The activities of the Gubernia’s Scientific Archival Commission put the beginning to the formation of the art collection of the Vladimir and Suzdal museum. In the late 19th - early 20th century the commission’s members worked energetically to collect and study historical and architectural monuments. The canvas Baptism of Russia by St. Vladimir" by the Italian artist S. Tonchi as well as his numerous drawings, the Ivan Golyshev's rich collection of lubok and paintings from the

Akinfovs family were among the most interesting acquisitions of this period. After 1917 the collection of the museum was enlarged through acquisitions from the nationalized country estates of the local gentry. The works by V. Tropinin, A. Savrasov, V. and A. Vasnetsovs, V. Makovsky and V. Serov, which are the highlights of the museum today, came in the 1920s from the State Museum Fund. The rapid growth of the collection led to the opening of the Picture Gallery in 1923.

The collection was also considerably expanded in the 1960 - 1980s. The works of the greatest Russian artists were purchased from private collections and art salons and that made it possible to present a more full and chronologically accurate survey of Russian art of the 19th - early 20th century in the museum. The study and technological expertise of the Vorontsovs' portrait gallery enriched with new works the part of the collection which represents the 18th-century art. Collecting the works of local artists was also one of the main tasks at that time.

In 1995 the new exhibition "Russian Art of the 18th- Early 20th Century" was opened in the former administrative building of the 18th century in Vladimir.

Portraiture was one of the main genres in the 18th-century painting. The parsuna of Tsarevich Alexei is a unique example showing the development of this genre in Russia. In this work of an unknown artist of the beginning of the 18th century methods of icon painting are used to portray a man of the new time. The Vorontsovs' portrait gallery - famous in the 19th century - is represented by its best portraits of the members of the family. Yelizaveta Vorontsova was painted by Antropov when she was a mistress of Peter III and her image, not beautiful at all, was given all the magnificence and pomp of the moment. The portraits of S.Vorontsov and A.Vorontsov, copied by the author from his earlier ones, testify to a wonderful ability of the painter D. Levitsky to combine traditional composition with the creation of emotive images which reveal personal relationship between the painter and the sitter.

The achievements in the development of chamber portrait are connected first of all with the name of F. Rokotov. The portrait of Akinfov was painted to commemorate this officer's rewarding for his distinguished actions in the Battle of Chesme, but it is not the heroic qualities, but the sitter's gentleness thoughtfulness which are emphasized here. The portrait of Grand Prince Pavel Petrovich belongs to the brush of A. Roslin, an outstanding Swedish painter who worked in Russia in 1775 - 1777.

The development of genre painting at the beginning of the 19th century led to the appearance of a specific type of painting - bordering between genre painting and portraiture - in the works by V. Tropinin. In his "Lace Maker" he created one of the most poetic images of a Russian woman. The theme of peasants' life was the main one in the works of the artists belonging to the school of A. Venetsianov. The moving simplicity of images and the ingenuous motive of "The Story of a Soldier" (by an unknown painter) captivate the viewer. In contrast, in "Gloryfiers" by L. Solomatkin we see how the author brings grotesque and sharpness in the depiction of the scene and its characters.

The landscapes by I. Aivasovsky, A. Bogolyubov, L. Lagorio prove that the formation of the national realistic landscape painting went in close interrelation with the romantic tendencies. The works of the Wanderers (i.e. artists belonging to the Association of Travelling Exhibitions) which predetermined the further development of Russian art in many ways are not so numerous in our collection, but they help better understand the artistic tendencies of the period. In portraiture - as it may be seen in the works by I. Kramskoy, V. Perov, A. Korzukhin, V. Makovsky - they tried to be psychologically deep and expressive.

A special approach to the historical theme is characteristic of V. Vasnetsov's canvas "After the Battle of Igor Sviatoslavich with the Polovtsi", inspired by the 12th century Russian literature masterpiece "The Lay of Igor's Host". Our painting is one of the versions and very close to the final one (which is in the Tretyakov Gallery now), but it is more restrained and laconic, and its emotional impact is different.

The real gem of the whole collection is "The Spring Day", a landscape by A. Savrasov. A brilliant evidence of the creative upsurge in 1870s, it reflects all the unsophisticated simplicity and lusterless beauty of Russian nature. Next to the Savrasov's lyrical motives there existed also an epical approach in Russian landscape painting of the 19th century and it was connected with the name of I. Shiskin. Shishkin's excellent draftsmanship is evident in his big-sized study "Oak Grove" and in many of the sketches, where a modest motive becomes poetic and complete in its own way.

The turn of the century was a complex crucial period marked in the sphere of art by the appearance of a great number of artistic groups and societies, different in their ideological positions and creative quests. In our museum, realistic school is represented better. The painters of the Union of Russian Artists deserve special attention. Life-asserting ideas, ability to see something beautiful and meaningful in everyday life, a special sense of color - which was a top priority for these painters - unite the works of such artists as A. Vasnetsov, L. Turzhansky, P. Petrovichev, S. Zhukovsky and others. P. Konchalovsky belonged to the "Jack of Diamonds" group which was famous for its bravado and polemic ardor. In the portrait of his brother, P. Konchalovsky's temperament and audacity were revealed not only in the color scheme - all the colors are brought to their uppermost intensity - but also in his bold brushwork.

The exhibition of the Russian art from the 18th – to the early 20th century demonstrate how strong the artistic traditions were - they remained significant for the creative process despite all the aspirations for radical changes. Revolutionary events of October 1917, which greatly changed the whole life in Russia, influenced the art too. The development of Soviet art is represented by the exhibition "Modern Art, 20th century".

The revolutionary pathos of the period not only determined the character of the agitation art, but was also reflected in the easel painting in a peculiar way. "A Collective Farm Woman" by V. Kostyanitsin is a bright evidence to that. Characteristic of the time were the portraits where those personal qualities of their models which were required by that epoch were emphasized (the works of K. Redko and V. Lebedev). Modern day realities were embodied in different ways in the pictures of those masters, whose manner and style had been formed in the pre-revolutionary period. K. Yuon, a famous master of landscape, painted his "Tushino Aerodrome" featuring one of the most significant events in the life of the soviet society in the 1930s. P. Kuznetzov, R. Falk, V. Meshkov turned to the theme of nature to show lyrical facets of existence.

The works of B. Karpov, P. Krivonogov, E. Zubekhin created during the World War II are important to us for their authenticity and great emotional effect. The works of the latest period reflect the diversity of artistic life in Russia today and the Vladimir school of landscape painting is an integral part of it. Noticed for the first time at the exhibitions in the late 50s, the pictures of the Vladimir painters reflected their authors' new vision of nature and the formation of the artistic system, adequate to that. Such artists as K. Britov, V. Yukin, V. Kokurin, N. Modorov and N. Mokrov are gifted in different ways, but they belongs to the same school of painting, in which traditions and innovations are interwoven.

The graphic artists of Vladimir deserve special attention. Spirituality, deep inherent implication, as well as diversity of styles and high technical skills are typical of the works of such artists as B. Frantsuzov, V. Leonov, P. Dik, V. Ruzin. Noteworthy, that the new generation of young painters also has its own face. The works of Vladimir painters became a notable phenomenon in the Russian art and enriched the museum's collection considerably.