Who are the patrons? What does he do? The most famous philanthropists in the world

  • A philanthropist is a person who contributes on a voluntary and free basis to the development of science and art, providing them with material assistance from personal funds.

    The name comes from the name of the nobleman Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (Mekenata; lat. Gaius Cilnius Maecenas), who was a patron of the arts under Emperor Augustus. As a confidant of the Emperor Octavian Augustus, he conducted state affairs without holding any official position, but being, together with Agrippa, the most influential assistant of Augustus and taking an active part in all the emperor’s actions to organize the state and consolidate power. In his relations with Augustus, he was free from servility and ingratiation and expressed his views with complete freedom, often completely opposite to the plans of the emperor.

    Magazine "World of Arts"

    Over time, wealthy patrons of culture, art and science began to be called patrons of the arts. Many of them entered the history of culture along with outstanding artists, writers, actors, because they contributed to the development of their creativity, the prosperity of art, and the introduction of the broad masses to the best cultural achievements. As a shining example patronage of the arts can be cited by the Medici family, whose representatives from the 13th to the 18th centuries repeatedly became the rulers of Florence. They gained the greatest fame as sponsors of the most outstanding geniuses of the Renaissance.

    Another example is the dynasty of bankers and public figures The Rothschilds, who throughout the 20th century had the greatest fortune in modern world history. They began their ascent to upper strata society at the end of the 18th century and eventually entangled almost all European courts with their financial network. Story financial success began with the antique shop of the founder of the Rothschild dynasty - Mayer Amschel. Having saved money, Mayer opened the first Rothschild bank, where it was possible to exchange the money of some German principalities for others, exchange and sell coins and medals, antiques. Over time, this trend has only strengthened - to mid-19th century, the Rothschilds invested half of their assets in works of art. On the one hand, these investments provided a good fund for the family in case of shock, and on the other hand, they characterized the Rothschilds not so much as accumulators of wealth, but also as people capable of appreciating beauty.

    The development of philanthropy in Russia began in the 18th century, and in the second half of the 19th century it flourished. Wonderful collections of Russian and Russian monuments were collected in country noble estates and city palaces. west European art, extensive libraries. Among the famous Russian philanthropists are Mamontov, Morozov, Ryabushinsky, Bakhrushin and the Tretyakovs.

If you are on this page, it means you love clever words and phrases. As a rule, the history of origin (etymology) is quite simple.

It consists of several Latin or Greek words. But the same cannot be said about the word “Patron”. This is exactly what we will talk about right now.

Who is a philanthropist

Maecenas is a person who provides free assistance from own funds for the development of science and art.

An interesting fact is that this beautiful word comes from a common name. This was the name of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, a wealthy Roman who, during his reign, provided all possible support to the art of that time.

Contemporaries spoke of him as a very worthy husband. He never sycophantized or groveled before the rulers, although he was an extremely wealthy man.

Without holding any official position, Maecenas was one of most influential people under Emperor Augustus. It was thanks to him that many projects for the organization of the Roman Empire were implemented and brought great benefit country.

Actually, after Maecenas went down in history as the patron of any creative aspirations, patrons began to be called everyone who supported science and art from their own pockets.

It is interesting that many philanthropists are famous along with those whom they supported. An example is the oligarchic Medici family, who regularly became rulers of Florence from the 13th to the 18th centuries.

History knows them mainly because they were key sponsors of many outstanding geniuses.

Patronage began to develop in the 18th century. The second half of the 19th century became a golden time for. In the rich country houses influential nobles could see unique monuments of Russian and European art, as well as extensive libraries.

Well, now you know who the patrons are. To remember this word, just use it a couple of times in conversation.

For example, you will see how a young father buys his offspring paints for painting. Don't miss the chance to joke:

- Yes, my friend, you are a philanthropist!

Now you will associate the word philanthropist with charity in favor of art and science, and not just with the name of the Roman figure Gaius Cilnius Maecenas.

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MAECENAS

MAECENAS

a selfless patron who promotes the development of science and art, allocating material assistance for this from personal funds.

Raizberg B.A., Lozovsky L.Sh., Starodubtseva E.B.. Modern economic dictionary. - 2nd ed., rev. M.: INFRA-M. 479 pp.. 1999 .


Economic dictionary. 2000 .

