A. Kudriavtceva. The Persian Collection of Valentin Zhukovsky (1858—1918) in St. Petersburg's Kunstkamera

Anna Kudriavtceva

Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) RAS,
St. Petersburg, Russia
E‑mail: kudriavtsevaa@mail.ru 

 

The Persian Collection
of Valentin Zhukovsky (1858—1918)
in St. Petersburg's Kunstkamera 

Abstract. Both museum collections and exhibitions typically reflect with great precision the interests, sentiments, and ideological preferences of their era. In this respect, the collection of Valentin Zhukovsky (1858—1918), transferred to the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography by the scholar's widow, Varvara Zhukovskaya, in 1919, is emblematic of the time that shaped it. During the late 19th century, Russia experienced a sharp rise in the influence of Narodnichestvo — a powerful socio-political movement whose adherents sought to bridge the gap between the intelligentsia and the common people in a quest for national roots. This movement was paradoxical: while it subordinated art and science to ideological aims, it also provided a powerful impetus for their development, giving rise to entirely new scientific and artistic fields. The Persian collection, assembled by Zhukovsky during his trips to Iran in 1883—1886 and 1889, that were decisive in shaping his scholarly interests. Analysis shows that the collection significantly complements his scientific works on Iranian folk culture and Sufism. 

Keywords: Valentin Zhukovsky, Qajar Iran, Persian folk culture, Persian popular art, Sufism, St. Petersburg's Kunstkamera, St. Petersburg University 

Acknowledgement. The study was carried out within the framework of the research topic “Russia — the West — the Islamic World: conflicts and interaction in competitive paradigms of spatial development (historical, cultural, museum and archival sources)” of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera), Russian Academy of Sciences. It forms part of the research direction “Ethnic History and Diversity of the Cultural Heritage of the Islamic World in Historical Dynamics”, which has been pursued by the International Centre for Islamic Studies at the MAE RAS since the Centre establishment. 

DOI: 10.31250/1238-5018-2025-31-2-52-62 

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Received by the Editorial Board: 08.12.2024

 

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