|
We
become the witnesses of surprising event. 17 July 2000 the Museum of furniture
opened its doors for visitors again.
The project was elaborated long ago,
when the "SMIRVALD" corporation took shelter in a small house on Arbat
Road. People brought and gave us ancient broken things. We could neither throw
out, nor bury those ruined things. The only way out was to work hard and long.
Gradually regained the ancient things the second life. And we gained more experience.
We wished that everyone had seen this revived beauty.
At present we cannot
say we have a perfect collection, and we are envious thinking of the first museum
of furniture, which existed in the 20-th years in Moscow. Its collection included
the most unique and rare exhibits: one part was constituted by the collection
of the known patron of art and businessman Vladimir Girshman, and the other -
the furniture of the nationalized private residences, manors, palaces, requisitioned
collections of Moscow. But, unfortunately, the first museum lived not for long.
In 1926 it was closed, and its most valuable collection was dispersed between
different departments and offices.
For 80 years Moscow had no museum of furniture.
But today clever and skilful hands gradually reconstruct deleted things. So three
years ago we reconstructed the manor, which has become the Museum of furniture.
The history of manor is surprising and interesting; it dates back to the mid-XVII
century. Two brothers - successful merchants the Zemskov, Ryazan manufacturer
Ipatyev, the well-known courtier Arshenevsky and others possessed the manor. The
house got ablaze, was rebuilt and reconstructed several times The manor was not
fortunate with its last owner - "Voschod publishing house", which in
fact brought the house to ruin. But thanks to joint efforts of Government of Moscow,
Senior Department of Monuments maintenance and Smirvald Restoration Corporation
the manor is completely repaired.
We have great plans. We want to establish
educational center of furniture. It will consist of the Museum itself, restoration
workshop, and school of restorers, joiner's shop, and computer database on all
styles of furniture. Our designers and cabinet-makers will not only restore antiquarian
furniture, but also will reconstruct these pieces anew at customers order. We
wish that the Museum had become a place, where our visitors would meet Beauty
and Perfection.
July,
2002. *
* * | Russian
version
 
|
