Abstract: The subject of the study is to identify the peculiarities in solving the plots of church painting of individual representatives of the religious-national trend of the turn of the XIX - XX centuries. The purpose is to show the development of national trends of Russian monumental church art by the founders of the religious-national trend on the examples of the work of V. M.Vasnetsov, M. V. Nesterov, M.A. Vrubel and artists M. M. Vasiliev, A. P. Blaznov, L. A. Pyanovsky, K. S. Petrov-Vodkin, F. R. Raylian, to identify similarities and differences in the manner and in the transmission of images and compositions, as well as to substantiate the significance of these differences for art history. The basis of art criticism research is the formal stylistic method of G. Velflin, the iconographic method of N. P. Kondakov, the iconological method of E. Panofsky; the method of phenomenological analysis of the aesthetic perception of the artistic work of V. V. Bychkov and G. K. Wagner.
Comparative analysis of murals by artists M. M. Vasiliev, A. P. Blaznov, L. A. Pyanovsky, F. R. Raylian, K. S. Petrov-Vodkin in comparison with the work of representatives of the "Vasnetsov school" allowed us to see the development of the national style in art, from an abstract-figurative understanding to a conscious spiritual-symbolic interpretation of church painting of the Middle Ages and pre-Petrine Russia as an integral artistic phenomenon of the religious-national trend. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the example of the artists of the "Vasiliev circle" revealed a kind of overcoming of one of the main problems of the iconographic image, which consists in maintaining a delicate balance of life-likeness and ideality. In their works, in the context of interpretation, the measure of realism of the image is traced, in which the spiritual content can be embodied in a material form without losing its sacred content, which is a valuable example for modern artists who set themselves the task of creating images without copying, but remaining in the canon.

Abstract: In this research Feschenko pays special attention to specific features of icon-painting images as part of researching spiritual and creative transformations in the history of icon-paining and deviations from the canonical painting tradition. Based on the objectives of the research, the author presents a thesis that all changes in the ideological structure of art in a sacral space of a temple inevitably leads to the general decline. According to the author, the integrity of the temple organisation as it was formed in Byzantine Empire and oriented at the unity of all its elements including architecture, painting, decorations and the liturgical process started to fail by the second half of the 19th century. Successive integration of the secular into the religious art distorted the essential mission of the church which made paintings be more illustrative and eclectical and weakened religious spirits in the society.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of Neo Byzantium art in relation to the philosophical-religious environment at the tun of the XIXth and the XXth centuries. The main purpose of the research is to describe parallels and contradictions that can be found in researches of the leading philosophers of those times (V. Soloviev, V. Ivanov, S. Bulgakov, P. Florensky and N. Berdyaev) and to compare their views with the religious-national themes in the art of their contemporaries such as V. Vasnetsov, M. Nesterov and M. Vrubel. The subject of the research is the causes of the decline of religiosity in the society against the background of the uprise of philosophy and religion and ideology of art. The method of the comparative analysis of researches by religious philosophers of the turn of the XIXth and the XXth centuries with reference to religious art is being viewed from the point of view of the teachings of the church and representatives of true historical Christianity. Having analyzed various views of religious philosophers on the nature and purpose of theurgic creativity, the author of the article concludes that from the point of view of terminology it would be more reasonable to look at theurgy from the point of view of the medieval theological-philosophical idea of synergy. When being applied to art, this concept has the two elements that are equally important, the element of human ascension and the element of God's descent. This approach allows to better understand the spiritual essence of icon-painting and gives an opportunity to better formulate a universal definition of free spiritual art for all the time. 

Abstract: The subject of this study are temple paintings, drawn in neo-Byzantine style in the late XIX - early XX century by M.M. Vasiliev. Master's artistic original is unique among pictural samples presented to the Byzantine mode of execution. This work is supposed integral to shed light on biographical facts and stages of the creative path of the artist, as well by the examples of some works of art, to conduct analysis of the features brushwork by M.M. Vasilyev in comparison with samples of neo-Byzantine style in the works of V.M. Vasnetsov.Based on the undeniable Spirit-bearing samples temple painting Byzantine X-XII centuries and their social and artistic significance, research methodology of this study is a comparative analysis of the painting MM Vasilyev style neo-Byzantine style, generated by V.M. Vasnetsov. Critical appraisal of these artists works will contribute to the identification of essentially ideological importance and the effectiveness of their approaches of mode of execution wich are necessary for the upliftment of the society within the temple environment. The result of investigation of neo-Byzantine style of painting is supposed to separate M.M. Vasiliev creative approach from the conventional concept of "Vasnetsov school", as between them there are fundamental differences in the interpretation of images and compositions. Also, it seems appropriate to define a circle collaborated with M.M. Vasiliev, artists, which includes A.P. Blaznov, F.M. Vahrushev, F.R. Railean, L.A. Pyanovsky et al.Mural temples accomplished with Vasiliev, marked by deep penetration into the medieval image. Without departing from current trends, the master saves ideological Vasnetsov national direction, simultaneously breaking, subordinating and an introduction to the idea of communion with God Nouveau style. For contemporary art is genuine, what distinguishes painting Vasiliev and artists of his circle, can be a, figuratively speaking, the ragged ends of the thread, which stretched to the modern religious art, it will be possible to revive the friendly, lively, creative language of temple imagery, nwithout philosophize and not mindlessly copying but creating freely and truely.