1884: Acquisition of Alexander Basilewski's collection

The Russian Diplomat Alexander Basilewsky lived in Paris where, over the course of forty years, he put together a collection of medieval works of art. When displayed at the Exposition Universelle, held in Paris in 1878, it created a furore. Pieces of early Christian and Byzantine art, church plate, items from the Romanesque and Gothic eras, ivories of the 13th and 14th centuries, enamels from the Rhine area and Limoges dating to the 12th to 16th centuries, Venetian and German glass, Italian majolica, French and Spanish faience - all these were represented. In 1884 the collector took the decision to sell his collection and Paris looked forward to the auction which looked set to be the most important event of the season. On the advice of State Secretary Alexander Polovtsev, Alexander III purchased the whole collection for 6,000,000 francs, an unexpected acquisition which caused a sensation in Paris. The collection was exhibited before being sent to Paris and the exhibition was even visited by the French President, Jules Grevy.