Patrons of the 18th and 19th centuries. Russian patrons

Patron - a person who contributes on a voluntary and gratuitous basis to the development of science and art, providing them financial assistance from personal funds. The name comes from the name of the Egyptian Gaius Cylnius Maecenas, who was the patron of the arts under Emperor Augustus.

“His name became a household name for a reason - for the first time in history, a powerful state policy was implemented, the conductor of which was the Maecenas. With the support of the emperor, Patron sent a significant share of the funds accumulated by the Roman Empire to encourage and support the creative industry. Thus, a system of state financial support for culture or the world of arts was created.

With the help of investments in art, the political tasks of great Rome were solved, the position and power of the Roman Empire and its power were strengthened. Therefore, it cannot be considered that a philanthropist is an unmercenary who does good to people for free. A philanthropist is one who, by supporting art, develops the spirituality of society as a necessary condition for the realization of the tasks facing it.” (Magazine "World of Arts")

The word "charity" in the old days meant compassion for one's neighbor, mercy. For those in need, various charitable establishments hospitals, shelters, schools, colleges, almshouses. Charity was one of the main virtues of Christianity.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, charity was usually not included in government programs to help the poor, it was done by private individuals and societies for helping the needy. State assistance was designated by the term "charity" (public charity). Charity was widespread in the state and public life Russia.

The 19th century is the heyday of philanthropy in Russia. Rapid economic growth has led to a large number rich people. Among them were those who possessed not only big money, but also amazing spiritual qualities - generosity, a sense of compassion and, at the same time, an understanding of beauty.

Who are they - the most famous patrons in the history of Russia?

In modern Russia, the same names are always heard: Tretyakov, Mamontov, Morozov. But there were other philanthropists, whose names are undeservedly forgotten. This article is dedicated to them.

Sergei Grigorievich Stroganov

Sergei Stroganov (1794-1882) - Count, statesman, archaeologist, general, Moscow governor.

All his life he was in military service, showed considerable courage in the Battle of Borodino, took part in the Crimean War. However, the most striking and fruitful was his activity in a purely civilian field. Russian enlightenment owes a lot to him. In addition, Sergei Grigorievich was also a great benefactor.

Despite the fact that he was in the rank of adjutant general and held high positions, Stroganov was indifferent to his career. He was distinguished by a strong and independent character, he knew how to firmly defend his convictions, even if they contradicted the opinion of the highest officials in the state.

Thanks to their spiritual qualities and deep education, Sergei Grigorievich was elected educator of the emperor's sons, Grand Dukes Nicholas, Alexander, Vladimir and Alexei Alexandrovich.

He managed to do a lot for the fatherland. He founded the first free drawing school in Russia. It was available to all talented children, regardless of their class origin. The “School of Drawing in Relation to Arts and Crafts” (now the Moscow State Art Academy named after S.G. Stroganov) was opened in Moscow on October 31, 1825. The Stroganov family continued to finance the school until 1917.

From 1835 to 1847 he was a trustee of the Moscow educational district and Moscow University. This period was called by contemporaries "Stroganov's time". In 1840, Stroganov showed all his characteristic hardness of character and progressive thinking, sharply protesting against a secret government circular recommending that representatives of the lower classes be limited access to university education.

For more than 37 years, Count S. G. Stroganov was the chairman of the Moscow Society of Russian History and Antiquities, founded at Moscow University. Every year he equipped with his own money scientific archaeological expeditions to the south of Russia. The result of these excavations in the Crimea were rich Kerch treasures and "Scythian gold", now stored in the Hermitage.

In 1859 he founded the Moscow Archaeological Society. He was the chairman of the Imperial Archaeological Commission, located in his St. Petersburg palace for 23 years. On the highest order, the count supervised the multi-volume edition of Antiquities of the Russian State, which was published in 1837-1874. At the expense of the count, the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir was restored. Stroganov was the author of a number of published works on the history of ancient Russian architecture and archeology.

He was a member of the commission for the construction of the Cathedral of the Savior in Moscow.

He was engaged in numismatics, left rich collections of Russian coins and ancient icons.

The son of Sergei Grigorievich, Alexander Sergeevich Stroganov, was also fond of history and archeology, was a member of the St. Petersburg Archaeological Society and was a famous numismatist. His collection of 35,000 medieval European coins is now in the Hermitage. And the breeding stud farm founded by him is still operating and is known as the "Pskov stud farm".

Unfortunately, fate has prepared a bitter fate for this noble and illustrious family. Today there is no one left of the Stroganov family, except for Helen Stroganova. Baroness Helene de Ludinghausen is the only representative of this glorious and ancient family. She is the great-grandniece of Count Sergei Grigoryevich Stroganov.

Helen was born on August 20, 1942 in Paris. Her grandmother, Princess Sophia Vasilchikova (daughter of Olga Stroganova, granddaughter of Sergei Grigorievich) left Russia at the end of 1917 with her four daughters. In 1942, one of the daughters of Xenia and Baron Andrei de Ludinghausen, a descendant of Russified Germans (who lived in Russia in the 16th century), had a daughter, Helen.

For many years she worked for Yves Saint Laurent as the director of his Fashion House. Now retired. Lives in France, in Paris. Engaged in a large social and charitable activities.

Alexander Ludwigovich Stieglitz

Alexander Ludwigovich Stieglitz at various times held senior positions in the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire.

Talented financier, banker, entrepreneur, Baron A.L. Stieglitz was the richest man in Russia in late XIX century, one of the founders of the Main Society of Russian Railways, as well as the director of the State Bank. The baron built the Nikolaev, Peterhof and Baltic railways.

He inherited his capital and the title of court banker from his father, through whose mediation Nicholas I concluded agreements on foreign loans for more than 300 million rubles, for which the Russified German received the title of baron. With an annual income of 3 million, he remained just as unsociable (the hairdresser who cut his hair for a quarter of a century never heard the voice of his client) and painfully modest.

His father, a millionaire and a zealot for education, intended his son to the scientific field, to which he felt an inclination. Having received an excellent classical education at home, Stieglitz graduated from Dorpat University, where he showed great ability in science. He was fond of ancient languages, painting, literature. After graduating from the university, the young man traveled a lot around Europe, and when he returned to Russia, he entered public service to the Ministry of Finance.

Alexander Lyudvigovich dealt with financial issues all his life, but understanding the problems ordinary people was not alien to him. During the Crimean War, he donated large sums for the needs of the Russian army: in 1853 - in favor of the Chesme military almshouse and in 1855 - in favor of naval officers who lost their property in Sevastopol. Considerable funds were also spent on education, on the maintenance of pupils of educational institutions, on maintaining the shelter in Kolomna, founded by his father.

On January 1 (13), 1853, on the day of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stieglitz and Co. trading house, the young owner of the company generously rewarded and provided for the future of all his employees, and no one was forgotten, including artel workers and watchmen.

