The Samara Regional Art Museum is one of the largest and oldest regional museums in Samara Oblast. The collection includes both exhibits of Russian art of the second half of the 19th — early 20th century, as well as example of eastern art from China, Japan and India.
The history of the museum begins in 1897, when, on the initiative of the painter Konstantin Golovkin, an art department was established at the Samara Public Museum. The collection initially included artworks created by Samara artists, as well as by famous masters who sent their works to Samara.
In 1918, Russian paintings of the second half of the 19th — early 20th century were transferred to the museum from the collection of merchant Pavel Shikhobalov: paintings by Ilya Repin, Vladimir Makovsky, Vasily Polenov and others. Later, the museum received avant-garde paintings and a collection of eastern art. Today the museum houses more than 35 thousand exhibits: paintings by Aivazovsky, Bryullov, Kuindzhi and other Russian artists.
The collections of Chinese, Japanese and Indian art are particularly fascinating. The museum also houses a rare collection of cultural monuments from the countries of the Islamic East. Initially, it was mainly comprised from the works obtained by the entrepreneur and philanthropist Alfred von Vacano. Currently, the museum continues to replenish the Eastern Art collection with works from private donors.
The history of the museum begins in 1897, when, on the initiative of the painter Konstantin Golovkin, an art department was established at the Samara Public Museum. The collection initially included artworks created by Samara artists, as well as by famous masters who sent their works to Samara.
In 1918, Russian paintings of the second half of the 19th — early 20th century were transferred to the museum from the collection of merchant Pavel Shikhobalov: paintings by Ilya Repin, Vladimir Makovsky, Vasily Polenov and others. Later, the museum received avant-garde paintings and a collection of eastern art. Today the museum houses more than 35 thousand exhibits: paintings by Aivazovsky, Bryullov, Kuindzhi and other Russian artists.
The collections of Chinese, Japanese and Indian art are particularly fascinating. The museum also houses a rare collection of cultural monuments from the countries of the Islamic East. Initially, it was mainly comprised from the works obtained by the entrepreneur and philanthropist Alfred von Vacano. Currently, the museum continues to replenish the Eastern Art collection with works from private donors.