Synonyms:

See what "MACENATE" is in other dictionaries:

    PAINTER, GUY CILNIUS (Gaius Cilnius Maecenas) (c. 70 8 BC), an outstanding Roman statesman, patron of the arts. The patron came from a wealthy family and was proud of his Etruscan origins (Tsilniy is his maternal name,... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

    - [lat., proper name. Maecenas (Maecenatis)] rich patron of the sciences or arts. Wed. SPONSOR. Dictionary foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. PAINTER Roman nobleman, patron learned poets. Now generally a nobleman, patron of education.... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

    See patron... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M.: Russian Dictionaries, 1999. philanthropist, benefactor, patron; sponsor Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Dictionary of synonyms

    Named after the wealthy Roman patrician Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (between 74 and 64 8 BC), who patronized artists and poets. His attention and generosity to people of art were glorified in their poems by the Roman poets Horace, Virgil, Propertius and others... Dictionary winged words and expressions

    Maecenas, Guy Tsilniy; Maecenas, Gaius Cilnius, 70 8 BC e., Roman statesman and writer. He came from an aristocratic Etruscan family from Arretium (modern Arezzo), although his father’s family had already lived in Rome for several generations in a row and ... Ancient writers

    A person who contributes free of charge to the development of science and art, providing them with material assistance from personal funds. Dictionary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001 ... Dictionary of business terms

    - (Maecenas) (between 74 and 64 8 BC), a close associate of the Roman Emperor Augustus, who carried out his diplomatic, political, as well as private assignments. His patronage of poets made the name of Maecenas a household name... Modern encyclopedia

    PAINTER, philanthropist, husband. (bookish and ironic). A wealthy patron of the arts and sciences. (Name of a wealthy Roman patrician of the Augustan era). Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    PAINTER, huh, husband. Wealthy patron of the arts and sciences; in general, one who patronizes what n. business, undertaking. Sports patrons. | wives philanthropist, etc. | adj. philanthropist, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

    - (Maecenas). Roman horseman, friend and adviser to Emperor Augustus, patron of Horace and Virgil. Died in 8 BC. (Source: " Brief dictionary mythology and antiquities." M. Korsh. Saint Petersburg, published by A. S. Suvorin, 1894.) ... Encyclopedia of Mythology

    A philanthropist is a person who contributes free of charge to the development of science and art, providing them with material assistance from personal funds. In the common sense, a philanthropist is a person who financially helps art and science. Title... ...Wikipedia

Books

  • Patron of the arts, Mikhail Bondarenko. The name of this man has long become a household name. For two millennia, philanthropists have been those people who unselfishly and generously help talented poets, writers,...

These are not the easiest times in our country. The level of culture is in a difficult situation. Most theaters, museums, and libraries, especially in provincial cities, are in dire need of support.

Previously, libraries and museums were visited by a considerable number of people different ages, but now there are fewer and fewer of them every year. And this is terrible, because with the advent of the global Internet, many forgot the way to the library, and with the advent of gadgets, what it looks like old book. And how many museums across the country were closed due to unnecessary use!

If you conduct a social survey among the population on the topic of patronage, the percentage of intelligible answers is not high. The word is familiar to many, but not everyone can give an interpretation, regardless of age. Realizing this, it becomes sad, because our great country was known for its charity and philanthropy.

Art requires donation.
Donat Mechik

The term "Patron"

A philanthropist is a person who leaves a significant mark on the life of the state. It is no secret that there are wealthy people, businessmen, entrepreneurs who finance orphanages, cancer centers, children's sports, musicians, masters of painting, young writers, etc. Charity is generosity for certain things, medicines and other sources.

A philanthropist is a person who has donated assistance in the formation of science and art and provides financial assistance from personal funds. Maecenas in simple words he is a benefactor, an altruist.

Patronage is a domestic tradition that reflects the spiritual opportunity Russian society. If we look back to the origins cultural development our country, it is worth remembering Russian patrons of the arts, thanks to them Russian culture has risen to the highest level of development. It was with the help of patrons that the Shchukin School was opened, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow Theater of Artists.

The restoration of intellectuality helped Russia emerge from the economic crisis. Thanks to the funding of patrons, memorials of our culture were created. The monuments still do not leave the residents of our huge state indifferent.

Chronicles of the origin of Patronage in Russia

The name Maecenas originated from the ancient Roman ascetic Gaius Cilnius Maecenas. He was a benefactor of the arts under Emperor Augustus. The roots of philanthropy in our state go back to ancient times. Sovereigns and kings helped in the construction of temples, palaces, as well as icon painters, writers, artists, etc. There was a significant rise in the participation of patrons of the arts during the time of Catherine II. This period can be called the period of collecting. For example, Count Orlov created a castle in which a huge library was located.

Bezborodko A.A. was a serious collector and philanthropist. He owned an art gallery, and later everything was transferred to the Academy of Arts. The Demidov family were also philanthropists; they donated an outstanding collection of minerals to Moscow University. A descendant of the great commander Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky collected a large collection of rare manuscripts, books, medals, and coins.

