The partnership project of the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian State Library is devoted to two prominent collectors of the XIX century whose collections have become an important part of the history of Russian museology. It was those two who started putting together large collections of Russian art long before Pavel and Sergey Mikhailovich Tretyakov opened their famous City Art Gallery. Later their collections became part of the Rumyantsev Museum and were the pride of its Picture Gallery.

The exposition is comprised of paintings, archive materials, rare books and documents revealing the destiny of two prominent collectors: F.I. Pryanishnikov (1793–1867), a statesman from Petersburg, Privy Councilor leading the Post Department of the Russian Empire, a mason and benefactor, and K.T. Soldatyonkov (1818–1901) – an Old Believer merchant from Moscow, one of the richest manufacturers of his time, a generous philanthropist and publisher-educator.

A special focus is made on the fate of the collections after the Rumyantsev Museum was dissolved in the 1920s. The bulk of items was later handed over to the Tretyakov Gallery and 54 museums of the USSR. The concept of the exhibition is inspired by the historical hanging of pieces made by N.I. Romanov, the museum’s custodian, before the revolution; the special route of the permanent exposition in Lavrushinsky Lane will allow seeing other works that were previously part of the famous collections.