Abstract: The subject of the study is the totality of the main stages of artistic cultural exchange between Beijing and Moscow from the 1950s to the present. The object of the study is the historical process of artistic and cultural exchange between Beijing and Moscow from the 1950s to the present. The article examines the period of educational activity of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, where special attention is paid to the contribution of Konstantin Methodievich Maksimov to the development of art in China in the 1950s. Topical issues of cultural policy and mutual understanding in the field of art between the two countries are discussed, as well as the impact of these events on strengthening relations. The author focuses on the importance of the "Festivals of Art and Culture" held in Moscow and Beijing after the reform and opening of China, which became an important catalyst for dialogue between artists and cultural institutions. The research methodology is presented by publications of Russian and Chinese scientists, which were analyzed for theoretical material relevant to the topic of this article. The article opens up new perspectives for further study of the periodization of artistic cultural exchange between Beijing and Moscow. The author believes that China's initiatives on reform and openness policy have proved to be a driving force for deepening cultural interaction, which has reached new heights. As part of this process, many events and festivals have been organized aimed at cultural rapprochement between the two States. The consequence of these events was the fact that the 2024-2025s. They have been declared the Years of Culture of Russia and China, which, undoubtedly, must be taken into account in order to further continue the description of the periods of artistic exchange.

Keywords: Stages of art development, travelling exhibitions of artists, joint exhibitions, cultural festivals, contemporary art, relations in art, 21st century art, Beijing artists, Moscow artists, cultural exchange

Abstract: The subject of the study is the flower still life of the Middelburg masters in the first half of the 17th century. The object of the study is the art of still life in the context of the Zeeland's capital economic and geograpical development. The author examines the geographical features of the city of Middelburg and introduces the reader to the environment in which the still lifes were created. Particular attention is paid to the influence of Flemish immigrants who raised the city's economy to a new level. Artists from the Spanish Netherlands significantly enriched the artistic environment of the city. The author focuses on the flower still life – a type that was prominent in Middelburg. The article examines the works of as Ambrosius Bosschaert and Balthasar van der Ast. The methodology is based on biographical and historical methods – emphasis is placed on the geographical features of the city, which invariably became factors that shaped the features of art. The article also uses the formal-stylistic method for analyzing still lifes. The author takes into consideration the regional school of flower still life in the 17th century. In Middelburg, the development of this type is associated with a love of gardening, the emergence of widespread public interest in natural science phenomena and a passion for collecting. The artists reflect the incredible attachment of the inhabitants of Middelburg to their city and the sea. This true love is reflected not only in poetry, but also in works of art. In the still lifes of Middelburg artists Bosschaert the Elder and van der Ast, fidelity to the sea and the elements is expressed in the image of sea shells in flower still lifes. This motif appears as a result of numerous creative and geographical processes on the territory of the city.

Keywords: gardening, collecting, Zeeland, Balthasar vander Ast, Ambrosius Bosschaert, shells, sea, Middelburg, Dutch art, flower still life

Abstract: Alongside with personification of Russia, there are other state personifications in Russian art, including Genius of Russia. Despite some interest to this figure (V.M. Faibisovich), its iconography has not yet been comprehensively analyzed. Appearance of “Genius of the Russian Empire” in the ballet “The New Argonauts” (1770) by Gasparo Angiolini allows us to assume that this personification became widespread in Russian art in the second half of the 18th century. In the article, this personification is examined on materials of artworks and performances of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Western European context. Geniuses are good guardian spirits of individuals, or territories, or countries. Geniuses were represented as puttos, young men or women, typically winged, sometimes with flames on their hair. Genius of Russia could have miscellaneous attributes: a golden scepter, a coat of arms (or sometimes he could have been accompanied by an eagle – a heraldic animal), a cornucopia, a palm branch, Hercules’ club, a sword. Genius of Russia acquired great significance in the early 19th century in connection with the Patriotic War of 1812. There are two fundamental variations of his iconography: a winged (or sometimes wingless, but hovering) personification in antique dress and a half-naked, armed warrior with an ancient Russian helmet (“as Slavic vityaz”). The latter variety at the beginning of the 19th century was associated with the theme of glorification of the Russian Empire and presented in projects of medals by A.N. Olenin (1817) commemorating the Patriotic War, and existed in theatrical performances. The image of Genius of the Russian Empire “as Slavic vityaz” was most in demand at the beginning of the 19th century; subsequently, an image of Vityaz (Bogatyr) became widespread in Russian art.