In 1858, simultaneously with a donation for the construction of a monument to Emperor Nicholas I in the exchange hall, Stieglitz contributed a significant amount to the maintenance of pupils in educational institutions capital in memory of the late emperor.

After taking office as Governor of the State Bank, Stieglitz took care of the needs of his colleagues. With his closest assistance, in 1862, a savings and loan bank for employees was established in the State Bank, then for 3 years he supported the funds of the cash desk with donations (leaving part of his salary in her favor). In the 1880s, the deputy meeting of the cash desk gave this amount the name "capital named after Baron A. L. Stieglitz." From its percentage, benefits were annually given to widows and orphans of members of the fund.

In addition to the listed institutions, Stieglitz at various times also benefited many others, including the orphanage in Kolomna, founded by his father, continued to exist on his donations.

Undoubtedly, Alexander Ludwigovich loved the beautiful, although all his life he was engaged only in making money. And do not convince his son-in-law Alexander Polovtsov, husband adopted daughter that the industry of Russia without “scientific draftsmen” cannot survive in any way, if we had neither the Stieglitz School, nor the first Museum of Decorative and Decorative Art in Russia applied arts (the best part collections of which later went to the Hermitage).

“Russia will be happy when merchants donate money for teaching and educational purposes without the hope of getting a medal around their neck,” said the emperor’s state secretary Alexander III A. A. Polovtsov.

In 1876, the baron presented his most valuable gift to St. Petersburg and Russia, giving 1 million rubles. to create in hometown schools industrial design- The Central School of Technical Drawing (St. Petersburg State Art and Industrial Academy named after A.L. Stieglitz, from 1953 to 1994 the institute was called the Leningrad Higher Art and Industrial School named after V.I. Mukhina, "Mukhinskoye School"). Thus, a building in the Neo-Renaissance style appeared in Solyany Lane, erected according to the project of architects R.A. Gedike and A.I. Krakau, which in itself was already a work of art.

An integral part of the St. Petersburg State Art and Industry Academy is the Museum of Applied Arts. The halls of the museum became cultural, educational, educational and exhibition center academy.

The fact is that the industrialist Stieglitz gathered in these halls the best examples applied arts from all over the world, on which he spent a fortune. Antique furniture, household items, tapestries were bought up at auctions all over Europe. The baron exhibited all the masterpieces in the halls of the museum so that future artists could study only the best examples of art of all times and peoples, thus adopting the experience of recognized masters. The artistic decoration of thirty-two halls of the museum reflected almost all historical eras and styles.

Now the St. Petersburg State Academy of Art and Industry. A.L. Stieglitz is one of the most famous art universities countries. The Academy has graduated from many artists who have made a significant contribution to the art and culture of Russia and other countries. Among the famous graduates are Adrian Vladimirovich Kaplun, Anna Petrovna Ostroumova-Lebedeva, Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin.

Baron Stieglitz until the end of his days regularly allocated funds for the maintenance of the school and after his death bequeathed a large sum of money for its needs, which contributed to its further development.

On October 24 (November 5), 1884, Stieglitz died of pneumonia and was buried, according to own will, in Ivangorod in the Church of the Holy Trinity, personally built by him over the grave of his wife, for the spiritual needs of the local factory population.

The testament left by Stieglitz, in general, is an example of caring for the institutions he created and the persons who were in any more or less close relationship with him.

So, by the way, in favor of employees of the State Bank, they were bequeathed 30,000 rubles; his personal employees were not forgotten either: his favorite valet, for example, received 5,000 rubles. The total amount distributed according to Stieglitz's will among different persons and institutions was rumored to reach 100 million rubles (excluding real estate), but in reality it was more modest - about 38 million rubles.

It is curious to note that, being a completely independent person, whose capitals were readily accepted in all countries, Stieglitz placed his huge fortune almost exclusively in Russian funds, and on the skeptical remark of one financier about the imprudence of such trust in Russian finances, he once remarked:

“My father and I have amassed our entire fortune in Russia; if she turns out to be insolvent, then I am ready to lose all my fortune with her.

Solodovnikov Gavrila Gavrilovich

Gavrila Gavrilovich Solodovnikov (1826, Serpukhov - May 21, 1901, Moscow) - one of the richest Moscow merchants and homeowners, multimillionaire, owner of a shop and theater in Moscow, philanthropist; donated more than 20 million rubles to charity. With his funds, a theater on Bolshaya Dmitrovka (later the Moscow Operetta Theater), a clinic at the medical faculty of Moscow State University, a number of houses for the poor in Moscow, an orphanage, and several schools in four provinces of Russia were built.

The son of a paper merchant, due to lack of time, he learned to write poorly and express his thoughts in a coherent way. At 20 he became a merchant of the first guild, at 40 he became a millionaire. He was famous for his frugality and prudence (he ate yesterday's buckwheat and rode in a carriage, on which only the rear wheels were shod with rubber). He did not always conduct business honestly, but he made up for it with his will, writing off almost all millions to charity.

He was the first to make a contribution to the construction of the Moscow Conservatory: a luxurious marble staircase was built with his 200 thousand rubles. Built on Bolshaya Dmitrovka concert hall With theater stage for the production of extravaganzas and ballet ”(the current Operetta Theater), in which the Private Opera of Savva Mamontov settled. It was here that the young Fyodor Chaliapin, who had already established himself in provincial operas, performed for the first time in Moscow. Since 1961 this house has been known as the Moscow Operetta Theatre.

In the same years, Gavrila Gavrilovich decided to become a nobleman. For a person with such a state as Solodovnikov had, it was not difficult. Everyone knew very well how it was done. Those who wished to come to the city government and directly asked how he could help the city. He was given a task, he carried it out, and the city wrote a petition to the highest name, and this petition was usually granted. So did Solodovnikov.

Appearing in 1894 at the council, he declared that he would like to build some useful institution for the city. There were people with a sense of humour. They explained to the merchant that the city now needed nothing more than a venereal hospital. The subtlety of the situation was that, according to the tradition of that time, an object donated to the city was given the name of the donor. Consequently, the hospital built by Gavrila Gavrilovich should have been called "Clinic of skin and venereal diseases of the merchant Solodovnikov". The millionaire immediately realized what the fun was, and refused the offer. Three more times he applied to the council, and each time he was offered the same thing.

It ended with the fact that the desire to go to the aristocrats won. The clinic was built and equipped according to the latest science and technology of the time. In return, Gavrila Gavrilovich graciously asked the authorities not to name the hospital after him. The authorities agreed.

After some time, Solodovnikov received an order around his neck for a gift to the city and was registered in the noble book. Now it is the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases at the 1st Moscow Medical Institute; since 1990, the institute has a different status and a different name - the Moscow Medical Academy named after I.M. Sechenov. Since nothing else was built in all subsequent years, the case of Gavrila Gavrilovich Solodovnikov exists to this day.

