Nina Moleva, 'Putin's art critic,' dies, bequeathing disputed $2 billion art collection to Russian president
Nina Moleva, often referred to as 'Putin's art critic,' has passed away, leaving behind a disputed art collection estimated at $2 billion for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her estate boasts more than 1,000 pieces attributed to renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Moleva asserted that these artworks originated from her husband Ely Belyutin's grandfather, Ivan Grinyov, who supposedly concealed them during the Bolshevik revolution. However, researchers have raised doubts about this claim, as no archival evidence of Grinyov exists. A 2015 inquiry indicated that Belyutin might have acquired the pieces from Europe during wartime. Moleva had previously sought to donate the collection to the Pushkin Museum, but curators were wary of potential forgeries. Belyutin passed away in 2012.
Key facts
- Nina Moleva, known as 'Putin's art critic,' died in 2024.
- She bequeathed an art collection reportedly worth $2 billion to Vladimir Putin.
- The collection includes over 1,000 works attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt.
- Moleva claimed the artworks came from her husband's grandfather, Ivan Grinyov, who hid them during the Bolshevik revolution.
- Researchers question the story's veracity, with no archival trace of Grinyov.
- A 2015 Moscow Times investigation suggested the works may have been taken from wartime Europe by Ely Belyutin.
- The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts refused the donation, suspecting fakes.
- Art historian Éric Turquin viewed the collection in the early 1990s and called it a remarkable body of religious paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Entities
Artists
- Nina Moleva
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Michelangelo
- Rembrandt
- Ely Belyutin
- Ivan Grinyov
- Rubens
- Velazquez
- Van Dyck
- Bogdan Saltanov
- Alexis I of Russia
Institutions
- Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
- Moscow Times
- Kremlin Armoury
- New Reality
Locations
- Moscow
- Russia
- Europe