Arkhangelskoye museum calls on Russian businessmen for help

Director of the Arkhangelskoye state museum-preserve /the Moscow region/ Vladimir Dlugach welcomes the return to Russia of the Faberge collection purchased by Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg at Sotheby's.

However, "big Russian businessmen acting as art patrons are ready to spend money on these Russian masterpieces which arouse major international response," Dlugach noted.

According to him, works of art, which are located in Russia and are less known in the West, stay in the background and are robbed of charity assistance.

"I am glad for the Kremlin which is likely to exhibit this collection," Dlugach said.

In his words, thousands of culture and art monuments, unique works of architecture and paintings and natural riches are being destroyed but Russian businessmen don't give their attention to them.

Ten percent of the sum of Vekselberg's deal is enough to repair the Arkhangelskoye museum /according to unofficial data, the Faberge collection costs 100 million dollars/, Dlugach noted.

The Arkhangelskoye estate has a rich collection of West European art and a numerous library of Grand Duke Nikolai Yusupov.

However, big Russian businessmen have not sponsored the museum yet.