The Collector's Personality as a Subject of Historical Research: The Case of S.G. Stroganov and A.E. Teploukhov

The paper raises the problem of biographical research into the collector's personality using the examples of Count S.G. Stroganov and A.E. Teploukhov, the head manager of the Stroganovs' Permian estates. It is proposed that biographies of private collectors and their collecting practices be considered in a cross-comparative context, taking into account social status and possible patterns of behavior. Furthermore, the author points out that the collection can be interpreted as an ego-document of its time. It is concluded that for S.G. Stroganov, the practice of collecting was included in the aristocratic lifestyle, which could include the role of an art connoisseur. Being born into the family of a serf of Count Stroganov, A.E. Teploukhov copied collecting practices primarily from the aristocratic model of behavior and incorporated them into the new constructible way of life.