"Silver age" in Russian art
"Silver age" in Russian art
New style in Russian art has arisen in 80th of XIX century under
the big influence of the French impressionism. Its blossoming is noted by a
boundary XIX and ХХ centuries.
Within several decades after the decline (already by the end of
10th ХХ centuries the
modernist style in Russian art with which the Silver age associates, concedes
the predominating role to new directions) Silver age art was perceived as a
decadence and lack of taste.
But to vary by the end of the second millennium of an estimation
began more close. The matter is that exists two types of blossoming of
spiritual culture. For the first powerful innovations and great achievements
are characteristic. Vivid examples to that is Greek classics V–IV centuries BC
and especially European Renaissance.
In the middle of XIX century representatives of romanticism dreamt
of creation of uniform style which could surround the person with beauty and by
that to transform a life. Art means to change the world – such problem put
before 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 obvious
staging of behavior and a life, game began to define not only character of art
culture, but also style of a life of its founders.
The silver age in Russian culture is not only painting and
architecture of a modernist style, not only the symbolist theatre which has
embodied idea of synthesis of arts when over performance statement together
with directors and actors artists and composers worked, it and the symbolism
literature, and especially poetry which has entered into history of the world
literature under the name «Silver age poetry». It is style of an epoch, a way
of life.
To make of the life a poem – a most important task which was put
before themselves by heroes of the Silver age. So, symbolists, first of all,
did not wish to separate the writer from the person, the literary biography
from the personal. Symbolism did not wish to be only a literary current, but
tore to become vitally creative method. It was a number of attempts to find
irreproachably true alloy of a life and creativity, some kind of a
philosophical stone of art.
Were in this aspiration and shady sides. Unduly pretentious speech
and the gesticulation, a shocking suit, drugs, spirits – on the verge of
centuries all it carried signs избранности and generated original snobbery.
The Literary and art bohemia sharply opposing to weight, searched
novelty, singularity, a sharpness of experiences. The magic, spiritism and
theosophy involved symbolists not only as a picturesque material for works of
art, but also as real ways of expansion of own spiritual horizons.
In Russia there was a new generation of literary and art
intelligence; it considerably differed from generation of «six-foremen» not
only creative interests; external distinctions were striking also.
So, the uniform style which arisen in Russia and has become by a
synonym of concept the Silver age, was really universal for – let for short
term – it has captured not only all spheres of creativity, but also directly
life of people of an epoch «fin de siècle». Any big style is such.
The aesthetics of the Silver age of Russian culture in aggregate
has summed most different, often opposite directions, movements, bright
author's finds up to many searches of classical aesthetic thought, especially
in revealing of metaphysical essence aesthetic and artistry of art. Along with
it, many thinkers, writers, artists, theorists of art of that time in
atmosphere of crisis of Culture well felt with them and arts more or have less
unanimously come to conclusion about necessity of essential expansion of sphere
of aesthetic experience for the frameworks limiting it in a classical
aesthetics. Have realized, that art in it новоевропейском understanding independent «graceful art» finishes the life, and
the artist should leave for its limits during a real life and there actively
work under aesthetic laws over its transformation. Today it is obvious, that
the Silver age aesthetics is an aesthetics of great Utopias, an aestheticism,
courageous and radical experiments and serious opening. Aesthetic experience
and aesthetic theories of that time stand at sources of many modern radical
processes in sphere of art practice and mark a stage of formation of
neoclassical and aesthetics which actively leave on explicit level in the
beginning of a new millennium.
The statement on a boundary of centuries of a priority of the art
forms only indirectly reflecting a reality, was expressed in polarization of
art 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 from
fetters of «public service» leave traces on painting. Ideals of service and
harmony 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 highly
artistic book drawing by it, a print of new criticism, wide publishing and
exhibition activity.
Among Valentine Serov was closest to realistic tradition. Perhaps,
it was most considerable of Russian portraitists of the Silver age. He created
portraits-pictures where the character is presented in active interaction with
the vital environment. And it the basic founder of a picturesque aesthetics.
