Support The Moscow Times!

Art Patron Mikhail Abramov, Dead at 55

The founder of the Museum of the Russian Icon died in a helicopter crash

Mikhail Abramov Museum of Russian Icons

On Aug. 20 collector and art patron Mikhail Abramov was killed in an accident near Peloponnes, Greece on his way to the international airport and a flight to Moscow. The helicopter he was in crashed into the sea, killing Abramov, another passenger and the pilot.

Abramov was a businessman and collector of ancient Christian art who founded the Museum of the Russian Icon, one of a few large-scale private museums in Russia. He began to collect icons in the early years of this century, establishing a reputation for scrupulous honesty — returning icons discovered to have been stolen to their original owners after meticulous restoration at his expense — and generosity. Abramov was reported to have invested nearly 80% of his income into the museum, while not charging admission.

The museum was opened in a small space in central Moscow in 2006 and then moved to a building made out of two mansions on a quiet street that was specially constructed and equipped for displaying, restoring, and storing the icons.

The collection houses more than 5,000 icons and artifacts dating back to the 6th century, including Byzantine and Greek icons, Russian icons from all over the country, and icons once belonging to members of the Romanov family.

Abramov was accorded many awards for his work, including the Five Continents medal from UNESCO for his contribution to the preservation of historical heritage, the Order pro Merito Melitensi of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta for the promotion of Christian values and charity, and the Order of Glory and Honor, 2nd Class from the Russian Orthodox Church in recognition of his work to reconstruct the Church of the Transfiguration in Moscow.

Plans for the future of the museum have not yet been made public.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more