The CollectorA fascinating life of Sergei Shchukin, the great collector who changed the face of Russias art world Sergei Shchukin was a highly successful textiles merchant in the latter half of the nineteenth century, but he also had a great eye for beauty. He was one of the first to appreciate the qualities of the Impressionists and Post Impressionists and to acquire works by Czanne, Matisse, and Picasso. A trailblazer in the Russian art world, Shchukin and his