It should be noted that the Sheremetyev family also provided assistance to theaters, choirs, and ensembles. Benefactors formed special rules for social benefit. Aristocrats were awarded the highest state awards, merchants were awarded titles of nobility. Rising and strengthening, the values ​​have survived to this day.

If a person who has alienated several million rubles in his favor later even becomes a philanthropist and builds a marble palazzo in which he will concentrate all the wonders of science and art, then he still cannot be called a skillful public figure, but should only be called a skillful swindler .
Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. The story of one city<.cite>

Patrons of the XIX-XX centuries

The Russian people overwhelmingly differed from the Europeans in their approach to the issue of providing assistance to representatives of culture and the arts. In our country, patronage is material assistance, which does not carry any interest for itself.

In Europe, taxes for philanthropists were reduced or completely eliminated due to charitable activities. Therefore, judge for yourself whether their help was selfless.

  1. The first merchant who reached out to philanthropy in the second half of the 19th century was V.A. Kokorev. The merchant was a wine farmer and a railway contractor. Kokorev was the first to establish and invest a considerable amount of money in the first repository of works of art. It contained about 600 paintings that he himself collected. His name also became famous thanks to the opening of a home for young talents in the Tver region.
  2. An incredibly bright person was a businessman from Moscow, a shareholder in textile factories, a bank and a brewing company - Soldatenkov K.T. Being a book publisher, he, without mastering primary school, read poorly, not counting Old Believer books. He published them, thereby trying to replenish Russian culture. Engaged in translations from French, collected about 8 thousand books and 15 thousand copies of magazines; he owned a painting gallery containing about 270 works of art. All this Soldatenkov K.T. sent to the museum by M. Rumyantsev. This businessman did not spare money both for culture and for the needs of society. He tried to help with education and treatment of the population, and was the founder of the Botkin Hospital.
  3. The sons of the Shchukin dynasty, in particular the second son Peter (and there were 4 of them: Sergei, Dmitry, Peter. Ivan) bought books during his internship in Lyon French writers, engravings. Buying junk at the Sukharevsky bazaar in the capital, he long time plunged into bags filled with purchases and selected all the best. After his father's death, his opportunities increased significantly. Finance appeared, and he took on the construction of a two-story house to house his collection. In the fall of 1893, his own museum opened, in which one-of-a-kind documents - Gospels of the 13th century, ancient weapons, domestic porcelain, monuments - were opened. applied arts. In 1896, the museum became free to everyone without exception.
  4. Sergei Shchukin (Peter's brother) collected a collection of paintings famous artists such as Gauguin, Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir. There were approximately 221 paintings. Dmitry Shchukin loved collecting paintings; his collection included 604 paintings; they were works of Western life of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the future, part of the Shchukin brothers’ collection was donated to the museum fine arts A. S. Pushkin.
  5. Among the patrons of the arts were those who donated cash out of love for Russian culture, but they did not boast about it. The Tretyakov dynasty is considered to be patrons of the arts without excesses. They own the Tretyakov Gallery.

    The Tretyakov brothers Pavel and Sergei were born into a native merchant family, they had an excellent education (they were frequent visitors to Maly and Bolshoi Theater). Having received an education, they successfully developed their parent’s business – trading in linen. Both brothers were partial to art.

    Over the course of his sixty years of life, Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov collected 84 works, 52 of which belonged to foreign painters. After his death, everything was inherited by his brother Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov. Subsequently, he donated all the works to the keepers of paintings. Pavel Mikhailovich spent quite a fortune on buying paintings. He was very diligent in his spending, did not celebrate luxury, but provided financial assistance to artists in dire straits. Pavel Mikhailovich was surprisingly considered a very modest person; he rarely went to the gallery he owned in the presence of visitors.

  6. In the 19th century, not only wealthy people lived in philanthropy, but also ordinary people. Of course, their contribution was not huge, but it is noted that such people gave a lot to the country. Considerable investments were made by S.I. Mamontov. He made his fortune from the construction railways. He helped artists and theater actors create the Moscow Private Opera, and later such celebrities as Rachmaninov and Chaliapin drank there. S.I. Mamontov had great respect for opera and financed it with great pleasure. The Moscow Private Opera, owned by him, successfully exceeded all expectations in 1896, after which the opera was a significant event cultural page in the country.
The list of philanthropists in Russia is huge, all the people who invested their funds in art, culture, and science free of charge, without thinking about income. Don’t forget that people were passionate about patronage different types and financial situation.