He died on May 21, 1901, after a long illness. After the death at the beginning of the last century of the richest of Russian millionaires and after the announcement of his will, the artist Mikhail Lentovsky recalled: “I asked him, after all:“ Well, where are you going to put your millions, old man? What are you going to do with them?” And he told me: “When I die, Moscow will find out who Gavrila Gavrilovich Solodovnikov was! The whole empire will talk about me"

At the time of his death, his fortune was estimated at 20,977,700 rubles. Of these, he bequeathed 830,000 rubles to his relatives.

Most of all, 300,000, was received by the eldest son and executor, member of the board of directors of the Nizhny Novgorod-Samara Land Bank Pyotr Gavrilovich, and least of all - the dress and underwear of the deceased - younger son, ensign of the tsarist army Andrey. So the father punished his son for refusing to go "on the commercial line."

It is worth saying that in his will the merchant did not forget about anyone. Sister Lyudmila was allocated 50,000 rubles, cousin Lyubov Shapirova - 20,000, her daughters - 50,000 each, the Artel worker of the Passage Stepan Rodionov - 10,000, the same amount to the clerk Mikhail Vladchenko. In addition, the will also mentioned great amount relatives, friends, acquaintances and even just fellow countrymen of the merchant, and each was marked by a rather large sum.

However, the real sensation was the second part of the will. Gavrila Gavrilovich ordered the remaining 20,147,700 rubles (about $200 million in today's account) to be divided into three equal parts. He ordered the first part to be spent on "developing zemstvo women's schools in the Tver, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Vyatka provinces."

The second - "to give to the device of vocational schools in the Serpukhov district for the training of children of all classes and ... to the device there and the maintenance of a shelter for homeless children." The third part should have been released "for the construction of houses of cheap apartments for poor people, single and family." Solodovnikov wrote in his will: "The majority of these poor people are the working class, living by honest labor and having the inalienable right to protection from the injustice of fate."

The eldest son, Pyotr Gavrilovich Solodovnikov, was appointed manager.

The Moscow City Council undertook to fulfill the will of the deceased. Houses for the lonely and the poor gradually nevertheless began to be built - in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe 2nd Meshchanskaya. The first home for singles, called "Free Citizen", opened on May 5, 1909, and two days later - a home for families - "Red Diamond".

The first had 1152 apartments, the second - 183. The houses were a complete sample of the commune: each of them had a developed infrastructure with a shop, a canteen, a bathhouse, a laundry, a library, and a summer shower. In the family house on the ground floor there were a nursery and kindergarten. All rooms were already furnished. Both houses were lit by electricity, which the residents had the right to use right up to 11 pm.

Moreover, the houses had elevators, which at that time was considered almost fantastic. And housing was really unthinkably cheap: a one-room apartment in the "Grazhdanin" cost 1 ruble 25 kopecks a week, and in "Rhombus" - 2 rubles 50 kopecks. This despite the fact that the average Moscow worker then earned 1 ruble 48 kopecks a day.

In the Solodovnikovsky house for families there were 183 pre-furnished one-room apartments, each with an area from 16 to 21 square meter; on the floor there were 4 kitchens with cold and hot water, with separate tables for each family, with cold pantries, a Russian stove, rooms for drying outerwear, as well as a room for servants who cleaned the house; the tenants used the common library, nursery, consumer shop.

It is known that, in accordance with the Russian tradition, officials were the first to enter the “houses for the poor”. True, quite soon the turn came to the ordinary inhabitants - the working people: workers, teachers, etc.

It must be said that Pyotr Gavrilovich himself was in no hurry and did not show any zeal to say goodbye to his father's millions. His polite correspondence with the Moscow authorities about the legacy he left was long, many years old and did not stop until 1917.

In 1918, houses and bank accounts were nationalized and Solodovnikov's charitable millions were dissolved in the general money supply of the young revolutionary state. Soviet and public organizations entered the houses of cheap apartments of the merchant Solodovnikov. In the 1930s, the Red Diamond was occupied by Rospotrebsoyuz. There was a very cheap and high-quality dining room, only here ordinary people they didn't let her in.

Yuri Stepanovich Nechaev-Maltsov

Yuri Stepanovich Nechaev-Maltsov (October 11 (23), 1834 - 1913) - Russian philanthropist, manufacturer, diplomat, owner glass factories, honorary citizen of the city of Vladimir (1901), honorary member of the Moscow Archaeological Society, honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1902). Civil rank - secret adviser.

In 1880, at the age of 49, Yu. S. Nechaev received an inheritance from his uncle Ivan Sergeevich Maltsov (1807-1880), which included several factories and factories in various provinces of Russia, the largest of which was the Gusev Crystal Factory in the Vladimir Region. Entering into inheritance rights, Yu. S. Nechaev also took on his uncle's surname ( sibling mother) and became Nechaev-Maltsov.

Uncle-diplomat Ivan Maltsov was the only one who survived during the massacre perpetrated in the Russian embassy in Tehran, during which the diplomat-poet Alexander Griboyedov died. Hating diplomacy, the diplomat Maltsov continued family business, taking up the device in the town of Gus glass factories: he brought the secret of colored glass from Europe and began to produce profitable window glass. All this crystal-glass empire, along with two mansions in the capital, painted by Vasnetsov and Aivazovsky, was received by an elderly bachelor official Nechaev.

The years lived in poverty left their mark: Nechaev-Maltsov was unusually stingy, but at the same time a terrible gourmet and deli. Professor Ivan Tsvetaev (Marina Tsvetaeva’s father) struck up a friendship with him (eating delicacies at receptions, he regretfully calculated how many building materials he could buy with the money spent on lunch), and then convinced him to give about 3 million, which are missing for the completion of the Moscow Museum fine arts(The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts) By the way - a million royal rubles - a little less than one and a half billion modern dollars!

Fourteen years of construction and orders for casts in different countries were a real epic in the life of I.V. Tsvetaev and his associate - a major entrepreneur and philanthropist Y.S. Nechaev-Maltsov, who paid all the expenses: for a stone, for Italian and Russian workers, for the transportation of expensive casts from Europe to Russia. Suffice it to say that Ural white marble, Italian marble from Carrara, dark pink marble from Hungary, light green marble from Belgium, black Norwegian marble, Finnish granite and other valuable colored rocks, extraction and delivery which were resignedly paid for by Yu.S. Nechaev-Maltsov.

“... It was mostly craftsmen commissioned from Italy who worked on marble. On granite - our Tver. Imagine this Babylon. Light, sky-colored eyes, so you can drown, Tver residents, Vladimirians, and dark-skinned Italians with black eyes ... ”Valery Tsvetaeva.

In 1901 alone, 90 wagons of marble were delivered from the Urals to Moscow, and another 100 wagons were supposed to be sent from there to next year. A glass manufacturer, a wealthy donor to the museum, Yu.S. Nechaev-Maltsov, unbeknownst to himself, became the main builder of the museum and a supplier of expensive casts to the museum. Today it real role in the creation of the museum, it turns out according to the published extensive correspondence with I.V. Tsvetaev. If it were not for Yu.S. Nechaev-Maltsov, the museum would remain an empty dream of the university professor I.V. Tsvetaev.

