The history of the city of Irkutsk is closely connected with the name of its mayor, Vladimir Platonovich Sukachev. He was in this position for 13 years - from 1885 to 1893. Being a philanthropist and philanthropist, he contributed greatly to the development of the city, giving him all his strength. Today in Irkutsk there is an art museum named after V.P. Sukachev, which will be discussed.
Biography Facts
Before you begin the story of the museum-estate of V.P. Sukachev, we give a few facts from his biography. Sukachev V.P. was born in Irkutsk, July 14, 1849, in a family where his father was an important official in Eastern Siberia, and his mother belonged to a wealthy merchant family.
In Irkutsk, he graduated from high school. After that he entered the University of St. Petersburg at the Faculty of Law, but then transferred to Kiev University. He graduated in 1971, having received the profession of biologist.
Land purchase
In Kiev, Sukachev met N.V. Dolzhenkov, who became his wife. In Ukraine, they had two sons. In the 80s. XIX century, he returned to his small homeland. Here, the Sukachev family acquired a large plot of land on which the estate was built.
It had: houses for gentlemen and servants, a separate building for an art gallery with a winter garden, many outbuildings. In the estate of Sukachev, whose photo is posted in the article, a park was laid out, where summer festivities for students of the Institute of Noble Maidens were arranged.
About the family and the activities of the mayor
Today, this tribal nest is an art museum named after V.P. Sukachev, who founded the art gallery. It is a branch of the Regional Art Museum. Today, two exhibitions are constantly working here. One of them is dedicated to the fate of the founder, and the second to his contemporaries. In the first exposition, 4 sections stand out.
The first section of the exhibition is dedicated to the ancestors of Vladimir Platonovich, his family tree. It presents the personal belongings of the father, documents, photographs.
The second section talks about the public ministry of Sukachev. In 1882 he was elected to the City Duma, in 1883 received the title of member of the Russian Geographical Society (East Siberian Division), in 1885 he became the mayor. For 13 years of work in this post under his leadership, the city, which was badly damaged in 1879 after the fire, was restored. In Irkutsk, streets were paved for the first time, a pontoon bridge was built across the Angara, telephone and electricity were provided.
About the philanthropist and collector of paintings
The third section introduces visitors to the museum-estate of Sukachev in Irkutsk with his charity work. Having received a large inheritance, he generously spent it on urban needs. He opened five schools for the children of the poor, which he maintained, a school for the blind, a shelter for juvenile delinquents, an almshouse. And also Vladimir Platonovich financed scientific expeditions, donated funds for the construction of a theater in Irkutsk, the building of a scientific museum.
The fourth section, located in the guest house, is dedicated to Sukachev as a collector of the art gallery, the first beyond the Urals. A century later, the canvases of such artists as Aivazovsky, Polonsky, Bakalovich and others returned to the estate.
There are several more sections of the exhibition of the estate of Sukachev. They are devoted to the activities of his wife - Nadezhda Vladimirovna, who was his like-minded person.
Gallery creator
Despite the fact that the public interests of Sukachev were wide and diverse, he is best known to the residents of Irkutsk as the creator of an art gallery. This was his old dream - the opening in his hometown of accessible art for all the temple.
Vladimir Platonovich was very close to the work of Russian painters, especially those that reflected the life of ordinary people. For this reason, he acquired for the art gallery paintings of Vereshchagin, Aivazovsky, Repin, Makovsky, Platonov.
However, in addition to domestic artists, Sukachev wanted to show the Siberian audience also the canvases of the masters of world painting. He made an order at the museums in Munich and Florence to make copies of the paintings there. Thus, copies of the paintings of Rubens, Raphael, Correggio, Murillo were included in his collection.
From the history of the estate of V.P. Sukacheva
The very first greenhouse was built on the acquired plots. Subsequently, it was completed and became the main building in the estate, where the art gallery was located. There was also an office of Vladimir Platonovich, a billiard room, a library and a ballroom.
In the art gallery, 12 rooms were reserved for paintings, sculptures, and other objects of art. It was open to all visitors on any day of the week (by agreement with the owner) for a nominal fee, and children were allowed free of charge.
The construction of the estate as a whole was completed in the 80s of the nineteenth century. This was done at the highest professional level, very high quality. However, the name of the architect who created the monument to Irkutsk architecture has not yet been established.
After the departure of the owners
The family left for St. Petersburg in 1898. Further, the fate of Sukachev's estate in Irkutsk was not easy. At first, it was controlled by proxies, and after the 1917 revolution, it was nationalized and transferred to the department of public education.
In the building where the art gallery used to be located, in the 1920s there was a community school, and then a child’s house. In the 50s, a kindergarten was placed here. In the office premises there was a laundry, a catering block, and housing.
Gradually, the buildings dilapidated, they were dismantled for firewood. Part of the garden was left behind childcare facilities, and a large area was given over to a culture park. To arrange attractions and a dance floor, trees that Sukachev brought from different parts of the world — cypresses, lilacs, cedars — were ruthlessly cut down.
Recovery work
In 1986, the estate of Sukachev was transferred to the museum. After that, design, as well as conservation and restoration work began. But financial difficulties prevented this, so the work was suspended for several years. In 1995, the estate became a monument of federal importance. And in 1998, restoration work was restored.
