Why Bryullov collector Pevsner all goes sideways
ARTinvestment.RU   27 марта 2018

A national art market or the Museum community or the Russian Museum or Ministry of culture or in whole, our international image and investment climate — none of this story would not be good. But to stop all can not

summary of the previous series. Alexander Pevzner, our immigrant with German citizenship, bought in Belgium, custom canvas, presumably written for the decoration of Church or home chapel. Canvas without a signature and other elements of the attribution, bought and sold as unknown artist, but 99% of it was Karl Briullov. Pevzner took him to Moscow to make the examination and turn an unknown artist 100%-ного Briullov. It was early 2000-е, customs held legally, but crooked. @Ndashто went wrong with the design, and in 2003, the canvas was confiscated, and the owner put in front of a prospect to sit down for smuggling. Pevzner hint quickly realized (no wonder our former people) and rushed back to Germany from sin. But things that do not left. And started to plead. And sued for 14 years. And in the end in June 2017 the Supreme Court reversed the decision on confiscation. Which meant the picture to return, no options.

"see, no one really believed, and justice has triumphed!" — cried the optimists. "Early to rejoice. when they returned, and then believe", — answered the skeptics. And they were right.

Return was six months ago, but things are there. The lawyer raised the fur fly. Started to look for saboteurs. And it turned out that no one will scratch until the order of the Ministry of culture. That is, in the regulations on the procedure of execution of a judgment badly written. How to select — is clear, and how to return — not. Again, a scandal. Moreover, in the mode which-то viscous buffoonery, "and laughter and a sin". It looks that the Ministry of culture grabbed another and even Briullov the Supreme Court did not decree.

Okay. And not seen.

I however suggest that once this Briullov still give the owner.

But before we decided, gather all the troubles and all the negative effects that you can get as a result of all of this initially, the "curve" of the operation. Here are just some of the consequences of messing around with Pisarevsky Briullov:

1. Distrust of collectors, the rejection of the import of cultural property to Russia, a decrease in the desire to buy Russian art in principle. Why? This story once again demonstrates that any cross-border operations in Russia — is a risk. It is not clear at what stage may sound, the word "smuggling". And if so, then, maybe, blame it to the devil, this Russian antique art? Light a wedge on it did not agree. And, looking at Pevsner, many people will abandon their original plans.

2. Additional damage to the international reputation of Russia — with a gorgeous argument for the opponents: "These Russian troops have a civilized return of Scythian gold, and themselves almost robbery doing in there". And what can I say?

3. Image the damage to institutions and government agencies. The Ministry of culture receives another portion of the criticism press, so as not to give the order for a refund for some-то reasons. Russian Museum, in turn, looks involuntarily complicit in the territory of which held someone else's picture. And the Supreme Court is forced to accept that his decisions could not be enforced at leastmonths. In General, all "well done".

4. The deterioration of the investment climate in Russia. Case "Pevsner — Briullov" shows that in Russia at-прежнему not everything is in order with respect of property rights. It shows that to achieve justice in the courts of our difficult even for 14 years, even to foreign nationals, even without the problems with money for good lawyers. And what can we say about the business and people easier...

5. Pevsner also from the hype, the benefits are not much. A quarter of life to engage in litigation in the "whether he stole a hat, whether he has stolen." And then, when all good ends, to sell the painting with the controversial plume is still difficult. But the authenticity is now really no problems.

in Short, wherever you look — everywhere big shame.

to well then the story best? But on this issue will have great mind to break. To assume that in the departments there is the conditional "party of hyperpatriotic" that crook is not going to give what he considers a national treasure? Or that the Russian Museum was impatient to put a pretty utilitarian thing besides everyone will be pointing fingers? Can't believe it. A possible partial explanation for the return of paintings will have someone-то to answer. After all, return Briullov — is to recognize that a foreign citizen is groundless detain 14 years. State machine wasted my money on the investigation, the courts and storage. In addition, the victim may open up the prospects for damages and expenses. There is, however, another hypothesis. Conspiracy. For example, delay time — is not stupidity or malice, and deliberate "pause" to be able to find a sponsor for the purchase and donation of this item to the Museum. Then the wolves are fed and the sheep intact.

This, of course, only hypotheses. But in the sentence "to return you can't leave" one day, you will still have where-то to put the comma.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Sources: kommersant.ru, mk.ru

What else to read on the topic:

AI: Miracles: the painting Briullov going to return the collector Pevsner;
AI: The Supreme Court decided not to return Briullov collector Pevzner;
AI: Collector Pevzner will compete for your Briullov;
AI: the collector Alexander Pevzner took a picture of Briullov.