Surprisingly, the completion of the construction of the museum was also the beginning of the end of its creators: in September 1913, I.V. Tsvetaev died, and forty days after him, Y.S. Nechaev-Maltsov. Having fulfilled their vital duty, they summed up the whole era when the idea, barely born, found a real embodiment in the grandiose museum building that adorned Moscow.

“... And there was a quiet triumph of joy: it’s not the powers that be giving something to dad now, but he gives everyone who is here now, all of Russia, the museum he created! ..” (A. Tsvetaeva).

Apart from the museum (for which the sponsor received the title of chief chamberlain and the Order of Alexander Nevsky with diamonds), the I.S. ).

During the construction of the building of the Historical Museum in Vladimir, he donated glass for the manufacture of museum showcases.

He erected in the center of the city of Gus, which became known under him as Gus-Khrustalny, the majestic church of St. George, and in the village of Berezovka - the church of Dmitry Thessalonica in memory of the soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo. The temples were painted by V. M. Vasnetsov. Following the temples-monuments in Gus-Khrustalny, an almshouse named after I.S. Maltsov was built, and in Moscow, on Shabolovka 33, in 1906 a complex was built noble almshouse named after Yu. S. Nechaev-Maltsov.

In St. Petersburg, Yuri Stepanovich patronized the Maritime Charitable Society, the Nikolaev Women's Hospital, the Sergius Orthodox Brotherhood, helped the House of Charity and the Handicraft Education of Poor Children, and from 1910 was a trustee of the School of the Imperial Women's Patriotic Society named after Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna.

For a long time he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sisters of the Red Cross, on the basis of which in 1893, under the auspices of Princess E. M. Oldenburg, the Community of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Eugenia arose. Becoming vice-president of the Community, he donated money for the construction under its auspices of two hospital pavilions and the building of the Refuge for the Elderly Sisters of Mercy named after Emperor Alexander III. He financed the activities of medical institutions.

Nechaev-Maltsov was vice-chairman of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and subsidized the magazine " artistic treasures Russia, edited by Alexander Benois and Adrian Prakhov. Currently, in the St. Petersburg house of Yu. S. Nechaev-Maltsov, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the North-Western Federal District is located.

According to the will of the childless Yu. S. Nechaev, his fortune in 1914 passed to him distant relative- Count P.N. Ignatiev. In 1918 the enterprises were nationalized.

Soldatenkov Kozma Terentyevich

Soldatenkov Kozma is an entrepreneur, one of the largest Russian philanthropists. According to official figures, donated more than 5 million rubles.

Soldatenkov belonged to a dynasty of textile manufacturers, immigrants from the village of Prokunino, Kolomna (later Bogorodsky) district, Moscow province.

Charitable activities Kozma Soldatenkov began in the 1850s. By his order, in the village of Prokunino, in memory of grandfather and grandmother, they began to give out benefits: until 1917, every girl who got married and every recruit received 50 rubles. With this money, a rural girl could arrange a wedding for 20 people and prepare a dowry: a bed, bed linen, three or four dresses. And the family of a soldier, in the absence of a breadwinner son, had the opportunity to spend the allowance on material needs - to repair a hut, buy a horse or a cow.

In 1866, the Almshouse of Commerce of adviser K.T. Soldatenkov in memory of February 19, 1861. Being a descendant of serfs who bought themselves free, Soldatenkov in the name of the almshouse immortalized the most important historical event- the day of the abolition of serfdom. The merchant built the establishment at his own expense and maintained it for 30 years. In a two-story stone building (construction cost 60 thousand rubles), 100 people found shelter. Preference, according to the Charter, was given "permanent residents of the city and visitors of all classes and confessions, but mainly from former courtyard people." Soldatenkov bequeathed 285 thousand rubles for the maintenance of the institution.

In 1870-1882, Soldatenkov donated 1000 rubles annually. for the maintenance of the Nikolaev charity house for widows and orphans of the merchant class. With this money, residents were provided with improved nutrition: poultry, game, veal, red fish. In 1889-1900 he donated 10 thousand rubles. for the construction of the Alekseevskaya psychiatric hospital and 5 thousand rubles. for the construction of an almshouse for the city guardianship of the poor in the Yauza part.

Soldatenkov is known not only as a businessman, but also as a book publisher. For 45 years, more than 200 historical and artistic works have been released at his expense. Newspaper " Russian word"(dated May 20, 1901) noted that the merchant "spent big money on the publication of major works."

Soldatenkov's great passion was collecting paintings. Its collection consisted of 269 paintings by Russian and European artists, including paintings by Vasily Tropinin, Alexander Ivanov, Nikolai Ge, Sylvester Shchedrin, Ivan Aivazovsky, Pavel Fedotov. The merchant bequeathed the collection to the Rumyantsev Museum on the condition that it be placed "in separate room with the name ... "Soldatenkovskaya"". For decades, the generous philanthropist has invested in the development of the Rumyantsev Museum and Moscow University.

Kozma Soldatenkov died in 1901. The newspaper Russkoye Slovo wrote: “The whole of Moscow knew the good-natured figure of an old man white as a harrier with softly glowing intelligent eyes.”

From the Kuntsevo estate (in the 1860s, Soldatenkov bought it from the Naryshkins) to the Rogozhsky cemetery, the peasants carried the coffin in their hands, having traveled ten kilometers. The funeral was attended by Moscow University professors Ivan Tsvetaev and Sergei Muromtsev, Russkiye Vedomosti editor Vasily Sobolevsky, deputies of the Moscow City Duma from eminent merchant class Savva Morozov, Pyotr Botkin, Vladimir Sapozhnikov. The Iskra weekly noted:

"The deceased was known as an ideological publisher, an outstanding financier, and most of all, as a person remarkable for his moral qualities."

The philanthropist bequeathed a significant part of his fortune to charitable purposes. So, 1.3 million rubles. Soldatenkov left the Moscow merchant society to create a vocational school "for free education in it of male children, without distinction of their condition and religion, in various crafts related to technical production." 300 thousand went to the construction of the building, and 1 million rubles. amounted to inviolable capital, on the interest from which the educational institution was maintained.

A school with electrical and foundry departments for 320 students opened on November 1, 1909 in a three-story mansion on Donskaya street(now in the building of the Faculty of Chemical Technology and Ecology of the Moscow State Textile Institute named after A.N. Kosygin). The term of study was five years: the first two years were taught general education subjects, the next three - special ones.

More than 2 million rubles. Soldatenkov donated to the construction of a free hospital for the poor "without distinction of ranks, estates and religions." The Soldatenkovskaya Hospital, as Muscovites called it, was opened on December 23, 1910.

