Today we will tell you about Mikhail Pavlovich Ryabushinsky, a representative of a famous merchant family, a large collector, and a generous patron. He was the father of the famous ballerina Tatyana Mikhailovna and the owner of the legendary mansion of Zinaida Morozova on Spiridonovka. The fate of this man is interesting and even tragic, but let’s go in order.

Mikhail Pavlovich Ryabushinsky was born on June 27, 1880. He was the fifth son of the wealthy Moscow merchant Pavel Mikhailovich Ryabushinsky and inherited not only a significant fortune but also business acumen. Mikhail Pavlovich received an excellent education, graduating from the prestigious Moscow Practical Academy of Commercial Sciences, and immediately joined the family business, managing finances. He stood out among Moscow merchants and showed special abilities in entrepreneurship, serving on the board of the Kharkov Land Bank and, together with his brothers, leading the Ryabushinsky banking house. In addition, he was passionate about collecting and was acquainted with outstanding figures in the arts of his time, such as Vasnetsov, Kuznetsov, Repin, Benois, Serov, and Vrubel, whose works he owned. Today, a significant part of Mikhail Ryabushinsky's unique collection is housed in the Tretyakov Gallery. It was transferred there for temporary storage during his departure abroad and was later nationalized.

By the time of the Soviet government’s arrival, Mikhail Pavlovich was one of the richest people in Russia. In addition to the famous Morozova mansion and an extensive collection of artworks, he owned numerous properties and various assets. He was married twice and had four children. His youngest daughter Tatyana became a famous ballerina in exile but rarely saw her father. In 1918, he was forced to leave for abroad and lived in London, where he conducted business with his remaining funds. Unfortunately, his life was never the same, and he passed away in poverty in 1960.