Posthumous mask of Vysotsky. Archives of Marina Vlady at auction

A bright star flashed and died out in the last century talent of a remarkable Soviet actor, poet, composer and performer V. Vysotsky. The life of this amazingly capable person has become a symbol of a whole generation. Today, thanks to video and audio recordings, you can hear his voice again and see his face. Retained and posthumous mask Vysotsky.

However, it was she who was now the subject of high-profile disputes.

When and how was the impression made on Vysotsky's face?

Vysotsky's death mask was made on the day of his death, July 25, 1980, on the initiative of his last wife, actress Marina Vlady.

According to eyewitnesses, Vladi summoned artist Vasilyev, who, with her help, made three casts: one was to be taken away by the wife, the second was for the family, and the third was supposed to be given to the theater.

The actor's hand did not make the artist Vasiliev.

However, in general, the question of how Vysotsky's posthumous mask was made remains unclear, because witnesses of this process today talk about different things.

It should be noted that the image itself and copies were made in a hurry. Perhaps, therefore, their fate has developed very differently.

What happened to the three "posthumous persons"?

The posthumous mask of Vysotsky, taken to France by Marina Vlady, was stored for a long time in her house.

The fate of the other two is not known for certain.

The fact is that, judging by the recollections of eyewitnesses, one of them went first not to the family, but to Vysotsky's friends, then, according to some sources, it was transferred to the direct heirs of the poet.

The story with the third copy of the face is even more confused: it was transferred to the director of the Taganka Theater Yuri Lyubimov, who put it in the safe. However, soon the director was abroad, and the plaster copy mysteriously disappeared. She was long sought after by Vysotsky's mother, but until now the fate of the mask is unknown.

Copies made by the artist Vasilyev

The fact is that there were still copies of the mask, which the artist Vasilyev himself made. Some of them he gave to friends Vysotsky, in particular, V. Zolotukhin. Then this copy was transferred to the museum.

Later, copies began to appear, called "Leningrad", since they were first discovered in Leningrad. They were made professionally, but they had a confusing left and right side of the face, compared with the original mask. This indicated that the sculptor who made them had access only to a bad and inverted copy of the face of an outstanding poet and composer.

Marina Vlady's decision to sell her deceased husband's belongings

Vysotsky's posthumous mask was again the subject of conversations and discussions already in 2015, when it became known that the last wife of the poet and composer, the Frenchwoman Marina Vladi, exposed her, the autograph of the poem and some of her deceased husband's personal belongings for sale.

Actress act was actively discussed in the Russian-speaking environment. Some friends and colleagues Vysotsky quite critically assessed such a gesture from Vladi.

In an interview with a Russian newspaper, the actress explained her decision simply: she would like to move from a private home to a small apartment, so some things she needs to sell. Also, Vlad noticed that she decided to part with her past in order to face the future boldly.

Why Marina Vlado decided to sell?

The decision of the actress and widow Vysotsky was so amazing to our fellow citizens, many of whom are fans of the talent of VS Vysotsky, which immediately caused a lot of speculation and gossip.

However, some colleagues in the workshop Vysotsky came to the conclusion that the decision to sell the poet's things came to his widow after the son of Vysotsky Nikita shot a film called "Thank you that alive", where the whole world told that his father was over Drug addict. The second wife of Vysotsky - Lyudmila Abramova (the mother of his sons Arkady and Nikita) - is depicted in this film purely positive. But Marina Vladi (who became the third wife of the great actor and composer) is rather a negative character: instead of helping her husband, alcoholic and drug addict, she goes home to France and worries him with annoying phone calls.

Of course, this film could not please the actress Marina Vlady. She appreciated the work is very critical, in addition, she was not satisfied with the fact that the actor who played the role of Vysotsky, was wearing the mask of her deceased husband. The face of the actor (this role was played by Sergei Bezrukov) literally up to the details repeated the face of Vysotsky.

So, to use a copy of the face of the late poet and singer for his own purposes, Vysotsky's son decided to do it quite freely.

Perhaps, therefore, the actress Marina Vladi sold the posthumous mask of Vysotsky. After all, thereby, she reminded the world that she was the widow of Vysotsky and the keeper of his things and documents.

What was put up for auction?

At the auction, the actress exhibited about 200 exhibits related to her life together with Vysotsky. These are photographs taken in different years in Europe and the USSR, a photo from Vysotsky's screen test, an autograph of the poet's poem dedicated to Vladi. Vysotsky's posthumous mask at auction also took an important place.

Anyway, the actress decided to sell most of her archive and family photo album. The only thing that she kept for herself is Vysotsky's personal letters.

Who bought Vysotsky's posthumous mask?

Journalists, learning about the approaching auction, are keenly interested in it. The most agile immediately appealed to the sons of Vysotsky Nikita and Arkady, his second wife Lyudmila Abramova and the poet's friends with the question of whether they want to buy things exhibited by Marina Vlady at the auction.

Many refused to interview and any comments on this matter, referring to the fact that Vladi sells her belongings, so she has the right to do whatever she pleases.

Vysotsky's son Nikita Vladimirovich told reporters that he would like to buy an autograph of his father's poem.

As a result, the auction was held without the participation of other relatives of the poet. The question of who bought Vysotsky's posthumous mask was the most intriguing.

The buyer was our compatriot - Ural businessman and admirer of talent bard Andrey Gavrilovsky. The businessman paid for the cast Vysotsky's face 55 thousand euros.

The fact that the death mask Vysotsky sold, even the news channels of Russian television. This indicates that Vysotsky still remains a favorite actor and performer of many of our compatriots.

How will the fate of the copy of the face of the poet and composer happen?

When the mask was acquired by a Russian businessman at the auction held on November 25, this caused a wide public response. Fans of Vysotsky's talent were genuinely interested in the personality of the buyer - however, very little is known about this person.

So, the fact is that Andrei Gavrilovsky founded in Yekaterinburg a huge museum of Vysotsky, even named it a skyscraper. At the same time, it is not known until the end whether the items bought by him will appear in his museum, since the businessman lives abroad, and at home they try to initiate criminal cases against him.

The opinion of Lyudmila Abramova

Talk about the auction held, which sold things Vysotsky, long enough did not stop. Journalists wrote about how much Vysotsky's death mask was sold, who became its new owner, remembered the words of the late artist and sculptor Vasilyev that with facial images one should be treated very carefully, etc.

Journalists interviewed about this and the second wife of Vysotsky, who lives in Russia, Lyudmila Abramova. To the credit of this brave woman, she behaved very dignified. Encouraged journalists not to condemn the act of Marina Vlady, who decided on this sale. She pointed out that journalists can not know the reasons that prompted Vladi to do so.

Lyudmila Abramova spoke about Vladi, who many years ago transferred many photographs and other documents to the Vysotsky museum on a voluntary and gratuitous basis. Abramova explained that she was even glad that these things were bought by a Russian businessman who sincerely loves the legacy of her husband. The museum of Vysotsky could not afford such a waste, but this is unimportant, since it already has many exhibits related to the life and work of the remarkable Russian bard.

In general, it should be noted that the story of the sale of Vysotsky's things is not something negative. Do not condemn the act of Marina Vlady, who buried her husband 35 years ago and has the right to oblivion and peace. His difficult relationship with Vysotsky Marina Vladi described in autobiographical books.

And today a new era is coming - people who did not already know Vysotsky personally, but from the bottom of his heart he loved his songs, movies and performances.