Also, the philanthropist left 100 thousand rubles. Almshouse at the Rogozhsky cemetery, 20 thousand rubles. Arnold School for the Deaf and Dumb, 85 thousand rubles. for scholarships and tuition fees for poor students of Moscow University, 40 thousand rubles. on scholarships for students of Moscow gymnasiums, 20 thousand rubles. for scientific awards Russian Academy Sciences. In total, the will mentions about 20 charitable, educational and medical institutions - recipients of assistance. The amount of donations amounted to 600 thousand rubles.

Buried at the Rogozhsky cemetery. IN Soviet years the grave of Kozma Terentyevich Soldatenkov, as well as the large tomb of the Old Believer merchants Soldatenkov, were destroyed.

In 1901, according to Soldatenkov's will, his library (8 thousand volumes of books and 15 thousand copies of magazines), as well as a collection of Russian paintings (258 paintings and 17 sculptures) passed to the Rumyantsev Museum and, as a national treasure, was stored in a separate room with the name "Soldatenkovskaya". After the closure of the Rumyantsev Museum in 1924, they replenished the funds of the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum. Part of the icons from his collection was bequeathed to the Pokrovsky Cathedral of the Rogozhsky cemetery.

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Russian patrons.

Russian patrons. Today we will analyze such a topic as Russian philanthropists or patrons of art. Let's find out who these patrons are. We will get acquainted with the great patrons of Russia and learn a lot of new things.

And who are these patrons? A philanthropist is a person who contributes to the development of science and art on a voluntary and gratuitous basis, providing them with material assistance from personal funds.

Over time, patrons began to be called wealthy patrons of culture, art and science. Many of them entered the history of culture along with outstanding artists, writers, actors, because they contributed to the development of their creativity, the flourishing of art, and the familiarization of the broad masses with the best cultural achievements. As shining example Patronage can be cited by the Medici family, whose representatives from the 13th to the 18th century repeatedly became the rulers of Florence. They became most famous as sponsors of the most outstanding geniuses of the Renaissance.

The development of patronage in Russia began in the 18th century, and in the second half of the 19th century it flourished. Wonderful collections of monuments of Russian and Western European art, extensive libraries gathered in the country estates of the nobles, in city palaces. Among the famous Russian patrons are Mamontov, Morozov, Ryabushinsky, Bakhrushin and the Tretyakovs.

Morozov Savva Timofeevich Probably, it was impossible to find in Russia at the end of the 19th century a richer family than the Morozovs. And they generously shared this fabulous wealth with their people.

Russian spirituality is special. Only a Russian, dying of hunger, can give another a single small piece of bread. And if he has a lot of “pieces”, if a person works a lot and has a lot, then giving away was already a need.

The Morozov family of merchants was very famous in Russia. The “Bogorodsky First Guild Merchant” Savva Vasilievich Morozov (Sava the first, then the family continued with the most famous Morozov - Savva Timofeevich) had five sons, from whom four branches of the famous Morozov case went. Timofei Savvich became the owner of the Nikolskaya manufactory, Elisha and Vikula - Orekhovo-Zuevskaya, Zakhar Savvich owned the Bogorodsko-Glukhovo factories, and Abram Savvich - the Tver factories.

All Morozovs were generous donors. Tens of thousands of rubles they encouraged the figures of culture and art. As we have already said, Savva Timofeevich (second) supported the Moscow Art Theater. His brother Sergei Timofeevich became the founder of the Handicraft Museum in Leontievsky Lane in Moscow. The Morozovs subsidized the newspapers Golos Rossii and Russkoye Slovo.

Today, in the city of Orekhovo-Zuevo near Moscow, which was the patrimony of a glorious family, there is not only a monument, but even a bust of Morozov, not a single street is named after them. But they worked by no means only for themselves and left a luxurious industrial and artistic heritage. But the main thing is not even in this, but in the fact that this family, as well as the families of other Russian patrons, can serve as an example of diligence, determination, confidence and success.

Summarize. Russian philanthropists, in our opinion, are great people and they can even be called personalities, donating a certain amount of money, they made, if sometimes not great, but a significant contribution to the science and culture of their homeland, and even if they did not do some grandiose things, great people You can definitely call them, I will say more great personalities!

If you want to know what were the most famous patrons of Russia then welcome. We have already talked about how, in general, and where this word came from.

Briefly, we will only say that patrons are those who support art and science at the expense of their own material resources.

A lot of interesting things can be written about this outstanding figure. Especially interesting from the point of view of history is his connection with the revolutionaries, as well. As for the entrepreneurial experience of Savva Morozov, it is still used in the West as a standard.

Being a passionate workaholic, he wrote:

“I do not agree with Descartes in his formulation: “I think, therefore I am.” I say: I work, so I exist. It is obvious to me that only work expands and enriches the world and consciousness.”

Patrons Bakhrushina

The Bakhrushins are a dynasty of Moscow businessmen and one of the most famous patrons of art in Russia. In 1887, they built a hospital for those suffering from incurable diseases on the Sokolniki field.

In 1893, a care home for the indistinguishable patients was built at the hospital. In 1895, they allocated 600,000 rubles for the construction of a free orphanage for the poor and orphans of the Orthodox faith in Sokolnichya Grove.

In 1888, a “house of free apartments” was built on Sofiyskaya Embankment for needy widows with children and female students. There were two kindergartens, an elementary school for children, a men's vocational school and professional school for girls. In 1901, the city orphanage was built.

Half a million rubles were donated to a shelter-colony for homeless children in the Tikhvin city estate in Moscow.

In 1913, the Bakhrushin brothers again allocated a huge amount of money for the construction of a hospital, a maternity hospital and an outpatient clinic in Zaraysk.

Alexander and Vasily Alekseevich Bakhrushins, during their lifetime, became honorary citizens of Moscow for their extensive philanthropic activities.

Well, we hope that now you know which patrons of Russia have become the most famous in history. In our time, the case with charity is a little different. But we will talk about this another time.

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Russian entrepreneurs of the 19th century treated their business differently than Western entrepreneurs. They considered it not so much a source of income as a mission that was entrusted to their shoulders by God or fate. In the merchant environment, it was believed that wealth should be used, so the merchants were engaged in collecting and charity, which was considered by many as a destiny from above.

Most of the entrepreneurs of those times were quite honest businessmen who considered patronage almost their duty.

It was thanks to patrons that museums and theaters, large temples and churches, as well as extensive collections of art monuments appeared in Russia. At the same time, Russian philanthropists did not seek to make their work public, on the contrary, many helped people on the condition that their help would not be advertised in the newspapers. Some patrons even refused titles of nobility.

The heyday of patronage, which began in Russia in the 17th century, came in the second half of the 19th century. City palaces and suburban noble estates were overflowing with vast libraries of rare books and collections of Western European/Russian art, which their owners donated to the state.

