«Silver age» in Russian art
New style in Russian art has arisen in 80th of XIX century underthe big influence of the French impressionism. Its blossoming is noted by aboundary XIX and ХХ centuries.
Within several decades after the decline (already by the end of10th ХХ centuries themodernist style in Russian art with which the Silver age associates, concedesthe predominating role to new directions) Silver age art was perceived as adecadence and lack of taste.
But to vary by the end of the second millennium of an estimationbegan more close. The matter is that exists two types of blossoming ofspiritual culture. For the first powerful innovations and great achievementsare characteristic. Vivid examples to that is Greek classics V–IV centuries BCand especially European Renaissance.
In the middle of XIX century representatives of romanticism dreamtof creation of uniform style which could surround the person with beauty and bythat to transform a life. Art means to change the world – such problem putbefore creators fine Rihard Wagner and прерафаэлиты. And already in the end of XIX century Oscar Auld asserted, that«more likely the life imitates art, rather than life art». There was an obviousstaging of behavior and a life, game began to define not only character of artculture, but also style of a life of its founders.
The silver age in Russian culture is not only painting andarchitecture of a modernist style, not only the symbolist theatre which hasembodied idea of synthesis of arts when over performance statement togetherwith directors and actors artists and composers worked, it and the symbolismliterature, and especially poetry which has entered into history of the worldliterature under the name «Silver age poetry». It is style of an epoch, a wayof life.
To make of the life a poem – a most important task which was putbefore themselves by heroes of the Silver age. So, symbolists, first of all,did not wish to separate the writer from the person, the literary biographyfrom the personal. Symbolism did not wish to be only a literary current, buttore to become vitally creative method. It was a number of attempts to findirreproachably true alloy of a life and creativity, some kind of aphilosophical stone of art.
Were in this aspiration and shady sides. Unduly pretentious speechand the gesticulation, a shocking suit, drugs, spirits – on the verge ofcenturies all it carried signs избранности and generated original snobbery.
The Literary and art bohemia sharply opposing to weight, searchednovelty, singularity, a sharpness of experiences. The magic, spiritism andtheosophy involved symbolists not only as a picturesque material for works ofart, but also as real ways of expansion of own spiritual horizons.
In Russia there was a new generation of literary and artintelligence; it considerably differed from generation of «six-foremen» notonly creative interests; external distinctions were striking also.
So, the uniform style which arisen in Russia and has become by asynonym of concept the Silver age, was really universal for – let for shortterm – it has captured not only all spheres of creativity, but also directlylife of people of an epoch «fin de siècle». Any big style is such.
The aesthetics of the Silver age of Russian culture in aggregatehas summed most different, often opposite directions, movements, brightauthor's finds up to many searches of classical aesthetic thought, especiallyin revealing of metaphysical essence aesthetic and artistry of art. Along withit, many thinkers, writers, artists, theorists of art of that time inatmosphere of crisis of Culture well felt with them and arts more or have lessunanimously come to conclusion about necessity of essential expansion of sphereof aesthetic experience for the frameworks limiting it in a classicalaesthetics. Have realized, that art in it новоевропейском understanding independent «graceful art» finishes the life, andthe artist should leave for its limits during a real life and there activelywork under aesthetic laws over its transformation. Today it is obvious, thatthe Silver age aesthetics is an aesthetics of great Utopias, an aestheticism,courageous and radical experiments and serious opening. Aesthetic experienceand aesthetic theories of that time stand at sources of many modern radicalprocesses in sphere of art practice and mark a stage of formation ofneoclassical and aesthetics which actively leave on explicit level in thebeginning of a new millennium.
The statement on a boundary of centuries of a priority of the artforms only indirectly reflecting a reality, was expressed in polarization ofart forces in the beginning of XX century: K. Malevich (suprematism), V. Kandinsky(abstractionism), Russian impressionists (K. Korovin, I. Grabar, V. Serov).There is a creative association «the art World» (its founders A. Benua and S. Dyagilev).Refusal of realism and утилитаризма XIX century, declaration of a way of the «pure art» released fromfetters of «public service» leave traces on painting. Ideals of service andharmony are expressed to beauty in creativity of members of association (K. Somova,B. Kustodieva, M. Dobuzhinskogo, L. Baksta, N. Reriha, V. Serova, M. Nesterov,I. Levitan). Merits of «the art World» were showed also in creation of the highlyartistic book drawing by it, a print of new criticism, wide publishing andexhibition activity.
