, though). The very original artist and probably, the most popular portraitist of the early XX century Valentin Serov deserves special attention. In 1900 Morozov bought his “Portrait of Nicolas II” for 4,000 roubles, while the two-meter high “Portrait of Mikhail Morozov” cost him only 1,000 roubles (1903). In 1910 Morozov purchased Serov’s controversial portrait of Ida Rubinstein for impressive 10,000 roubles. Now let us talk about about the modern French painting. During ten years that Morozov spent buying Impressionist paintings, works by Impressionists (and Gauguin as well) went up in price in four times, works by Van Gogh and Cezanne — in three times. In 1870s, when Impressionist paintings first appeared at the art market, pictures by Pizarro and Monet cost not more than 200–300 francs, while canvases by the recognized and popular Francois Millet cost tens of thousand francs. Through 1903–1913 when Morozov was actively buying Impressionist works, prices on them were increasing slowly. However, vigorous growth of prices was recorded when the “outcasts” received recognition among the art elite: according to S. Shchukin, prices on works by Monet instantly increased in twenty times. Paintings by Auguste Renoir were the most expensive — between 20,000 and 42,000 francs, paintings by Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley cost from 10,000 to 40,000 francs, Degas — up to 25,000 francs, works by Gauguin went up in price from 7,000 to 27,000 francs, Van Gogh’s works — from 6,000–7,000 francs to 17,000 francs and Cezanne’s pictures — from 12,000 to 35,000 francs. At that time art dealers could instantly earn a lot of money; they only had to find a yet unknown and promising painter. For example, Ambrose Vollair managed to acquire two hundred works by the “hermit from Aix” for less than 100,000 francs; thus, in average one painting cost him about 450 francs. Then Vollair increased their price a hundredfold. In the course of ten years Ivan Morozov purchased about 600 paintings and 30 sculptures. The Russian textile tycoon bested Americans and Europeans. In total, he spent one million and a half francs on his Western collection. First, he bought two or three paintings annually; in 1907–1908, he purchased sixty pieces a year. The “cheapest” work by Monet cost Morozov (in terms of Russian currency) about 10,000 roubles. Prices on works of prominent Russian artists of the early XX century ranged within 10,000–15,000 roubles as well. For instance, the State Tretyakov Gallery purchased a painting by Philip Malyavin (who became popular after the Paris international exhibition) for 15,000 roubles. Price setting on works by Mikhail Vrubel is of interest to researchers. For example, Vladimir von Mekk bought Vrubel’s painting “At Night” for 1,000 roubles. In 1907 the artist’s relative sold Vrubel’s picture “Pan” to the State Tretyakov Gallery for 4,500 roubles. In 1905 Sergei Shcherbatov purchased the painting “Pearl” for 3,000 roubles. After the death of the artist, his works rapidly went up in price. In 1910 the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg bought the famous “33 Bogatyrs” for 12,000 roubles. Morozov had been buying works of Russian art for fifteen years. His collection comprises works by fifty-seven Russian artists. He bought first showpieces of his collection at the traveling exhibitions of Itinerants, at “Thirty Six” and at the Union of Russian Artists. In 1906 (the year when the famous Autumn Salon was held) Morozov acquired the painting “Window. Tiraspol” by Larionov and “Menuet” by Sapunov. The collector paid both artist 200 roubles (equal to 500 francs at that time). The landscape “Paris in Winter” by Albert Marquet cost Morozov the same sum of money, while the painting “In the Garden” by Louis Valtat — only 100 roubles. “Drying Sails” by Derain was purchased for 600 francs, and the milestone of the Fauve movement “The Road in the Mountains” by the same author cost the Russian collector only 250 francs. Interestingly, a work by the young artist Boris Anisfeld cost Morozov 400 roubles, which was equal to 1000 francs. Two years later, in 1908, Morozov purchased in Paris thirty works of art. He paid Sapunov 800 roubles for the painting “Peony” and the same sum of money for Boris Kustodiev’s “The Fair”. Morozov also bought the painting “Mirror over Wash-basin” by Pierre Bonnard from Bernheim for 2000 roubles (now kept at the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts).
