Moscow - Works by William Turner, one of Britain's most prized artists, went on display Monday at Moscow's Pushkin Museum, the first time the artists' works have been exhibited in Russia in 33 years. The show, which borrows the works from London's Tate Britain gallery, is entirely sponsored by Russian metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov, the largest shareholder in the London-based Arsenal football team. It comes despite the current financial crisis and diplomatic relations between the two capitals that have been on eggshells in recent years.
"It is a great responsibility and honor for the museum to host the Turner exhibition. His works are considered a national treasure in England and they rarely leave the country," Zinaida Bonami, a curator at the Pushkin told news agency Ria-Novosti on Monday.
Usmanov, ranked by Forbes as Russia's 19th richest man, is personally financing the high cost of travel and insurance for the exhibit. In September, he paid 36 million pounds (71.7 million dollars) at Sotheby's for the entire private Russian art collection of cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.
Turner's works have not been seen in Moscow since 1975.
The Pushkin Museum, visited by about 1 million people per year, has a large collection of European Impressionist paintings, but very few works by British artists.
Anglo-Russian relations have been strained since the 2006 poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London. Suspicions of Russian involvement in the murder led to an investigation which culminated in the tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats in May 2007.
The Turner exhibit will feature 112 works from the Tate Britain's permanent display, including a self portrait (1798). Other works heading to Russia include The Battle of Trafalgar (1824) and Venice, San Georgio Sunrise (1819).
The Pushkin Museum exhibition, entitled JMW Turner: Oils and Watercolours from Tate Britain, will run until February 2009 and be co-curated by the Tate Britain.