Among Valentine Serov was closest to realistic tradition. Perhaps,it was most considerable of Russian portraitists of the Silver age. He createdportraits-pictures where the character is presented in active interaction withthe vital environment. And it the basic founder of a picturesque aesthetics.
To this principle there corresponds also one of its best works oflast period – a portrait of princess Olga Konstantinovny Orlovoj. Here all isconstructed on symmetry and the contrasts resulted, the truth, in certainharmony. So, the head and the case портретируемой are transferred is very volume, and feet are given by asilhouette, almost flat. The triangle in which the figure is entered, leansagainst a sharp corner; frames of pictures are aggressively aimed at a modelhead. However the quiet, absolutely confident look, framed with a huge hat, asthough stops sharp movements of subjects of a rich interior. Apparently, Серов ironically enoughconcerned to портретируемой.
Nikolay Roerich was not only the artist, but also the historian.Its interest to archeology is known also. It has found reflex ion in its art.The artist the Slavic pagan antiquity and early Christianity especiallyinterested. The inner world of people of the remote past, and their ability asif to be dissolved in the nature world is close to Roerich. Defining role inthe image is played by plan metric lines and local color stains.
Lion more than others, has come nearer to the European variant ofa modernist style. The flexible contour, the generalized treatment of the form,of color and plainness of the image testify to influence on such westernartists, as Edward Munch and others.
Konstantin Somov – one of the brightest artists of the Petersburgassociation «the art World». It was the master of refined color and the refineddrawing.
The picture «the Harlequin and the lady» is executed by the artistin several variants. In works of 1910th of Catfishes quite often repeats thesame composition methods and light effects. It is keen on art of XVIII century –«a gallant century». Characters of the Italian comedy of masks often appear inits pictures. Here again: a tree-side scene in the foreground, nearby thefigures of protagonists shined with fireworks, then a gleam in depth wheresmall silhouettes ряженых gentlemen and ladies fuss. Graceful theatre of art for art.
In all pictures of Borisov-Musatov finds expression romantic dreamof the fine harmony absolutely alien to modern it to the world. It was the truelyric poet, is thin feeling the nature, feeling the person with the nature.
«Reservoir», perhaps, the most perfect product of the artist. Allbasic motives of its creativity are present here: ancient park, «тургеневские girls»,the general static composition, the quiet color, raised «гобеленная»decorative effect… In images of heroines of «Reservoir» sister and the wife ofthe artist are embodied. In the masterpiece Borisov-Musatov managed torepresent a timeless condition. The neutral name «Reservoir» causes an image ofgeneral harmonious human unity – неразделенности, and the image turns to a sign demanding silent contemplation.
It is most indicative an image of «silver age» it was showed inthe literature. On the one hand, in products of writers steady traditions ofcritical realism remained. Tolstoy in last works of art lifted a problem ofresistance of the person to impenitent norms of a life («the Live corpse», «FatherSergy», «After ball»). The basic thought of publicist of Tolstoy – impossibilityto eliminate harm violence.
And. P. Chekhov these years has created plays «Three sisters» and «theCherry garden» in which has reflected important changes occurring in a society.
Socially pointed plots were in honor and at young writers. I.A. Bunininvestigated not only an outer side of the processes occurring in village(peasantry stratification, gradual dying off of nobility), but also andpsychological consequences of these phenomena, how they influenced souls ofRussian people («Village», «Waterless valley», a cycle of «country» stories). A.I. Kuprinhas shown the unattractive party of an army life: lawlessness of soldiers, опустошенность and inspirituality of «misters of officers» («Duel»). Reflexion in it of a life andproletariat struggle became one of the new phenomena in the literature. Theinitiator of this theme became And. M. Gorky («Enemies», «Mother»).