The first restored object was restored by the restorers to the museum in 2000. It was a guest house. In 2001, an exhibition opened dedicated to V.P. Sukachev - a public figure and philanthropist. In 2002, an outbuilding called "Services with a stable" became available to visitors, and in 2004 - "House of servants with a kitchen." The museum employees tried to recreate the life of the noble family in these buildings.
Museum structure
The exposition dedicated to the life and work of the Irkutsk mayor and his family is in the art gallery. This is a two-story house, which is the main building in the estate complex.
Here are things that were the property of the owner and his family. These are furniture, porcelain, musical instruments, watches, photographs, documents, books.
The exhibits include works of art collected by Vladimir Platonovich. Among them are Russian and Western European painting, sculpture, and other objects. Part of the exhibition is a unique winter garden, identical to what existed in the house during the life of the owners. It was recreated from documents and photographs.
On the estate of Sukachev in Irkutsk, fascinating excursions, musical and literary evenings, lectures on the history of culture, master classes, balls and performances are held.
Interesting Facts
Of the structures described above in the museum-estate of Sukachev today everything is shown, except for three objects. This is the house where the owners lived, a school for girls and a carriage. If the last two buildings are to be restored, then the situation with the house is more complicated.
Specialists working in the Irkutsk Center for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, to this day, can not decide where he actually stood. Unfortunately, there were no photos left, and maps dating back to those times did not give a complete picture. On one of them the building is not yet marked, and on the other it is not marked.
Judging by the separate documents and certificates, we can conclude that the building still was. In order to find out exactly where it was located, it is necessary to carry out archaeological surveys, which is not possible, since the few data available to historians indicate that the house stood where another historical monument is located today. This is a tank called the Irkutsk Komsomolets.
Garden of Eden
Describing the estate of Sukachev, it is impossible to ignore his garden. He made it truly heavenly because he loved plants very much. The trees and shrubs grew in the garden:
- Pines.
- Cedars.
- Birch trees.
- Oak trees.
- Barberries.
- Tui.
- Manchurian walnut.
- Ussuri pear.
- Hawthorn.
- Cotoneaster.
- Yellow acacia.
- Hungarian Lilac.
The atmosphere of the holiday in the garden was created by beautiful flowers, among which were:
- Roses.
- Asters
- Violets.
- Tulips
- Goldenrod.
- Delphiniums.
Gardeners carefully looked after plants. Photos have been preserved in which they cover the trees for the winter with mats of straw. After the revolutionary events, the plants froze. Therefore, today it is impossible to see trees that grew during the life of the owner.
But museum workers are trying to restore the former plant diversity. So, today in the territory young oaks, acacia, hawthorn, lilac, Manchurian walnut are already growing. In the summer, flowers are planted.
As for the winter garden, it is completely restored. At one time, the mayor gathered here unusual plants growing in the southern latitudes. These are ficus, pandanus, oleander, fan and date palms.
Plants were not only in the conservatory, but also in the ballroom. Today, they appear before museum visitors in strict accordance with the times in which the garden was created. There is a historical and biological exhibition.
How to get there
Museum address: 66400, Russia, Irkutsk, ul. December events, No. 112. You can get to it by the following means of transport:
- By bus No. 3, 26K, 42, 43, 45, 78, 80, 90, 480.
- On the trolleybus number 4.
- By shuttle taxi №№ 20, 98,99.
In all three cases, you need to get off at the Sukachev Manor stop.
You can also get on tram number 1, 2, 3, 5. Then you need to get off at the stop “1st Sovetskaya”.
Visitors reviews
Tourists who have visited the estate of Sukachev, note such advantages:
- A wide range of services is provided. Here you can admire the appearance of buildings with a variety of architectural decorations, and see the exhibition of paintings, museum exhibits, and take a walk in the beautiful garden.
- Employees care about visitors is felt everywhere. The estate is very clean, a lively spirit is preserved here, I want to settle in the house. Everything is arranged with grace and delicate taste.
- The garden is beautiful, like in a fairy tale. There are many gazebos, quiet cozy corners, benches, pebble paths. Couples have the opportunity to plant rose bushes here.
- Interesting excursions are conducted, the story about the fate of such a worthy man as V.P. is very touching. Sukachev.
- Getting to the place is quite simple, as there are transport stops nearby.
- Tickets at affordable prices. An adult costs 400 rubles, a child costs 50, for pensioners 70, and for students 150 rubles.
Last years
The merits of Sukachev as mayor were appreciated by the emperor. By his decree, Vladimir Platonovich was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Irkutsk. The document said that the basis for conferring the title was assistance in the development of urban public education, personal works and donations in favor of the city.
In the last years of his life V.P. Sukachev lived in Petersburg. He actively carried out publishing activities. He issued a series of postcards with images of Siberian cities, published a book about Irkutsk and its place in the history, culture and development of Eastern Siberia. In addition, he participated in the publication of the East Review newspaper and the Siberian Issues magazine.
He was among the organizers of the Society for the Promotion of St. Petersburg Students, who were from Siberia.
The financial situation of the Sukachev family was undermined by the events of the First World War. The outbreak of the revolution, and after it the civil war, forced them to flee from hungry Petrograd to the southern regions, to Bakhchisaray. 12/21/1919 according to the old style, at the 71st year of life, V.P. Sukachev died in the arms of his wife and daughter Anna. He was buried in Bakhchisarai at the Orthodox cemetery. To date, the place of his burial is unknown, but his search is ongoing.
In 1990, the Regional Art Museum in the city of Irkutsk was named after Vladimir Platonovich Sukachev, who stood at its origins.