The collapse of the Russian Empire and the Russian Revolution of 1917 had political, economic and cultural repercussions for the entire world. The new Soviet government, imbued with a communist, populist ideology, rejected the earlier symbols of Russian culture associated with the czarist tradition. The Soviet Union, now in possession of a wealth of imperial Russian art treasures, was eager to divest itself of them, both to propagandize the new regime and to create a stream for much needed financial profit. This situation created an extremely attractive opportunity for wealthy art collectors in the West, who were now able to purchase imperial Russian art for their private collections throughout the inter-war period. Among the American collectors of Russian art objects was Ralph Sylvester Bartlett (1868-1960), Dartmouth Class of 1889. This exhibit focuses on Bartlett's fascination with Russian culture and art and acknowledges his contributions to the growth of Russian culture and collections at Dartmouth College in the 20th century through his substantial gift of Russian books and art.

Ralph Sylvester Bartlett was born in Eliot, Maine in 1868. He attended the Berwick Academy and came to Dartmouth in 1885. After graduating from Dartmouth in 1889, he attended Boston University Law School, from which he received his LL.B. degree in 1892. For most of his career he had a private law practice in Boston until he retired in 1933. Bartlett had a long and abiding love for Dartmouth, attending every football game between Dartmouth and Harvard since the stadium was built and almost every Commencement. He served his class as secretary and treasurer from 1942 until his death in 1960. He is buried in Hanover in Pine Knoll Cemetery.

Bartlett's avocational interests could be divided into four areas: genealogy, travel, Dartmouth, and Russian art. Bartlett made his first trip to Russia as early as 1912, the experiences of which he wrote about in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine [See this Sidebar for an example]. This trip laid the foundation for his subsequent valuable collection of Russian art objects. During his many trips to the Soviet Union between the two World Wars, he acquired collections from the palaces, museums and monasteries of Czarist Russia. In 1928 he founded and managed Old Russia, a gallery on Arlington St. in Boston devoted to his Russian collection. Bartlett donated this collection to Dartmouth College shortly before his death. At the time it was one of the ranking Russian collections in the country, and included items such as a gold-plated table service, porcelain, painted icons, textiles, badges and medals, religious objects in bronze, silver and gold, and of course books.

Bartlett in native dress during a visit to the Caucasus in 1933.

A native Georgian -- Rostrom the Guide.