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our partners :: gallery of patrons
Why did Russian merchants act philanthropically? When Christians made donations to church, almshouse, and orphanage - they saved their souls. We understand that. But when atheists gave their money for the construction of the theatre or hospital - what was the cause? The same one - they saved their souls. Everyone in this world needs peace in his soul. We are not happy without it…
Old times: - The most famous Ukrainian Patron Nikolai Tereshchenko
Nowadays: - Bill Gates (philanthropic activity - $ 300 000 000 a year) - John D. Rockefeller (philanthropic activity - $ 90 000 000 a year) - Henry Ford (philanthropic activity - $ 320 000 000 a year) - Leonid Chernovetsky (philanthropic activity - about $ 300 000 a year) - Vladimir Spivakov (philanthropic activity)
Alexander Bahrushin
The Bahrushins were the most respectable merchants in Moscow. They were called "professional patrons". The following buildings were constructed on the money of Bahrushins: - school-workshop for the poorest boys; - city orphanage; - "free flats house" for widows with kids and student-girls; - a big Bahrushin's hospital (200 beds) for those who suffered from incurable diseases. The total sum of donation to the construction of buildings was 1 257 000 rubles. Bahrushins also donated half a million rubles to the orphan-house. 800 000 rubles were left by Alexander Bahrushin's will for philanthropy.
Savva Morozov was a big financial boss, however he wasn't happy in his riches. He was interested in another life and another people - creative ones who were possessed by high aims. When decision about organization of the Society for construction of People's theatre in Moscow was adopted, Savva Morozov was one of its Patrons. The biggest donations to the Theatre building were made by Morozov and Stanislavsky (28 000 rubles). Morozov himself inspected construction of the Theatre, not trusting anyone. He refused his summer holiday, moved to the construction site and participated in all works. The construction of a new building cost 300 000 rubles to Morozov. The total expenses of the Patron for the Arts Theatre were 500 000 rubles. One of the greatest capitalists in the country, the councillor-manufacture, did not disdain any work in the Arts Theatre - be it a labor of a property-man, electrician, costumier or carpenter.
He was a big manufacturer, but his real calling was that of a theatre. He patronized artists. He collected paintings of Russian masters. Besides patronage Savva Mamontov was a real reformer of the theatrical activity. Mamontov was a creator and producer of the first Russian Private Opera House. In autumn 1896 Fyodor Shalyapin and in autumn 1897 Sergey Rahmaninov came to Mamontov Private Opera House. It was Mamontov who discovered and supported Shalyapin as an opera singer. Constantly searching Savva Mamontov managed to create a strong company of singers. Many singers who had a great success on world stages were the students of Mamontov Private Opera House.
Two brothers Nikolai and Fyodor Tereshchenko were the owners of biggest sugar-refineries. Especially they were well known to citizens of Kiev, Volyn and Kursk regions, where 10 factories located. You see how much they possessed! There was a hospital for poor on the territory of Nikolai Tereshchenko estate. It had 22 beds and served by 2 doctor's assistants. Drugs were free of charge. There also was a two-year school for workers' children. By the end of his life Nikolai Tereshchenko had net profit of 10 million rubles a year. This man was considered as one of the richest persons in the Russian Empire. Nikolai Tereshchenko was well known not only as a rich man, but also as an intelligent administrator. In the contemporary guide of Russian Art museum in Kiev we can read the following words: "The basis of the museum are paintings collected by the Tereshchenko brothers, which include masterpieces of Russian artists of all periods: I.Shishkin, N.Ge, V.Vereshchagin". How he collected it, how much it cost to him? It's difficult to say. The thing is, thanks to Nikolai Tereshchenko our country has the "second Tretyakov gallery". But Nikolai Tereshchenko devoted his life not only to this treasure house of the world art. At the beginning of the 20th century the famous editor and publisher of Kievlyanin newspaper Vasily Shulgin wrote: "Nobody can sum up the philanthropic activity of Nikolai Tereshchenko, but when we tried to calculate his most famous donations the amount was 2 million rubles only for institutions of Kiev". The grateful citizens of Kiev named one of the streets Tereshchenskaya in honour of his 80th birthday.
In September 2000 Bill Gates was called the richest man in the USA. According to Forbes, he was at the head of a top list for the 6th time, being the owner of $85 billion. By the end of 1998 about $350 million were transmitted to different health, educational and social organizations. Being the owner and founder of Microsoft Company, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda became the biggest donors in the USA in 1999. They made a donation of $16 billion to their Charity Fund. The second donation as to its size in 1999 was made by James Clerk, one of the founders of Netscape Communications. He contributed $150 million to the Stanford University for creation of the biomedical engineering center. The next in the list is a donation of $128.5 million made by Fillip Forbes Holton, the former director of Inland Container, and his wife Ruth Clerk. |
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The
most famous Ukrainian Patron Nikolai Tereshchenko