Keywords: theatre, Russian art, XIXth century art, XVIIIth century art, Russian Genius, Genius of the Russian Empire, Genius of Russia, figures of geniuses of countries, figure of genius, allegory

Abstract: The article "The originality of Chinoiserie-style garden architecture in England in the XVIII century" explores the development and specifics of Chinoiserie style in the landscape architecture of England. Chinoiserie style refers to the use of Chinese motifs and stylistic techniques in European architecture. The aim of the work is to identify the specifics of the arrangement of English gardens and parks in the Chinoiserie style. The subject of the study is the stylistic features of the embodiment of Chinoiserie gardens and parks. The object of the study is parks and garden architecture in the Chinoiserie style in England. The study covers the 18th century, revealing the contribution of individual architects and the influence of Chinese art on the development of garden architecture. The presented analysis demonstrates how architectural styles of Western and Eastern culture can mix. English gardens and parks are evidence of the influence of Chinese aesthetics on landscape gardening, which later spread to continental Europe. In the course of the research, the following methods were mainly used: historical, historical-genetic, historical-comparative. In the study of specific objects of landscape architecture, methods of art criticism analysis were applied — formal, stylistic and comparative methods. The article examines specific English monuments of landscape architecture of the XVIII century taken as examples the Chinoiserie style. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the features of the Chinoiserie style in the landscape architecture of England were highlighted and a comparison of English architectural objects in the Chinoiserie style with Chinese analogues was carried out. The conducted research revealed the English specifics in the approach to interpreting Chinese designs of gardens and parks and architectural projects in the XVIII century. English gardeners and architects were inspired by Chinese aesthetics and used oriental elements for decoration, but did not follow all architectural canons and traditions. This gave rise to a new Chinoiserie style, a combination of Chinese and European landscape art that spread throughout Europe.

Keywords: eclecticism, analysis, architecture, landscape, parks, gardens, style, England, China, Chinoiserie

Abstract: Personifications of territories are a part of rich allegorical language of the Baroque, which entered Russian art in the XVIII century. The personification of Russia attracted attention of researchers, but personifications of the territories of the Russian Empire has been so far largely ignored. In the paper allegorical figures of the territories of the Russian Empire are examined on the material of various kinds of art and with the use of information from printed publications (Honoré Lacombe de Prézel’s "Dictionnaire iconologique, ou introduction à la connoissance des peintures, sculptures, médailles, estampes...", descriptions of court celebrations). Personifications embody both administrative units (cities, fortresses, and viceroyalties) and historical ones, namely the Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, and Moscow kingdoms. The latter had the highest status and were of the greatest importance. The article offers analysis of iconography of the personifications of the territories of the Russian Empire, which in most of the cases was a variation of the iconography of the personification of Russia. The main distinguishing feature of such figures was their coat of arms. Unlike personification of the Russian Empire, which always appeared in chaste attire, personifications of territories could be represented semi-naked. Attributes of power, i.e. crowns and royal robes, belonged only to the most significant of them, namely personifications of kingdoms or viceroyalties. Personifications of the kingdoms appeared in works in honour of the events that were paramount for the Russian Empire. Other personifications of territories (historical regions, cities, fortresses) usually appeared in art on the occasion of an addition of territory or in utilitarian objects (maps).

Keywords: Russian art, The Siberian Kingdom, The Astrakhan Kingdom, The Kazan Kingdom, personification of the Russian Empire, territories of the Russian Empire, personification, allegory, the art of the eighteenth century, personifications of territories

Abstract: The subject of this article is the study of the work of the famous Chinese master of folk crafts Ku Shulan (1920-2004), which demonstrates the trends in the modern development of the Chinese folk art of paper cutting (jianzhi). Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the collage technique of Ku Shulan, the identification of its creative method, the features of the technological process, the formal-stylistic and figurative-symbolic content of the carved paintings. The paper analyzes one of the most famous works of Qu Shulan "The Goddess of Paper Cutting", which demonstrates the characteristic features of her author's style. The key methods used in this study are historical-cultural, historical-comparative, and historical-biographical, which made it possible to show the work of Ku Shulan in the context of traditional jianzhi art. Also, to study the creative method of Ku Shulan and identify the figurative and symbolic specificity of the work under consideration, formal-stylistic and semiotic analysis was used. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that a detailed analysis of the technological process of creating works according to the method of Ku Shulan is carried out, revealing the specifics of her work with the jianzhi technique and the creative method itself. On the basis of the traditional technique of paper cutting, Ku Shulan created her own technology – she added collage, cutting, gluing and lining, thereby opening up new opportunities for the development of the art of jianzhi. The main conclusion of the study is that in the context of modern globalization, the art of paper cutting by Ku Shulan acts as a rich source of ideas for the preservation, development and popularization of Jianzhi folk art both in China and in the world.