“Village Festival” by Boris Kustodiev cost Morozov 400 roubles, “Garden in Bloom in Bakhchisarai” by Pavel Kuznetsov — 350 roubles, a sketch to “The Golden Rooster” by Konstantin Korovin — 500 roubles, “Confidential” by Konstantin Somov — 500 roubles. During 1914–1917 prices on works of art changed (due to World War I and inflation that followed). However, some artists still were more popular and sought-after among collectors: for example, in 1916–1917 paintings by Sudeikin cost 2000 roubles at average, Zhukovski’s works — about 4,000 roubles, Korovin’s pictures 3000 roubles, a landscape by Ilya Mashkov — only 400 roubles, while a work by Mark Chagal — 300 roubles. Ivan Morozov had been collecting Western art for ten years, from 1903 to 1913. However, he acquired his first foreign painting already in 1901. In 1913 Morozov stopped buying the French art, while the other prominent Russian collector Sergei Shchukin managed to buy several French works in the early 1914. Still, Morozov purchased paintings by Russian artists in 1914, 1915, 1917, and even in the first half of 1918. In the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts there is note stating that fact. Three days before the nationalization of the Tver factories and six months before the nationalization of his picture gallery, Morozov purchased the painting “The Fire at the River at Night” by Konstantin Korovin. The document stating that fact was dated June 25, 1918, while the last but one purchase made by Ivan Morozov at the exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists — a landscape by Aladzhalov — dated back December 29, 1917. Now let us talk about art movements and groups from which Morozov purchased paintings. The majority of works from Morozov’s collection was bought at the exhibitions held by the Union of Russian Artists. That is not just a coincidence: the Union of Russian Artists was the most popular art group in the early XX century. Exhibitions held by the association attracted more visitors than any other art display. The URA was a successful art dealer. For instance, about 12,000 guests visited the 1910 exhibition; 80 works of art were sold for total 22,000 roubles. For comparison: The Golden Fleece Art Salon was visited by 7,000 guests; only 12 paintings were sold at the show for total 5,500 roubles. Commercial revenue of the exhibition organized by the art group “Bubnoviy Valet” (“Knave of Diamonds”) in 1912 was even poorer: it made only 90 roubles (from 4,000 to 5,000 visitors came to see the display). Interestingly, Morozov used to purchase “fresh” works of art, literally taken from the wall of an exhibition hall. The collector had good artistic taste and was interested in all young and gifted painters appearing at the international art market. By the way, Ivan and his brother Mikhail studied painting with Konstantine Korovin and then with Egor Khruslov. According to memoirs of Yury Bakhrushin (the son of the founder of the Theater Museum A. A. Bakhrushin), during his study at the Polytechnic Institute in Switzerland young Ivan Morozov continued drawing and painting; he was often sorry that he could not devote himself to art, and all that he could do was to “admire masterpieces by other artists”. Indeed, on the one hand, Morozov sometimes bought works by Russian artists because he tried to help and encourage a young talent (as was also said by Abram Efros), but on the other hand, he clearly understood historical role and value of the Russian art. Still, Morozov often discovered new talents. Thus, we can say that Morozov contributed greatly to development of Russian art and culture just the same as the great Russian patron of art and critic Sergei Shchukin did. With his public lectures and writings, the owner of the art gallery on Znamensky pereulok Sergei Shchukin inspired first Russian avant¬garde artists. As to Morozov, he bought numerous works created by students of Shchukin. Morozov was the first to pay attention to gifted and promising artists Mikhail Larionov and Natalia Gontcharova. Following the advice of Serov, in 1911 at the Autumn Salon Morozov purchased “Blue Plums” by the “Moscow Matisse” Ilya Mashkov. Most likely, Morozov bought the “Landscape with the Blue Tray” by the member of the art group “Bubnoviy Valet” Alexander Kuprin at the exhibition 1915, while “Sinerariy” by Petr Kontchalovsky — at the show of the World of Art in 1916. From the first steps in collecting Morozov listened to advises of art critics and experts (unlike Shchukin who used to make decisions himself). Among Morozov’s advisers were painters Serov, Vinogradov, Grabar, art critics Sergei Makovsky and Yakov Tugendhold. The latter, for instance, insisted that Morozov should buy paintings by yet unknown Vytebsk painter Marc Chagal. Due to 300 roubles paid by Morozov for Chagal’s masterpiece “At the Hairdresser’s”, the artist was able to merry Bella Rosenfeld, his lifelong muse. The painting was the first Chagal’s work acquired by a Russian collector. The Russian part of Morozov’s collection was little known among critics and experts. On the Prechistenka street in Moscow at Morozov’s manor there were two museums. The main museum containing scrupulously selected works of Western artists was located on the first floor of the house, while the Russian works were hung in the private rooms of Morozov on the ground floor. According to Sergei Makovsky, Morozov used to buy those Russian paintings that he loved best. Thus, most likely, his favourite artist was Alexander Golovin, as Morozov’s collection numbered over forty works by the painter. For comparison, the collection featured only two sketches by Levitan and several pieces by Vrubel. As to genre classification, idyllic and impressionist landscapes by Korovin, Vinogradov, Zhukovsky, Turzhansky, Petrovitchev and Grabar made the bulk of the collection. Small-sized landscapes by Levitan, Vasnetsov and Vrubel were hung in the study on the first floor close to huge bookshelves (some Vrubel’s sketches located in the bedroom). The portrait of Morozov’s wife created by Valentin Serov just after the marriage was hung there as well. Then Morozov began buying painting by young and promising artists. Morozov bought “Storm Worshippers” by Pavel Utkin at the “Red Rose”, “Birth” and “Mirage in the Steppe” (now at the State Tretyakov Gallery) by Pavel Kuznetsov at the “Blue Rose”, acquired works by St. Petersburg artists from the group “World of Art” — ten paintings by Somov (including “The Echo of the Times Past”, “The Landscape with a Rainbow”, “Bathing Women”, “Confidential”, all of them are at the State Tretyakov Gallery now), pictures by Alexander Benoit, Saryan, Sapunov, Anisfeld. Morozov also ordered Kustodiev a copy of his “Shrovetide”, he liked landscapes by Grabar and brightly colored pictures of peasant girls by Malyavin. Among fifty seven (!) Russian artists featured in the Russian section of Morozov’s collection only three-five painters failed to become classics of the national art.
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