Notable patrons

One of the most famous patrons of Russia was Savva Mamontov, who came from an old merchant family. Thanks to him, one of the first railways in Russia was built, connecting Sergiev Posad with Moscow. Also, Mamontov often hosted artists whom he supported by ordering expensive works from them. Mamontov's philanthropy also extended to music - it was he who established the Private Russian Opera. The legendary Fyodor Chaliapin sang in the Private Russian, whose talent was first discovered in this musical institution.

Another patron of the 19th century was Savva Morozov, who provides financial support to hospitals, shelters, cultural institutions and students in need. Not far behind him was Pavel Tretyakov, who founded the Tretyakov Gallery, collected a huge collection of Russian paintings and patronized the Arnold School for Deaf and Dumb Children. In addition, Tretyakov made large donations to the families of soldiers who died during the Russian-Turkish and Crimean wars.

People also remember such patrons as Mitrofan Belyaev, Vasily Trediakovsky, Ivan Ostroukhov, Alexei Bakhrushin and Stepan Ryabushinsky. There have always been few people devoted to patronage, but each of them firmly believed in a good deed and strove to fulfill it with all his responsibility.

We decided to compare the scale of pre-revolutionary and today's charity and find out, with facts and figures in hand, who is bigger, better, stronger?

The truly grandiose charitable activities that Russian entrepreneurs, industrialists and merchants were engaged in are widely known. turn of XIX-XX centuries. It is no coincidence that the time since the early 1860s. and until the First World War is called the "golden age of Russian patronage." However, today's largest entrepreneurs, including those who are commonly called "oligarchs", are more and more engaged in charitable activities. We decided to compare the features and scales of that and today's charitable activities the largest domestic entrepreneurs and find out with figures and facts who is bigger, better, stronger?

As Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky wrote, “in order for art to flourish, not only artists are needed, but also patrons.” He knew what he was talking about, since he himself was not only a great theater director and theater reformer, but also came from the Alekseev merchant family, who was related to S.I. Mamontov and the Tretyakov brothers. Also, for example, the famous Moscow mayor and philanthropist N.A. Alekseev was a cousin of Stanislavsky.

Only some of the most

In order to exhaustively present all the charitable deeds of pre-revolutionary patrons, it is necessary to write more than one doctoral dissertation. We will list here only some of the brightest and largest blessings that allowed more than a hundred years ago the intensive development of Russian art, medicine, science and education.

We will only make a reservation that we, firstly, will say about the largest acts of charity, but not about its lower and middle layers. After all, in a sense, already at the very heights, it will be possible to get an idea of ​​​​the ratio of the scale of charity today and then.

Secondly, we, of course, will only talk about what, in principle, we can know. Charity, mercy, ideally, should be done in secret, so that no one knows about it. Let left hand doesn't know what the right one is doing. Therefore, we readily admit that we may not know much about the secret benefits of today's entrepreneurs. But after all, we also do not know this about pre-revolutionary patrons. So, as they say, “ceteris paribus”, the comparison we conceived seems quite justified and logical.

Medicine

The investments of pre-revolutionary patrons in medicine were truly grandiose. In Moscow alone, 3 entire medical campuses were completely built with private capital!

One was located near the Novodevichy Convent on the Maiden's Field. There on funds Morozov, Khludov, Shelaputin and others, 13 clinics were built. The second, huge medical complex was built in Sokolniki at the expense of philanthropists Bakhrushins, Fighting and Alekseevs.

The third town was built next to the Kaluga outpost. The current 1st and 2nd Gradskaya hospitals, the children's Morozovskaya hospital (it was built at the expense of the merchant of the first guild E.V. Morozov, hence its name) - all of them were built with private capital. The same is the current 5th city, or the hospital of Tsarevich Alexy (formerly Medvednikovskaya).

It was created with the money of the widow of a Siberian gold miner Alexandra Medvednikova. According to her will, 1 million rubles. was intended for the construction of a hospital with 150 beds for terminally ill "Christian denominations, without distinction of rank, sex and age" and 300 thousand rubles. to an almshouse for 30 old men and 30 old women. Medvednikova ordered in her will to arrange churches at the hospital and the almshouse, so that there would be an "eternal commemoration of the donor and the persons indicated by her in the will."

Also, for example, the famous Kashchenko or "Kanatchikov's Dacha", she is also the 1st Moscow Psychiatric Hospital No. ON THE. Alekseeva was built in 1894 at the expense of patrons. Fundraising was initiated by the mayor of Moscow N.A. Alekseev (the same cousin K.S.Stanislavsky). There is a legend about her. One of the merchants said to Alekseev: “Bow at your feet in front of everyone - I will give a million to the hospital (according to other sources - “only” 300,000 rubles). Alekseev bowed - and received the money.

Among other metropolitan hospitals, we will mention, firstly, the children's hospital named after St. Vladimir in Moscow, founded by a philanthropist and benefactor Pavel Grigorievich von Derviz. His children died in infancy, the oldest of them was named Vladimir, and it is to his memory that the current children's hospital owes its existence. Secondly, the Botkin Hospital, for the creation of which a merchant, collector and publisher, philanthropist donated 2 million rubles. Kozma Terentievich Soldatenkov(1818–1901). In 1991, in front of the building of the Botkin hospital, a bust of K.T. Soldatenkov was erected as a token of gratitude.

Art

No less grandiose was the activity of Russian patrons in the field of arts.

Railway builder, entrepreneur and philanthropist Savva Ivanovich Mamontov(1841-1918) created the Private Russian Opera ("Mammoth Opera"), thanks to which, in particular, the brilliant Chaliapin was discovered. IN opera troupe he invested a lot of money. As the great singer recalled, “S.I. Mamontov told me: - Fedenka, you can do whatever you want in this theater! If you need costumes, tell me, and there will be costumes. If you need to put new opera let's put on an opera! All this dressed my soul in festive clothes, and for the first time in my life I felt free, strong, able to overcome all obstacles.

Thanks to Mamontov, the concept appeared in Russia theater artist who becomes a full member of the troupe. For productions financed by him, M. Vasnetsov and K. Korovin drew sketches of costumes and scenery, and the scenery itself.

The famous estate of Abramtsevo Mamontov became at that time truly the center of the artistic life of Russia. The great Russian artists I. E. Repin, V. Vasnetsov, V. Serov, M. Vrubel, M. Nesterov, V. Polenov and others stayed here for a long time, lived and worked. Mamontov provided significant support to many artists, including financial .

Savva Timofeevich Morozov(1862–1905) provided tremendous assistance famous theater Moscow Art Theater. He constantly donated huge amounts of money for the construction and development of the Art Theater, for some time he even managed its financial part. Here is what one of the founders and leaders of the Moscow Art Theater, K.S. Stanislavsky, once said to him: “The work you have contributed seems to me a feat, and the elegant building that has grown on the ruins of a brothel seems to be a dream come true ... I am glad that the Russian theater has found its Morozov like that how art waited for its Tretyakov ... "

Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov(1832–1898) founded the famous Tretyakov Art Gallery. Back in the 1850s. he begins to collect a collection of Russian art. Already in 1860, Tretyakov decided to transfer his magnificent collection to the city. For assembled collection in 1874 he built a gallery, which opened to the public in 1881. Later, Pavel Tretyakov transferred his entire collection, together with the gallery building, to the ownership of the Moscow City Duma. By the way, his last words before his death to his relatives were: "Take care of the gallery and be healthy."

