Arkhangelskoye Art Takes First Trip to Moscow

Imagine this: a neoclassical palace filled with paintings by the best artists from all over Europe. Surrounding the palace, immaculate parks lined with terraces and sculptures. On the palace grounds a theater, famous for its elaborate sets and repertoire of European opera and plays. A large library of rare manuscripts and books. An exclusive estate porcelain factory, complete with trained craftsmen and designers. This could be one of a dozen palaces anywhere in Europe. What makes this particular one extraordinary, however, is that it is Russian. The influence of the West on Russia is one of those "eternal questions" that have plagued native art critics searching for the roots of Russian art. A possible answer is now on display at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, where a collection of art from the Arkhangelskoye Estate and Museum opened last week. The exhibition, which consists of items from the 18th and 19th centuries, is surprising evidence of how "Western" the cream-of-the-crop Russian nobility were.The Arkhangelskoye estate, located outside Moscow, was the home of princes: first the Golitsyns, then the Yusupovs. It was during the time of Prince Nikolai Yusupov (1750-1831) that the estate became famous across Europe for its art collection. Arkhangelskoye won the praise of the poet Alexander Pushkin as well as other literary figures of the 19th century. The current exhibition is the third in a series at the Pushkin Museum focusing on works never before on public display. There is much to see for fans of 17th- and 18th-century European art. There are paintings by artists such as Fran?ois Boucher, Giovanni Paolo Pannini, and Paulus Potter. Note Hubert Robert's park fantasies. He was a favorite -- two halls of the palace were reserved for his work. The exhibition is not limited to paintings. There are books from Yusupov's collection of over 16,000 volumes, furniture, sculptures from the park, architectural sketches, illustrations of stage sets, estate-produced porcelain and glassware, and even family photographs.Serfs played a key role in Arkhangelskoye's cultural life. Prince Nikolai Golitsyn built the palace according to European designs, but it was Russian serfs who actually constructed it. The Yusupov porcelain was painted by serf craftsmen, and the actors in the estate theater were serfs as well. Lively, colorful paintings by Pavel Shestakov, a serf artist, are among the artwork on display. The exhibition also features the remarkable "The Liberation of Jerusalem," an impressive cross-cultural effort. The pages for the books were printed in Italy and brought to Russia, where the illustrations were executed by serf artists, and the books bound.What is unusual about Arkhangelskoye is that its collections remain nearly intact since the estate was nationalized in 1917. (It was converted to a museum in 1919.) The museum's director in the 1920s was able to prevent the museum's treasures from being auctioned abroad; Yusupov's impressive library and archives also managed to escape destruction, as did four complete stage sets. Many items, such as the small, gold-framed family portraits, had never been removed from their cases since the museum's formation and are in perfect condition. Unfortunately, the Arkhangelskoye museum itself has been closed for restoration since 1985. The museum was due to reopen this year, but work has come to a standstill due to lack of funds. Since 1934, when a military sanitorium was opened on the estate's grounds, Arkhangelskoye has been part of the Defense Ministry. Needless to say, the museum's restoration is not high on Defense Minister Pavel Grachev's list of priorities. Although there had been an agreement to transfer Arkhangelskoye to the care of the Cultural Ministry, the plan was rendered invalid in 1991. Instead of waiting for the ministries to sort out their affairs, this exhibition may be the best way to get a taste of the old Russian high life this summer. The Arkhangelskoye Museum Collection can be seen through Sept. 4 at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, 12 Ulitsa Volkhonka, from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. Tuesday through Sunday. Tel. 203-9578. Nearest metro: Kropotkinskaya.