To this principle there corresponds also one of its best works of
last period – a portrait of princess Olga Konstantinovny Orlovoj. Here all is
constructed on symmetry and the contrasts resulted, the truth, in certain
harmony. So, the head and the case портретируемой are transferred is very volume, and feet are given by a
silhouette, almost flat. The triangle in which the figure is entered, leans
against a sharp corner; frames of pictures are aggressively aimed at a model
head. However the quiet, absolutely confident look, framed with a huge hat, as
though stops sharp movements of subjects of a rich interior. Apparently, Серов ironically enough
concerned 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 especially
interested. The inner world of people of the remote past, and their ability as
if to be dissolved in the nature world is close to Roerich. Defining role in
the image is played by plan metric lines and local color stains.
Lion more than others, has come nearer to the European variant of
a modernist style. The flexible contour, the generalized treatment of the form,
of color and plainness of the image testify to influence on such western
artists, as Edward Munch and others.
Konstantin Somov – one of the brightest artists of the Petersburg
association «the art World». It was the master of refined color and the refined
drawing.
The picture «the Harlequin and the lady» is executed by the artist
in several variants. In works of 1910th of Catfishes quite often repeats the
same 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 in
its pictures. Here again: a tree-side scene in the foreground, nearby the
figures of protagonists shined with fireworks, then a gleam in depth where
small silhouettes ряженых gentlemen and ladies fuss. Graceful theatre of art for art.
In all pictures of Borisov-Musatov finds expression romantic dream
of the fine harmony absolutely alien to modern it to the world. It was the true
lyric poet, is thin feeling the nature, feeling the person with the nature.
It is most indicative an image of «silver age» it was showed in
the literature. On the one hand, in products of writers steady traditions of
critical realism remained. Tolstoy in last works of art lifted a problem of
resistance of the person to impenitent norms of a life («the Live corpse», «Father
Sergy», «After ball»). The basic thought of publicist of Tolstoy – impossibility
to eliminate harm violence.
And. P. Chekhov these years has created plays «Three sisters» and «the
Cherry garden» in which has reflected important changes occurring in a society.
Socially pointed plots were in honor and at young writers. I.A. Bunin
investigated not only an outer side of the processes occurring in village
(peasantry stratification, gradual dying off of nobility), but also and
psychological consequences of these phenomena, how they influenced souls of
Russian people («Village», «Waterless valley», a cycle of «country» stories). A.I. Kuprin
has shown the unattractive party of an army life: lawlessness of soldiers, опустошенность and in
spirituality of «misters of officers» («Duel»). Reflexion in it of a life and
proletariat struggle became one of the new phenomena in the literature. The
initiator 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 representatives
of realism of new generation, realistic art protesting against a major
principle – the direct image of world around has started to sound. According to
ideologists of this generation, art, being synthesis of two opposite beginnings
– a matter and spirit, is capable not only to «display», but also to «change» the
existing world, to create a new reality.
Founders of a new direction in art poets-symbolists, declared war
to materialistic outlook, asserting, that belief, religion – a corner stone of
human life and art. They considered, that poets are allocated by ability to
join the other-worldly world by means of art symbols. Originally symbolism has
taken the form of a decadence. By this term meant mood of decadence, melancholy
and the hopelessness, sharply expressed individualism. These lines were peculiar
K.D. Balmont, A.A. Bloka, V.J. Bryusov's to early poetry. After
1909 there comes a new stage in symbolism development. It is painted in
Slavophil tone, shows contempt for the «rationalistic» West, foretells destruction
of the western civilization presented, including official Russia. At the same
time he addresses to spontaneous national forces, to Slavic язычеству, tries to
get 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» is
connected with it, first of all.
As opponents of symbolists acted акмеисты (from греч. «акме» – the higher degree something, blossoming force). They
denied mystical aspirations of symbolists, proclaimed self-value of a real
life, urged to return to words their primary sense, having released from
symbolical interpretation. The basic criterion of an estimation of creativity
for 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, that
their morphological method of the analysis of art has arisen for studying of
artistry of art, i.e. for revealing of its aesthetic qualities. They have been
convinced, that» литературность»,» poetry», i.e. the art essence of a work of art can be revealed
only by the morphological analysis of the work of art, instead of that, «reflex
ion» of that it is, who and under what conditions has created it, as it
influences the recipient what has social, cultural, etc. value. Terms a
material became the main things in them категориальном the device (everything of what the artist does product concerned
it: a word, language in its ordinary use, thought, feelings, events, etc.) and
the 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 not
created or created as the classical aesthetics believed, but became by means of
system of receptions.