In the first decade of XX century the whole galaxy of talented «country»poets has come to Russian poetry – S.A. Yesenin, N.A. Klyuyev, S.A. Klychkov.
At the same time the voice showing the account to representativesof realism of new generation, realistic art protesting against a majorprinciple – the direct image of world around has started to sound. According toideologists of this generation, art, being synthesis of two opposite beginnings– a matter and spirit, is capable not only to «display», but also to «change» theexisting world, to create a new reality.
Founders of a new direction in art poets-symbolists, declared warto materialistic outlook, asserting, that belief, religion – a corner stone ofhuman life and art. They considered, that poets are allocated by ability tojoin the other-worldly world by means of art symbols. Originally symbolism hastaken the form of a decadence. By this term meant mood of decadence, melancholyand the hopelessness, sharply expressed individualism. These lines were peculiarK.D. Balmont, A.A. Bloka, V.J. Bryusov's to early poetry. After1909 there comes a new stage in symbolism development. It is painted inSlavophil tone, shows contempt for the «rationalistic» West, foretells destructionof the western civilization presented, including official Russia. At the sametime he addresses to spontaneous national forces, to Slavic язычеству, tries toget into depths of Russian soul and sees in Russian national life roots of «rebirth»of the country. These motives especially brightly sounded in Block creativity(poetic cycles «In the field Куликовом», «Native land») and A. Belogo («the Silver pigeon», «Petersburg»).Russian symbolism became the world scale phenomenon. The concept «silver age» isconnected with it, first of all.
As opponents of symbolists acted акмеисты (from греч. «акме» – the higher degree something, blossoming force). Theydenied mystical aspirations of symbolists, proclaimed self-value of a reallife, urged to return to words their primary sense, having released fromsymbolical interpretation. The basic criterion of an estimation of creativityfor акмеистов (N.S. Gumilev,A.A. Ahmatova, O.E. Mandelshtam) was faultless aesthetic taste,beauty and an art word And formalists clearly and accurately declared, thattheir morphological method of the analysis of art has arisen for studying ofartistry of art, i.e. for revealing of its aesthetic qualities. They have beenconvinced, that» литературность»,» poetry», i.e. the art essence of a work of art can be revealedonly by the morphological analysis of the work of art, instead of that, «reflexion» of that it is, who and under what conditions has created it, as itinfluences the recipient what has social, cultural, etc. value. Terms amaterial became the main things in them категориальном the device (everything of what the artist does product concernedit: a word, language in its ordinary use, thought, feelings, events, etc.) andthe form (that the artist in the course of creativity gives to a material).Product was called as a thing for it in understanding of formalists was notcreated or created as the classical aesthetics believed, but became by means ofsystem of receptions.
Russian art culture of the beginning of XX century tested alsoinfluence of the arisen in the West and captured avant-gardism which has arisenin the West all art forms. This current has incorporated the various artdirections which declared the rupture with traditional cultural values and haveproclaimed ideas of creation of «new art». Futurists (from an armor were brightrepresentatives of Russian avant-guard. Their poetry differed special attentionnot to the maintenance, and to the form of a poetic design. Programinstallations of futurists were guided by causing ant aesthetics. In theproducts they used vulgar lexicon, a professional slang, language of thedocument, the poster and the poster. Collections of verses of futurists carriedcharacteristic names: The slap in the face to public taste», the Dead Moon»,etc. the Russian futurism has been presented by several poetic groupings. Thebrightest names were collected by Petersburg group» Гилея» – V. Hlebnikov, V.V. Majakovsky,A.E. Kruchenyh, V.V. Kamensk. Collections of verses and I. Severjanina'spublic statements used stunning success.
The beginning of XX century is time of creative launch of greatRussian composers-innovators A.N. Skryabin, I.F. Stravinsky, S.I. Taneeva,With. V. Rakhmaninov. In the creativity they tried to be beyond traditionalclassical music, to create new musical forms and images.
