The Art Deco Museum presents unique art works of the first half of the 20th century from the collection of Mkrtich Okroyan. This collection is well-known in this country and beyond; its objects participated in various international exhibition projects, including the exposition dedicated to the 100th jubilee of Ballet Russes (Russian Ballet Seasons of Sergei Diaghilev’s troupe) in Paris (organized by the Sotheby's auction house), and an exhibition in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum in Salamanca, Spain.
Mkrtich Okroyan collected lots of remarkable works of art created in the interval between World War I and World War II — these are graceful and exquisite statuettes, antique furniture, and lacquered decorative panels. In search of interesting objects for his collection the businessman visited auctions in London and Paris and made long trips abroad. According to expert assessment, the approximate cost of the collection reaches $ 100 million, with separate exhibits priced like an expensive car each.
Out of the world’s largest collection of works of the Art Deco period, 900 best exhibits and 500 highly artistic furniture products were selected for the museum exposition. The building of the former imperial mint with the area of 2000 sq meters perfectly fits the rich exhibition.
The collection is rich in remarkable art works made of wood, marble and bronze. Visitors will see sculptures by Dmitry Chiparus, designer’s furniture and mirrors, as well as decorative panels by Edgar Brandt, Jean Dunand, Pierre Bobo, Paul Follo, and Ferdinand Price — all of them greatly influenced by Sergey Diaghilev's Ballet. Marble ballerinas by Dmitry Chiparius are especially remarkable. The Romanian sculptor of Slavic origin was outstandingly gifted in conveying the style of the Russian ballet — his sculptures of ballet dancers seem to be alive and breathing.
Works by masters from Mkrtich Okroyan's collection are not presented in any of the state Russian museums.
The entrance fee runs from 100 to 200 rubles. Children below the age of 7, veterans of World War II, disabled people and large families are welcomed for free.
Author: Vera Ivanova