Putin's 'art critic' bequeaths him his million-dollar collection of paintings

Nina Moleva, a renowned art critic and historian dubbed “Putin’s art aficionado,” has passed away at the age of 98, leaving behind an exceptional collection of paintings by iconic masters such as Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

Moleva was highly regarded in the Russian literary and artistic circles, having authored 120 books on Russian painters and attaining a doctorate in History. She held memberships in both the Union of Writers and the Union of Russian Artists, solidifying her reputation as a significant figure in the preservation and promotion of Russian art. However, her recent demise has piqued the interest of several media outlets due to the enigmatic nature of her vast collection, estimated to be worth around 1.8 billion euros.

The Russian Ministry of Culture announced the passing of Nina Mikhailovna Moleva, highlighting her exceptional contributions as a writer, historian, art scholar, journalist, and war veteran. Even beyond Russia, Moleva’s influence and accomplishments have been lauded by various cultural media. Art historian Éric Turquin, who had the privilege of witnessing her collection in the early 1990s, acknowledged that while it may not have been worth the estimated value Moleva claimed, it undeniably comprised a spectacular assemblage of religious artworks from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The origin of this extraordinary collection has raised many questions. As per family accounts, Moleva inherited the artworks from her late husband’s grandfather, Ivan Grinyov, who was a performer in Moscow during the Tsarist era. Allegedly, Grinyov managed to conceal his riches in a false attic when the Bolsheviks seized power. It was only four decades after his death that Moleva and her husband, Ilya Belyutin, the acclaimed founder of the avant-garde New Reality art movement, stumbled upon these hidden treasures.

However, researchers have expressed doubts regarding the authenticity of this narrative. No records of Grinyov’s involvement in any theater archive have been found, and prominent collectors of that era have been extensively documented, according to a recent publication in ArtreView. An investigation by Moscow Times in 2015 presented an alternative theory, suggesting that the works might have been smuggled out of Europe during World War II and commissioned by Belyutin himself, who reputedly had connections to the intelligence services. In other words, the art hunter was potentially a dissident hunter with an eye for wartime spoils.

Remarkably, this amateur collector amassed approximately 1,000 paintings, sculptures, and other artworks during the Stalin era. The collection included masterpieces by renowned artists such as Titian, Diego Velázquez, Bernardino di Contino, and Antonio Rossellino. In 2013, Moleva decided to bequeath the entire collection to President Putin, subsequently leading to a constant police presence outside her modest three-room apartment in central Moscow, where even Fidel Castro once shared a meal.

While President Putin is not widely recognized as an art enthusiast, his palaces feature a fusion of postmodern and classical elements. It is possible that he may have perused some of Moleva’s books during her lifetime, which encompassed monographs on Bogdan Saltanov, an Armenian painter of Persian descent known for his work at the Kremlin Armory painting workshop during the reign of Alexis I of Russia. Above all, Moleva’s treatise on the cultural significance of the presidential palace, a fortified compound where Putin increasingly sought refuge from his official duties, could have piqued the president’s interest.