On Jan. 10 André Ruzhnikov, a London-based art as well as antiques specialist, created an open letter to the head of the Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky, accusing the gallery of exhibiting phony works by Fabergé. The letter was cited annotated photographs of the suspect things.
The “Fabergé: Jeweler to the Imperial Court” exhibition at the Hermitage Museum discovers itself at the facility of a rumor regarding phonies.
It started with an allegation by one Russian art dealer about an additional Russian art dealer.
Most of the works in inquiry are from an exclusive Fabergé Museum in Baden-Baden, founded by another Russian art enthusiast, Alexander Ivanov. Ruzhnikov complied with up his very first open letter with another regarding the show, which he called “a sort of Encyclopedia of Forgeries,” including a photoshopped picture of Ivanov wearing a disputed Fabergé a pretty tiara.
The two dealers have had a long acrimonious partnership. In a previous conflict Ivanov revealed that Ruzhnikov would be “required to America in manacles.”
A BBC investigation published on Monday links Ivanov to business owner Konstantin Goloshchapov, that has close ties to President Vladimir Putin, the post asserts.
Ivanov informed the BBC that he borrowed money from Goloshchapov to open his exclusive Faberge Museum in Baden-Baden, Germany. Goloshchapov is a client of the Museum of Christian Culture as well as Ivanov is a patron of the Russian National Museum, which does not appear to have an event room. Both museums supplied exhibitions for the show.
A number of European experts in Fabergé called by the BBC elevated worries about at the very least 20 things on display, although it is unclear if they have actually analyzed the items personally. Some participants of the Hermitage Museum team have actually likewise shared their worries.
Items from Ivanov’s collection on display at the Hermitage appear like some exhibits in the Fabergé collection at the Moscow Fersman Mineralogical Museum, the BBC examination claims.
The Hermitage Museum and also Mikhail Piotrovsky have not responded to the letters or media queries.