In Memoriam: Yury A. Rusakov (1926-1995)

On 15 November, 2001, an exhibition was opened in the Foyer of the Hermitage Theater in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Yury A. Rusakov. Among the exhibits there are books, catalogues, prints, drawings, photos and a few paintings which represent the scholar's interests and ideas and his outstanding contemporaries.

In 1955 Yury A. Rusakov joined the Hermitage's Department of West European Prints and, from 1965 till his last days, stood at the Department's head.

Yury A. Rusakov's work at the Hermitage was fruitful and productive. Exhibitions organized by him were distinguished by a wide scope of exhibits on display. He was especially interested in French prints and lithographs of the late 19th-20th centuries in the Hermitage collection.

Rusakov dedicated many exhibitions and publications to Henri Matisse, the outstanding French artist of the 20th century. The Hermitage collection of books with the painter's illustrations is singularly rich due, first of all, to Yury A. Rusakov. During the 1970s and 1980s the Hermitage acquired books illustrated by Bonnard, Picasso, Braque, Dufy, Miro and Maillol. The exhibition shows that, while working in the Hermitage with West European prints, Yury A. Rusakov paid homage to Russian art as well. His principal interest in Russian art was Kuzma S. Petrov-Vodkin.

A booklet has been issued for the exhibition.

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Yury A. Rusakov

Deputy director Georgi Vilinbakhov at the opening ceremony of the exhibition

Exhibition booklet