Japanese collection of V.V. Vereshchagin: questions, answers, secrets

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the collection of Japanese art objects, which were bought by the famous Russian artist V.V. Vereshchagin during his travelling to Japan in 1903. The paper represents the main information about the travel and excerpts from Vereshchagins memories about the country and art objects he bought. The description of the Vereshchagins collection was made on the base of the memories of Vereshchagins son and the catalogue of the collection which was published for the trade-exhibition in Moscow in 1910. Japanese collections part of the catalogue consists of the objects № 76-355. Some groups were distinguished among those artifacts: interior items, textile, clothes, accessories, enamel, bronze, turtle, porcelain, faience and different trivia. The description of the collection was made in connection with those groups. Some thoughts are represented about the main reasons of the collections trade-exhibition and its fate after the trade-exhibition. Analyzing the art objects, which were brought by Vereshchagin from Japan could help to understand what artists interest was in Japanese life.