American heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Passion for Art

During the 1930’s there was a cold war between the U.S and the Soviet Union. The U.S. used to send a diplomat who also brought along his wife — the American heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. This used to spark a passion that resulted into the largest collection of Russian art outside that country. Presently, Post’s Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington, D.C., consists of her vast and obsessive collection of Imperial Russian collected artworks, including almost 90 Faberge pieces, 60 Russian porcelain dining services featuring dishes from Empress Catherine the Great, 25 silver religious chalices, two minutely detailed Imperial Easter eggs and the nuptial crown of Empress Alexandra. For Hillwood the entire collection is priceless.

A missing Easter egg in 2015 almost had an estimated worth of $33 million. Post’s passion for art began when she started visiting Moscow with her third husband, Joseph E. Davies, then ambassador to the Soviet Union. As, a result she started collecting the art of Russia’s powerful imperial rulers. The splendid collection had a lot of political significance. Hilton believed that there is a lot that can be learnt about the country through its art. Further, Post began purchasing in the Soviet Union, U.S. auctions and third-party sources and collectors. Later she bought the Hillwood estate in 1955 after divorcing Davies, and turned it into a spring and fall residence and future museum for her vast collection. Throughout her life, not only people enjoyed her collection, but she also used the collection personally.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/why-this-american-cereal-heiress-amassed-a-huge-russian-art-collection