Keywords: color in jianzhi, Goddess Jianzhi, Chinese Buddhist Symbolism, collage, traditional art, paper cutting, jianzhi, ornament in jianzhi, creative method of Ku Shulan, Ku Shulan

Abstract: In this article, the author analyzes the Portuguese colonial architecture in the countries of South Asia in the period from the XVI to XVIII centuries. The author examines the military, civil and religious architecture built by the Portuguese during their presence in the South Asian colonies. Special attention is paid to the Portuguese colonial architecture of India (especially Goa) and Macau. Buildings in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and other former Portuguese colonies in South Asia are also considered. The author studies the process of formation and features of a special Portuguese colonial style in military (fortification), civil and religious (cult) architecture. The features in the design, decoration, as well as building materials of buildings are revealed. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time the samples of Portuguese colonial architecture in South Asia and their architectural features were comprehensively considered. The main conclusions of this study are the following. Firstly, on the one hand, the European architectural tradition has enriched the culture of the South Asian region. At the same time, different types of buildings show different degrees of influence. Secondly, on the other hand, Portuguese colonial architecture in South Asia itself has undergone significant changes under the influence of local cultural and climatic factors. Many of the changes made to classical European building designs were dictated by the weather and climatic features of the area. The choice of material was dictated by climatic and geological features. The culture of local civilizations also influenced the decoration and decoration of Portuguese buildings.

Keywords: China, Portugal, Thailand, Macau, Malaysia, India, mannerism, Portuguese colonial style, Jesuit baroque, colonial architecture

Abstract: The subject of the study is the peculiarities of carving of the iconostasis wooden sculpture of the XVIII century, made by the masters of Veliky Ustyug, as well as local artisans under their influence. The purpose of the work is to attribute and introduce into scientific circulation - iconostasis wooden sculpture, four figures of angels from the collection of the Slobodsky Museum and Exhibition Center. The paper makes an assumption about the source of receipt and origin of the sculpture, as well as a comparative analysis with Velikoustyuzhsky and Perm iconostasis carvings and wooden plastics. The wooden iconostasis sculpture, while preserving the traditions of Russian Orthodox art, absorbs the features of European art, while at the same time it corresponds to folk art and reflects the features of the Baroque style in local variants. The methodology of the work is based on the principle of stylistic and technological analysis in art history, as well as the principle of historicism in the study of wooden plastics in the context of the development of art in the Russian North. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that four monuments of wooden plastics of the XVIII century from the collection of the Slobodsky Museum are introduced into scientific circulation, their detailed description and stylistic analysis are made. Two paired figures of angels were in the iconostasis and held a frame with a Crucifix, were made by Ustyug craftsmen in the first half of the XVIII century. Two other figures of angels in prayer were made by local craftsmen at the end of the XVIII century, under the influence of Ustyug masters. Further study of the collection of church art of the Slobodsky Museum will allow make reconstructions of the interiors of temples for the museum exposition.

Keywords: velikoustyuzhskaya wooden sculpture, perm wooden sculpture, Baroque, wood carving, wooden sculpture, iconostasis, church art, primitive, folk art, churches of Sloboda county

Abstract: The subject of the study is the design of the Jesuit Church of St. Paul in Macau, built in 1602-1640. The plan and design of the temple are typical of the Jesuit churches of Europe, but the decoration is distinctive, which manifested a new strategy of the Jesuits. The focus of the publication is on the decor of the preserved western facade, combining both European Christian symbols and images, as well as Chinese and Japanese. The article shows how the Jesuits introduced the Christian doctrine into the consciousness of the inhabitants through the pictorial series familiar to the local population, seeking its speedy dissemination. The project of the church belongs to European masters, and local sculptors worked on the decoration. The novelty of the research lies in considering not only the historical aspects of the expansion of the influence of the Jesuit Order in the territories of the Far East in general, in China and Macau in particular, but also the artistic aspects, which is important, since art was an important tool for the Jesuits in promoting Christianity, especially in the era of the Counter-Reformation, after the Council of Trent. The main conclusion of the study is that the facade is a retablo of the Church of St. St. Paul's in Macau is a kind of doctrinal synthesis in stone: through images and inscriptions in Chinese and Latin, knowledge about Catholic doctrine and the basics of Christian teaching is transmitted to local residents.

