V. Kotchoubey’s collection of prints and drawings in Yaroslav

From an article in the Burlington Magazine by A.Polovtsoff regarding the fate of Russia’s Art treasures during the Russian Revolution in November 1917.

see: http://booksnow1.scholarsportal.info/ebooks/oca1/16/burlingtonmagazi34londuoft/burlingtonmagazi34londuoft.pdf

… The other irreparable calamity is the destruc- tion of a number of the most beautiful ancient churches in Russia during the bombardment of laroslav. Unfortunately the splendid collection of prints and drawings belonging to Mr. V. Kotchoubey was stored in laroslav at that moment, and was equally destroyed.

I should like to add that the Bolshevist chiefs have a wish to appear enlightened in the eyes of the world, and, therefore, were in a way pleased with our work, which, as they seemed to think, added a halo of civilisation to their laurels ; at heart of course they were vexed with having to comply with our demands, but they realised that they could not find men amongst their own people to replace us ; therefore they on the whole helped us with our work, and did not try to force us into joining them politically as members of the Bolshevist party.—Yours sincerely,

A. POLOVTSOFF.

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