There are no more reliable patrons than our own abilities.
Vauvenargues

What now?

In the modern world, charity exists, but the means mass media it is consecrated extremely rarely. There are charitable foundations and sponsors, but they are rarely known about.

The millionaire Vladimir Potanin is well-known to many; this businessman proactively participates in aid campaigns and announced that he will bequeath his entire million-dollar fortune to charity. Charitable Foundation Vladimir Potanin is involved in quite a few projects in the field of culture and education.

We also note O.V. Deripaska, he owns the Volnoe Delo foundation, he is involved in education, culture, sports and science. In addition, the foundation finances monasteries, the Hermitage, and quite a few theaters throughout Russia.

Uralsib Corporation Nikola Tsvetkov founded the Victoria Foundation, which helps orphans.

The following companies also engage in charity work:

  • Gazprom;
  • "LUKOIL";
  • "Bank Alfa";
  • Channel One’s “Gift of Life” fund, which helps children with developmental defects and pays for the treatment of complex, expensive operations, and others.

Conclusion

Classes, voluntary, free assistance that was aimed at developing scientific activity, arts, culture, health, education and other areas that helped our country flourish were considered a sacred responsibility.

The charity did not pursue mercantile goals and was not aimed at generating income. With the help of patrons, numerous transformations were carried out in the city. Clinics, universities, theaters, art galleries, history museums, libraries, etc. Both in the center and in the provinces of our not small country it is possible to find a considerable number of acts of charity and patronage.

Let's ask ourselves, can every entrepreneur and millionaire become a patron of art? I haven’t heard of any modern millionaire opening art gallery, or would donate exclusive books to the library. To summarize, we can say that philanthropists are not born. They become people throughout their lives, and it would be right for modern patrons to direct their finances to restore what was created by their predecessors centuries ago.

And you, dear reader, can you give someone, for example, a rare painting, a book, a coin that is in your possession?

Providing them with financial assistance from personal funds.

The name comes from the name of the noble Roman Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (Mecenata; Latin: Gaius Cilnius Maecenas), who was a patron of the arts under Emperor Augustus. As a confidant of the Emperor Octavian Augustus, he conducted state affairs without holding any official position, but being, together with Agrippa, the most influential assistant of Augustus and taking an active part in all the emperor’s actions to organize the state and consolidate power. In his relations with Augustus, he was free from servility and ingratiation and expressed his views with complete freedom, often completely opposite to the plans of the emperor.

His name became a household name for a reason - for the first time in history, a powerful state policy was implemented, the conductor of which was Maecenas. With the support of the emperor, Maecenas directed a significant portion of the finances accumulated by the Roman Empire to encourage and support the creative industries. This is how the state system was created financial support culture or the world of art. With the help of investments in art, the political problems of great Rome were solved, strengthening the position and power of the Roman Empire and its power. Therefore, one cannot assume that a philanthropist is a disinterested person who does good to people for free. A philanthropist is someone who, by supporting art, develops the spirituality of society as a necessary condition for the implementation of the tasks facing it.

Over time, wealthy patrons of culture, art and science began to be called patrons of the arts. Many of them went down in cultural history on a par with outstanding artists, writers, and actors, because they contributed to the development of their creativity, the prosperity of art, and the introduction of the broad masses to the best cultural achievements. A striking example of philanthropy is the Medici family, whose representatives repeatedly became rulers of Florence from the 13th to the 18th centuries. They gained the greatest fame as sponsors of the most outstanding geniuses of the Renaissance.

As another example, [ ] cite the Rothschild dynasty of bankers and public figures, who throughout the 20th century had the greatest fortune in modern world history. They began their ascent to the highest strata of society at the end of the 18th century and eventually entangled almost all European courts with their financial network. The story of financial success began with the antique shop of the founder of the Rothschild dynasty, Mayer Amschel. Having saved money, Mayer opened the first Rothschild bank, where it was possible to exchange the money of some German principalities for others, exchange and sell coins and medals, antiques. Over time, this trend only strengthened - by the middle of the 19th century, the Rothschilds invested half of their assets in works of art. On the one hand, these investments provided a good fund for the family in case of shock, and on the other hand, they characterized the Rothschilds not so much as accumulators of wealth, but also as people capable of appreciating beauty. [ ]

The development of philanthropy in Russia began in the 18th century, and in the second half of the 19th century it flourished. Wonderful collections of monuments of Russian and Western European art and extensive libraries were collected in country noble estates and city palaces. [ ] Among the famous Russian patrons of the arts are Mamontov, Morozov, Ryabushinsky, Bakhrushin, Smetskoy, Tretyakov and many others. [ ]