SVINYIN Pavel Petrovich

Pavel Petrovich Svinyin (1787-1839). The beginning of the XIX century in Russia was a time of rapid development of national culture. Under the influence of new flavors all the more attention drawn to the fate of Russian art; growing interest in national history, exacerbated by the victory in the War of 1812. A widespread discussion on the preservation of national artistic and historical heritage, opportunities to know him, for the general public interested in art and antiquities. In the first decades of the century, formed the first private collections, already have in their composition although small divisions of Russian Art. Their background was particularly significant collection of PP Svinin.

Pavel Petrovich Svinyin was born in Moscow. He was educated at the Moscow university boarding school. Literature was his first passion. He wrote fables and poems, placing them together with the literary works of other students of boarding in the "Dawn".

In 1805 Paul Svinyin determined to serve in the College of Foreign Affairs. He first diplomatic official in the Russian squadron, which was in the Mediterranean Sea. In the years 1811-1813 Svinyin lives in Philadelphia, where he held the post of Secretary General Consul of the Russian embassy in the United States. Subsequently, one of his contemporaries wrote: "Sam Svinyin told that the remoteness of the infidelity of news about Russia, the awareness that we ourselves are very few know its glorious fatherland ... rekindled in him the desire to devote his whole life knowing Russia, its virtues, its places, monuments ... "

Svinyin finally returned to Russia in 1818. At the same time the first issue of Notes of the Fatherland "- the magazine in which he served not only as a publisher, but also the main author of articles on" the only Russian and Russia ". Publication of the magazine gave Svinyin means for compiling conceived them "Russian Museum".

Museum Svinin built up over 1820. Began the "golden age" of Russian culture. Pushkin's genius has shone in Russian literature is increasingly expressed his native painters and sculptors. Putting a museum exclusively national character, and in collecting Svinyin sought to "resist the pathetic bias in favor of aliens". His "Museum" has seven offices. Universal in its composition the museum for the first time, in addition to the already traditional libraries, mineralogical cabinet, numismatic and manuscript department, included collection of paintings and sculptures.