From 1986 the All-Union (from 1994 All-Russia) Museum Association at the State Tretyakov Gallery included the Apollinary Vasnetsov apartment museum. The museum is on Furmanny Pereulok, 6. The artist spent the last 30 years of his life here in the third storey apartment No. 21. The idea of creating a museum here began in 1956 during the painterΓÇÖs 100th anniversary celebrations. However, this idea only became a reality through the support and participation of his relatives. V.A. Vasnetsov, the artistΓÇÖs son donated several rooms for the exhibition, including the studio. His donation to the museum included paintings, studies, drawings, furniture designed by his father, historical items, books and documents, in total approximately 2000 items. The A.M. Vasnetsov apartment museum was opened to visitors in 1965.

     Today the size of the museum has grown and now encompasses two neighbouring apartments. Its collection, which has grown considerably, comprises more than 9000 exhibits, including 200 paintings and more than 1000 graphic works.

     Three memorial rooms have been restored in the artistΓÇÖs former apartment: his study, sitting-room and his studio. Not only personal items, but also the atmosphere of the house has been preserved. The easel in his studio holds A.M. VasnetsovΓÇÖs last completed painting entitled "The Sound of the Old Park".

     The exhibition which is displayed in the apartment opposite represents different stages and sides to the artistΓÇÖs creative work. A special section is dedicated to the early creative work of the artist. Landscapes displayed on the museum walls stand out by the surprising variety of the themes, motives and moods. Art works, even those which are small in size, retain an epic scale (A Grey Day, 1919), they hang side by side with paintings that have the imprints of different corners of Moscow with its old architecture (The Rotonde of Milovid. The Winter Statue. Naidenovsky Park, Moscow, 1920s). Many works by Apollinary Vasnetsov revive images of old Moscow (The Messengers. Early Morning in the Kremlin. Early 17th century, 1913; The Voskresensky Roofed Bridge. Moscow. 17th century, 1921).

     The museum does not only collect and preserve the creative heritage of the artist, it is also involved in extensive educational work. In addition to guided tours around the museum, traditional Vasnetsov Soirees are organized and lectures on music and art are given to the public as part of the project: "Visiting Apollinary Vasntesov".

     The museum gives their visitors an insight into the personality and the art of A.M. Vasnetsov.

VASNETSOV Apollinary
1856, the village of Ryabovo in the Vyatka Region ΓÇô 1933, Moscow

     His father was a priest. He graduated from the Vyatka Ecclesiastical School (1872), applied to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but was not admitted. He studied painting under the supervision of his brother V.M. Vasnetsov. He was influenced by I.I. Shishkin and A.I. Kuinji. Later, when he and Victor Vasnetsov became members of the Abramtsevo circle, the advice given him by V.D. Polenov concerning colour systems in painting had a considerable effect on him. A.M. VasnetsovΓÇÖs style combined in itself the emotional and epic, with the realistic material and abstract decorative stylistics of Art Nouveau. Nature is not only splendid in A.M. VasnetsovΓÇÖs greatest landscapes, but seem to be full of tradition and legend. The artist was awarded with the title of the Academician of Painting for his creative work.

     A.M. Vasnetsov was not only an artist, he was also a man of letters, a historian, an archeologist and an astronomer. In 1901 he became a corresponding member of the Moscow Archeological Society and worked on the commission for the study and storage of old Russian works. In 1918 he was elected as chairman of the Old Moscow commission, and later became its honourable chairman.
     His fascination with Moscow history provided the artist with the foundation for a series of works reviving views of the ancient city. His knowledge of the past urban milieu and everyday life helped him to portray documentary detail in his paintings, in particular, the streets and squares of the capital over the different centuries. This peculiar "panorama of the city seen through the prism of centuries" was created for the Communal Museum (today it is the Museum of the History and Reconstruction of Moscow). A.M. Vasnetsov was one of the museum organisers.

     Apollinary Vasnetsov was buried at the Vvedenskoye (German) cemetery.