Kasimir Malevich. Black Square

On 20 June 2002, an exhibition of Kasimir S. Malevich's Black Square, recently received by the Museum, was opened at the State Hermitage. After the artist's death this and other paintings passed to his widow. After the widow of Malevich died in 1991, Black Square, Self-portrait and Wife's Portrait were inherited by his niece. Later, Self-portrait and Wife's Portrait were sold to OAO AB Incombank. Black Square was received by the Bank as a gift in 1993.
In April 1994, Black Square was loaned by Incombank to the State Tretyakov Gallery for the exhibition ''Europe-Europe'' in Germany.
The painting was bought for the State Hermitage Museum by the Culture Ministry of the Russian Federation. $1 mln. required to buy Black Square was donated to the Culture Ministry by the famous patron of arts Vladimir O. Potanin, head of the holding company Interros, which has on many occasions provided financial support to the Hermitage projects. Due to the company, interiors of the Foreign Ministry in the General Staff and Chariot of Glory above the Arch or the General Staff were restored and Pages from the Hermitage History publications are put out.
Price of the painting was determined by an independent expert, Georgy A. Putnikov of the Collegium of Experts and Appraisers of Jewelry and Antiques, whose qualification is attested to by the recognition of his conclusions by Lloyds insurers.
When Black Square was offered for sale, the Culture Ministry decided to purchase it for one of the Russian museums. This right of the Culture Ministry is set forth in the Culture Law of the Russian Federation, No. 3612-1 of 09.10.1992, Par. 35. On 23 April, 2002, the Culture Ministry issued Order No. 625, ''On Use of the State's Preemptive Right to Purchase the Painting of K. Malevich Black Square''. Pursuant to the Order, the State Hermitage Museum on behalf of the Russian Culture Ministry made an agreement with OAO AB Incombank and the Ministry's Museum Department handed Black Square over to the Museum where it will be henceforth kept. After the Hermitage Director Mikhail B. Piotrovsky and the Incombank receiver A.V. Yesin signed the sale agreement on 25 April, 2002, Incombank received on 26 April, 2002, an equivalent of one million US dollars. They also executed a report of acceptance of Black Square by the Hermitage.

More

The Russian Federation Culture Minister Mikhail Shvydkoy, Interros holding company Vladimir Potanin and State Hermitage Director Mikhail Piotrovsky

At the exhibition