Young directors A.A. Gorsky and M.I. Fokin in acounterbalance to an academism aesthetics have put forward a principleaccording to which full authors of performance became not only the balletmaster and the composer, but also the artist. Ballets Mountain and Фокина were put in K.A. Korovin'sscenery, A.N. Benua, L.S. Baksta, N.K. Roerich. Russian balletschool of «silver age» has given to the world a galaxy of brilliant dancers –A.T. Pavlovu, T.T. Karsavinu, V.F. Nizhinsky, etc.
Remarkable line of culture of the beginning of XX century of asteel of work of outstanding theatrical directors. K.S. Stanislavsky, thefounder of psychological actor's school, considered, that the theatre future – inprofound psychological realism, in the decision of most important tasks ofactor's transformation. V.E. Mejerhold conducted searches in the field oftheatrical convention, обобщенности, uses of elements of national buffoonery and theatre of masks. E.B. Vahtangovpreferred expressive, entertainment, joyful performances.
In the beginning of XX century all the tendency to connection ofvarious kinds of creative activity was more distinctly shown. At the head ofthis process there was «an art World», uniting in the numbers not only artists,but also poets, philosophers, musicians. In 1908–1913 With. P. Dyagilev hasorganized in Paris, London, Rome and other capitals of the Western Europe «Russianseasons», presented by ballet and opera performances, theatrical painting,music etc.
Art in the «Silver age» context is comprehended as result ofcreativity, and the artist – as by the God the selected conductor of thespiritual images expressed exclusively in the art form over which actionsdivine forces supervise. Art creativity was represented in the tideway of thisaesthetics by an ideal basis on which the human life and culture of the futureshould not only be under construction, but also to come to the end process ofcreation of the world by efforts of artists-creators. On the being art hererepresented innovative development of traditional Christian aesthetic values inaspect of their approach to a modern life and with orientation to spiritual, scientific,art searches and aspirations of the person of XX century.
The big role in development of an aesthetics of the Silver ageRussian symbolists have played. Symbolism has got strong national coloring atthe Andrey Belogo, Vyacheslav Ivanov, Alexander Bloka, Эллиса, etc. VyacheslavIvanov has been convinced, that essentially new stage of art creativity whenall arts will be united in a certain is art-religious mystery – originalsynthetic sacral action in which will accept active participation both theprepared actors, and all spectators comes nearer. The true artist-symbolist ofthe future, according to Ivanov, should realize creatively in itselfcommunication «with divine всеединством», go through a myth as event of personal experience and then toexpress it in the мистериальном creativity. For Andrey Belogo the essence and sense of art hadreligious coloring, and in теургии as overall objective of symbolism he saw return of art to sphereof religious activity on life transformation.
Representatives of «the art World» were united by two main ideas,two aesthetic tendencies: 1) Aspiration to return to its Russian art main, butquality thoroughly forgotten in XIX century – artistry to release it from anytendentiousness (social, religious, political, etc.) And to direct it to purelyaesthetic channel. From here the popular slogan in environment l'art pourl'art, beauty search in everything, aversion of ideology and art practice ofacademism and передвижничества, interest to romantic and symbolist tendencies in art. 2) Романтизация, поэтизация, Russiannational heritage, interest to a folk art, for what the main participants ofassociation have received in art circles a nickname «retrospective dreamers».Especially it differed K.A. Catfish and A.N. Benua, aspiring to revive andimmortalize in art a life of last centuries in its essence – beauty and «wonderfulmystery». And Roerich not without influence European, popular at that time andin Russia, has directed the spiritual look on the East and in its mysteriousancient wisdom has found what did not find on the European soil. In the textsRoerichs paid special attention to Beauty, Art, Culture as to the major andnecessary phenomena on a way of spiritual development.
The literature
1. Arnolds A.I. Civilisation of the future century. – М: «Graal», 2007.
2. M.N. Vechnye's thunders of value of Russian culture //Questions.– 2004. №1. 41–53.
3. Gurevich P.S. Cultural science. – М: Gardarika, 2000. – 280.
4. Emeljanov B.V. Russian Silver age philosophy: the Courseof lectures. – Ekaterinburg, 2005. – 320.