The initial period of the collecting institution amid the europeanization process of Russia

The paper poses the problem of the initial period in the history of private collecting in Russia. It is based on the modern theory of Europeanization, which is examined by the authors to interpret the processes of mutual influence of Russian and European cultures in the period of the XV-XVIII centuries. Such phenomena as educational institutions, political institutions, travel, literature were considered as channels of Europeanization, while private and public collecting, heavily developed in Europe in the XV-XVIII centuries, were not involved. It is concluded that the “Russian Europeans” of the XVII century cannot be represented as the first collectors in Russia. By means of the cultural transfer theory it is established that N. Witsen was the agent for the transfer of European collecting practices, whereas Peter the Great should be considered the first collector on a national scale.