An Influential Collector : Tsar Nicholas I of Russia

Tsar Nicholas I of Russia (1796-1855) was one of the European sovereigns most firmly committed to guaranteeing the principle of monarchy following the Congress of Vienna. The importance of his political role has, however, overshadowed his role as a collector, patron and promoter of the arts. This article analyzes his artistic education, his tastes and aesthetic orientation and the works he bought for his personal art collection and for the ‘New Hermitage’ museum, which he inaugurated in 1852. By observing various instances in which he influenced the Russian artists of the time and the formation of the Museum’s collections, the author shows how the Tsar promoted not only monarchic principles, but also precise monarchic taste and artistic criteria.