Russian art culture of the beginning of XX century tested also
influence of the arisen in the West and captured avant-gardism which has arisen
in the West all art forms. This current has incorporated the various art
directions which declared the rupture with traditional cultural values and have
proclaimed ideas of creation of «new art». Futurists (from an armor were bright
representatives of Russian avant-guard. Their poetry differed special attention
not to the maintenance, and to the form of a poetic design. Program
installations of futurists were guided by causing ant aesthetics. In the
products they used vulgar lexicon, a professional slang, language of the
document, the poster and the poster. Collections of verses of futurists carried
characteristic names: The slap in the face to public taste», the Dead Moon»,
etc. the Russian futurism has been presented by several poetic groupings. The
brightest names were collected by Petersburg group» Гилея» – V. Hlebnikov, V.V. Majakovsky,
A.E. Kruchenyh, V.V. Kamensk. Collections of verses and I. Severjanina's
public statements used stunning success.
The beginning of XX century is time of creative launch of great
Russian composers-innovators A.N. Skryabin, I.F. Stravinsky, S.I. Taneeva,
With. V. Rakhmaninov. In the creativity they tried to be beyond traditional
classical music, to create new musical forms and images.
Young directors A.A. Gorsky and M.I. Fokin in a
counterbalance to an academism aesthetics have put forward a principle
according to which full authors of performance became not only the ballet
master and the composer, but also the artist. Ballets Mountain and Фокина were put in K.A. Korovin's
scenery, A.N. Benua, L.S. Baksta, N.K. Roerich. Russian ballet
school 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 a
steel of work of outstanding theatrical directors. K.S. Stanislavsky, the
founder of psychological actor's school, considered, that the theatre future – in
profound psychological realism, in the decision of most important tasks of
actor's transformation. V.E. Mejerhold conducted searches in the field of
theatrical convention, обобщенности, uses of elements of national buffoonery and theatre of masks. E.B. Vahtangov
preferred expressive, entertainment, joyful performances.
In the beginning of XX century all the tendency to connection of
various kinds of creative activity was more distinctly shown. At the head of
this process there was «an art World», uniting in the numbers not only artists,
but also poets, philosophers, musicians. In 1908–1913 With. P. Dyagilev has
organized in Paris, London, Rome and other capitals of the Western Europe «Russian
seasons», presented by ballet and opera performances, theatrical painting,
music etc.
Art in the «Silver age» context is comprehended as result of
creativity, and the artist – as by the God the selected conductor of the
spiritual images expressed exclusively in the art form over which actions
divine forces supervise. Art creativity was represented in the tideway of this
aesthetics by an ideal basis on which the human life and culture of the future
should not only be under construction, but also to come to the end process of
creation of the world by efforts of artists-creators. On the being art here
represented innovative development of traditional Christian aesthetic values in
aspect 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 age
Russian symbolists have played. Symbolism has got strong national coloring at
the Andrey Belogo, Vyacheslav Ivanov, Alexander Bloka, Эллиса, etc. Vyacheslav
Ivanov has been convinced, that essentially new stage of art creativity when
all arts will be united in a certain is art-religious mystery – original
synthetic sacral action in which will accept active participation both the
prepared actors, and all spectators comes nearer. The true artist-symbolist of
the future, according to Ivanov, should realize creatively in itself
communication «with divine всеединством», go through a myth as event of personal experience and then to
express it in the мистериальном creativity. For Andrey Belogo the essence and sense of art had
religious coloring, and in теургии as overall objective of symbolism he saw return of art to sphere
of 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, but
quality thoroughly forgotten in XIX century – artistry to release it from any
tendentiousness (social, religious, political, etc.) And to direct it to purely
aesthetic channel. From here the popular slogan in environment l'art pour
l'art, beauty search in everything, aversion of ideology and art practice of
academism and передвижничества, interest to romantic and symbolist tendencies in art. 2) Романтизация, поэтизация, Russian
national heritage, interest to a folk art, for what the main participants of
association have received in art circles a nickname «retrospective dreamers».
Especially it differed K.A. Catfish and A.N. Benua, aspiring to revive and
immortalize in art a life of last centuries in its essence – beauty and «wonderful
mystery». And Roerich not without influence European, popular at that time and
in Russia, has directed the spiritual look on the East and in its mysterious
ancient wisdom has found what did not find on the European soil. In the texts
Roerichs paid special attention to Beauty, Art, Culture as to the major and
necessary 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 Course
of lectures. – Ekaterinburg, 2005. – 320.