Sergey Ivanovich Shchukin, a renowned Russian collector, advised his daughter to buy paintings that provoke psychological shock. From 1897 to 1914, he assembled the most expensive collection of Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in the world. According to Sotheby's auction house, in 2012, its value was estimated at 8.5 billion US dollars.

Shchukin not only enjoyed his artworks in solitude but also sought to make them accessible to the general public. He invited young people, especially students from art schools, to view the paintings. However, the administration of educational institutions forbade students from visiting his house on Znamenka, fearing it might spoil their taste. Nevertheless, the influence of his collection likely played a significant role in the development of the avant-garde in Russia in the 1920s and 1930s.

When Shchukin showcased a new painting, he expected guests to be shocked, ironically stating, "A madman painted it, a madman bought it!" Meanwhile, the townsfolk whispered that tragedies in his family were linked to the paintings in his home. Two of his sons and his brother Ivan committed suicide, and his young and beloved wife passed away. After her death, Shchukin bequeathed his collection to the Tretyakov Gallery, but it was nationalized after the revolution.

Sergey Ivanovich died in 1936 in Paris and was buried in Montmartre Cemetery.