Among other things, Pavel Tretyakov, together with his brother, was a trustee of the Arnold School for Deaf and Dumb Children. To do this, he bought a large stone house with a garden for one hundred and fifty pupils, fully provided for this school and its pupils.

largest Russian philanthropist and philanthropist (1826-1901) built a theater in Moscow on the street. Bolshaya Dmitrovka (now the Operetta Theatre) also donated 200,000 rubles to the Moscow Conservatory.

In connection with pre-revolutionary patronage in art, we can also recall the creation Alexey Alexandrovich Bakhrushin(1865–1929) the first theater museum in Russia, and the foundation by a timber merchant and a merchant Mitrofan Petrovich Belyaev(1836-1903) of the so-called Belyaevsky circle, which brought together many outstanding musicians, and much, much more.

Education

gold miner Alfons Leonovich Shanyavsky(1837-1905) in 1905 bequeathed all his funds to the creation of the People's University in Moscow, accessible to everyone regardless of gender, nationality, religion at the most moderate fee. In 1905–1908 at his expense, the funds of his wife Lidia Alekseevna, as well as large group Moscow patrons created the Moscow City People's University named after A.L. Shanyavsky, which played a huge role in pre-revolutionary education. Now the Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU) is located in its building on Miusskaya Square.

In 1907, the first institute in Russia was created in Moscow, graduating businessmen with higher education- Commercial Institute. Now it is the famous Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics. Its foundation was essentially the beginning of the creation of a system of higher economic and commercial education in Russia. Most of the funds for the construction were private donations from Moscow merchants and industrialists, collected on the initiative of the merchant of the first guild Alexey Semenovich Vishnyakov. Also contributed to the creation of the future "Plekhanovka" Konovalov, Morozov, Ryabushinsky, Chetverikov, Sorokoumovsky, Abrikosov and etc.

In the “golden age of Russian patronage”, a lot of secondary specialized scientific institutions were opened: the Maltsev Vocational School at the expense of Nechaev-Maltsev, Dulevo two-class rural school at the porcelain factory of the Association of M.S. Kuznetsov and others. Also V.A. Morozova opened one of the first vocational schools in Russia (Morozov School). At the same time, she donated large sums to the People's University. Shanyavsky, Moscow University and other universities.

The science

Pre-revolutionary entrepreneurs-philanthropists took a great part in the development of Russian science. Very many research institutes were created and financed at that time with private funds. Let's give some examples.

Moscow millionaire Vasily Fyodorovich Arshinov(1854–1942) a merchant of the 1st guild and the owner of a cloth factory in Zamoskvorechye built and equipped with the latest equipment the first private research institute in Russia, Lithogaea (Stone Earth), which became, under the leadership of his son Vladimir, the Russian scientific center of petrography and mineralogy.

Major Vologda businessman Khristofor Semenovich Ledentsov(1842–1907) bequeathed all his capital to the development of the natural sciences in Russia. Thanks to him, the famous physiological laboratory of I.P. Pavlov was built at the Institute of Experimental Medicine. He also financed the work of the great Russian scientists P.N. Lebedev, N.E. Zhukovsky, V.I. Vernadsky, N.D. Zelinsky and many others.

Dmitry Pavlovich Ryabushinsky(1882-1962), with the assistance of the "father of Russian aviation" N.E. Zhukovsky, in his estate Kuchino (now it is a microdistrict of the city of Zheleznodorozhny near Moscow), in 1905 he built the world's first aerodynamic institute "for the practical implementation of the dynamic method of flying ...". He played a very important role in the development of aviation science in Russia and the world.

social activities

Pre-revolutionary patrons-entrepreneurs were actively engaged in social activities, helping the poor. So Alexander Alekseevich Bakhrushin(1823–1916) donated 1 million 300 thousand rubles to the Moscow City Public Administration. Another family Bakhrushins maintained in Moscow the "House of free apartments for widows with many children and poor female students" on Bolotnaya Square in the very center of the capital, where 2,000 people lived free of charge. Residents of the house used the infirmary, reading rooms and library, two kindergartens for free. School, etc.

The Bakhrushins opened in fact the first hospice in Russia - a house for incurable patients (today it is hospital No. 14 in Sokolniki, the former 33rd Ostroumovskaya hospital). Also, the Bakhrushin family created and maintained the first family-type orphanage in Russia, where 150 children lived, a vocational school for boys, a retirement home for artists, etc. The brothers also built 10 churches, systematically helped 17 churches and 3 monasteries.

Flor Yakovlevich Ermakov(1815–1895), the owner of a real textile empire, after the death of his parents, wife and two sons, he sold all his factories and factories, and built shelters and hospitals for the poor with the money received. In total, he donated over 3 million rubles to charity. With his money, two huge almshouses for 1,500 people were built in the capital. With his own money, the Ermakovskaya branch for 100 people was created in Alekseevskaya psychiatric hospital. He also, for example, opened a free canteen for 500 people. He fed about 1,000 people daily.

already mentioned Varvara Alekseevna Morozova built a whole residential complex for the workers of her factory with hospitals, a school, a theater, an almshouse, a library. She also founded zemstvo hospitals and schools in different provinces. Morozova also constantly helped the victims of hunger, disease, natural Disasters and etc.

How much did pre-revolutionary patrons spend on charity

The Bakhrushins spent almost 6.5 million rubles on philanthropy, cultural and social charity, including the needs of the Church. However, by 1917 real estate the company was estimated at 5 million 215 thousand rubles.

The Tretyakov brothers had a capital of 8 million rubles, and donated a total of more than 3 million rubles to various charitable projects. At least half of the profits they received was spent on charity in the field of culture, education, medicine, and social charity. As Pavel Tretyakov said, “my idea was to make money from a very young age so that what was acquired from society would also return to society in any useful institutions; This thought never left me all my life.

Also the largest Russian philanthropist and philanthropist mentioned above Gavrila Gavrilovich Solodovnikov(1826-1901) left only 815 thousand rubles to his sons and relatives. At the same time, he bequeathed more than 20 million rubles to various charitable projects: the creation of schools and vocational schools in the northern provinces of Russia, a maternity hospital in Serpukhov and cheap apartment houses in Moscow.

Moscow manufacturer and homeowner Ivan Grigorievich Prostyakov(1843–1915), who had 21 children, left them a legacy of 1.5 million rubles. At the same time, he spent about 1 million rubles on charity: to create shelters, schools, hospitals for ordinary people.

Today's benefactors

Now, from the "golden age of Russian philanthropy", when a hundred flowers truly bloomed, let's move on to today's much more modest landscape of charity. Let's make a reservation that we will only talk about the largest entrepreneurs, about the richest people in Russia, those who are called "oligarchs".

Today's largest Russian entrepreneurs special charitable foundations have been created for doing charity work, through which they provide sponsorship and patronage support to various social and cultural undertakings.

The largest private charitable foundations include:

Charitable Foundation of Vladimir Potanin created in 1999. The fund's budget is formed from deductions from Interros and personal funds Vladimir Potanin(the sole owner of this largest holding).

The figure of Vladimir Potanin is especially indicative for us because he is one of the "flagmen" of today's charity, so to speak. It is no coincidence that for many years he has headed the Commission for the Development of Charity and Volunteering of the Civic Chamber Russian Federation, and his deputy in this commission of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation is Larisa Zelskova, General Director charitable foundation Vladimir Potanin.

So, the main activity of the Potanin Foundation is the distribution of scholarships and grants among students and teachers of leading state universities in Russia, as well as support for museums (4 grant programs). The following figures speak of the scale of its activities. For example, in the past academic year The amount of the scholarship for the Foundation's scholarship competition for students was 5,000 rubles per month. 1,200 students from 57 universities of the country became scholarship holders (in total, 72 million rubles, or about 2 million 300 thousand US dollars, were spent on this program this year).

The annual grant fund of the most extensive program - "Museum in a Changing World" - is 20 million rubles, the amount of one grant is up to 2 million rubles.

In total, the total budget of the Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation is 10 million US dollars per year. True, back in 2010, Vladimir Potanin spoke of his intention to spend $250 million on charity over the next 10 years ($25 million a year). At the same time, he became the first Russian to join the Giving Pledge initiative. V. Potanin said that he would spend most of his fortune on charity, without specifying either the exact amount or the timing of when this would happen.

Today Potanin is sole owner Interros company, the market value of whose assets is currently estimated at 12-13 billion US dollars. With a personal fortune of 17.8 billion US dollars, Potanin in 2011 took 4th place in the list of 200 richest businessmen in Russia (according to Forbes magazine). Also, for example, in 2011, only the net profit of Norilsk Nickel, one of the main enterprises of Interros, amounted to 3.626 billion US dollars.

Fund " free business» established in 1998 and formed from personal funds Oleg Deripaska and deductions from the company "Basel". The Foundation implements programs to support science and youth, material support schools, restoration of monasteries and temples, etc. The foundation's largest program, Temples of Russia, costs about $7 million annually.

"Volnoe delo" spends on charity amounts comparable to those of the Vladimir Potanin Foundation. In 2010, the total amount of funding for the Fund's program amounted to 420 million rubles (slightly less than 12 million US dollars). In 2009 - 287 million rubles.

At the same time, Oleg Deripaska, having a personal fortune of $8.5 billion according to Forbes magazine, took 16th place in the list of 200 richest businessmen in Russia in 2013 (also according to Forbes magazine).

Fund " Dynasty» created in 2001 at the expense of the founder of VimpelCom (Beeline trademark) Dmitry Zimin and members of his family. “Dynasty aims to support fundamental science and education in Russia, running 20 programs and projects. These include programs to support young physicists and mathematicians, support teachers and gifted students, public lectures by famous scientists, etc. Very interesting project fund - a popular science site about fundamental science site "Elements".

The planned budget for programs and projects of the Dynasty Foundation in 2013 is 328 million rubles. In 2012, the fund's budget amounted to 314 million rubles.

Charitable Foundation for Cultural Initiatives (Mikhail Prokhorov Foundation) created in 2004 Mikhail Prokhorov to support projects in science, education, sports, as well as artistic initiatives and theater projects. At first, the fund's programs operated mainly in the industrial Norilsk region, but now it also operates in the Central Federal District, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Urals, Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts.

The Prokhorov Foundation is active at the regional level, especially in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, as well as in the field contemporary art. For example, the fund is the general partner of the Small drama theater Lev Dodin, Russian National Orchestra conducted by Mikhail Pletnev, etc.

At the time of the Fund's creation, its annual budget was US$1 million. In 2011, the total budget of the fund amounted to 322 million 450 thousand rubles, in 2010 - 321 million rubles.

According to Forbes magazine, Prokhorov's personal fortune for 2013 was estimated at $13 billion. Among other things, Prokhorov owns the American basketball team New Jersey Nets, two 96-meter yachts Palladium and Solemar, as well as Gulfstream and Falcon aircraft.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of ZAO Renova Victor Vekselberg in 2004 established the fund " Connection of times", which was supposed to deal with the return to Russia historically significant works art abroad. by the most famous project fund was the acquisition of the famous collection of Faberge eggs, which was spent 100 million US dollars.

Also among the projects of the Link of Times Foundation:

• return of the bells of the St. Danilov Monastery from the USA,
• the return in 2006 of the archive of the Russian philosopher Ivan Ilyin to Russia,
• restoration of the Vrubel Hall in the Tretyakov Gallery,
• restoration of the historical monument of Fort Ross (California, USA).

According to Forbes magazine, Viktor Vekselberg's personal fortune in 2013 is estimated at $15.7 billion.

There are, of course, other large charitable foundations that do charity work. Thus, according to the Donor Forum, in 2012 the total total budget of the 70 largest foundations exceeded 13 billion rubles (about $439 million).

Differences

First, of course, the scale. The share of funds allocated for charity from pre-revolutionary patrons and the current "oligarchs" is simply incomparable. Of course, there are pleasant exceptions among the current ones, but we are talking about a general trend. It is enough to look, on the one hand, at the ratio between the budget of the Potanin Charitable Foundation (10 million US dollars) and the profit of Norilsk Nickel in 2011 - 3.626 billion US dollars. On the other hand, we can recall that, for example, the Tretyakov brothers spent at least half of their profits on charity.

Secondly, despite the many useful undertakings, the activities of today's patrons are not of a system-forming nature, while pre-revolutionary patrons of art provided real infrastructural support to culture, art and science, contributed to the rise of entire cultural and scientific industries. It is no coincidence that if the first part of our material was divided into the areas of "science", "art", "social activity", etc., then this cannot be done in the second part - for lack of at least some more or less solid factual base. At the same time, without the “golden age of Russian patronage”, we would not have had masterpieces by K. Bryullov and A. Ivanov, I. Repin and V. Perov, such heights national culture like the Tretyakov Gallery, the Moscow Art Theatre, the Abramtsevo estate, the Russian opera with the great F. Chaliapin.

The activities in the field of charity of today's largest entrepreneurs are often predominantly of a PR nature, focused in many respects only on the entertainment component. It seems that it is calculated more on how it will be perceived, rather than based on a real desire to help. For example, in the field of education, they help leading metropolitan universities, which are already doing relatively well, compared with the rest of the country. This is also why today's Russian oligarchs spend much more money on high-performance sports and the purchase of expensive foreign sports clubs than, for example, on supporting mass children's sports in our country.