Keywords: Jesuit architecture, buddhist symbols, architectural decor, chinese images, christian symbols, syncretism of traditions, architecture of Macau, the art of China, missionary methods, Francis Xavier

Abstract: The subject of the study is the thematic and iconographic directions of the negative interpretation of the image of an anarchist in the printed culture of the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. The object of the study is graphic works published in periodicals of various ideological trends and devoted to the representation of the image of an anarchist. Three main directions of such interpretation are identified and described, namely, the criminal-terrorist, the mentally ill and the immigrant, whose iconographic features are analyzed in the light of socio-political and historical-cultural conditions of each specific context. Among the reviewed publications should be mentioned: L'Assiette au beurre, Le Petit Journal (France), Freie Jugend (Germany), Het Volk (Netherlands), La Obra, El Peludo (Argentina), Star (New Zealand) and The Washington Post (USA).   The scientific novelty of the work consists in the fact that for the first time in modern art criticism, the process of forming the negative archetype of an anarchist is considered and analyzed on the basis of its graphic representation. Thus, a methodological basis is being created for studying the types of classification of the anarchist image. The methods used in the work are as follows: source studies, iconographic, artistic and stylistic analysis. The results of the study reveal the specifics of one of the interpretations of the image of an anarchist of the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, which has its roots in both right and left political trends, whose approaches to anarchism are based on socio-legal and medical sciences, among which criminology stands out. The latter, led by Cesare Lombroso, played a primary place in the mythologization, which is still active today, of the image of an anarchist as a carrier of chaos.

Keywords: mentally ill, the criminal is a terrorist, iconographic directions, graphic art, anarchist periodicals, the image of an anarchist, immigrant, criminology, turn of the century, anarchist history of art

Abstract: The relevance of this article lies in the fact that design, as a phenomenon of project activity, is one of the leading areas of project culture of the XXI century, but despite this, in modern art and design activities, gender inequality in the implementation of creative projects can be observed. This contradicts the equality declared by the European society. A similar situation has existed since the very beginning of design as a special sphere of human activity. Consideration of this issue from the cultural, cultural and historical side will reveal the structural relationship between the stated principles and the reality of gender policy in the field of design. The purpose of this work is to highlight and systematize the main contribution of women artists, Bauhaus designers to the development of design in general. The object of the study is the gender policy of the Bauhaus school. The subject of the research is the artistic, craft and artistic — project activities of female students and teachers of the Bauhaus School. The authors consider the Bauhaus in the socio-cultural aspect of gender policy, identify the personalities of women, analyze and structure their contribution to the development of art.Having examined the Bauhaus school in the socio-cultural aspect of gender policy, the authors revealed that despite the declared gender equality, women were limited in their activities and rights. Based on the data obtained, the authors revealed the dependence of women's education in the Bauhaus, firstly, on the school course dictated by the leadership, and secondly, on the political and economic processes taking place at that time in the country and in the world as a whole. The authors highlighted the personalities of Bauhaus women, such as Gunta Stelzl, Annie Albers, Marianne Brandt, Gertrude Arndt, and also revealed their role in shaping design as a non-gender profession.

Keywords: the role of women, women, the right to study, equal opportunities, gender equality, artistic design, school, Bauhaus, women's workshops, textile workshops

Abstract: The concentration of research attention on the construction of an artistic form is a necessary part of the study of monuments of fine art. This article is devoted to the artistic analysis of the iconography of the Crucifixion by the example of considering several monuments of ancient Russian painting of the late XV - early XVI centuries. The studied paintings are the reference works of the heyday of Russian icon painting art. They are distinguished by the good preservation of the author's pictorial layer, which allows to fully analyze the art form. The fundamentals of the methodology in this study are the historical approach, formal-stylistic and comparative analyses. The article draws attention to the distinctive properties of the composition of the paintings, searches for an iconographic source, analyzes the relationship between changes in composition and semantic content of the painting. Focusing on a certain iconography allows to reveal the character of a particular image, to reveal its artistic uniqueness. With such an integrated approach, it becomes possible to present the interpretation of the plot and the history of the creation of the icon image. Author compares the iconography created within one decade to another, one artistic tradition or school to another. As a result of the research, a specific feature of ancient Russian painting is revealed - following a narrow iconographic tradition or artistic school does not limit the artistic interpretation and independence.

Keywords: artistic tradition, Dionysius, architectonics, iconography, artistic image, compositional construction, ancient Russian painting, icon, The Savior, Crucifixion

Abstract: The object of this study is the representation of the plot of the knight's novel "Iwein or the Knight with the Lion" in Western European art of the XIII-XIV centuries. The subject of the study is the features of the visual language of secular medieval art, which manifested themselves in various visual representations of this plot. The purpose of this work was to identify similarities and differences in the structure of various iconographic programs created on the basis of this novel in the period under review, to analyze the dependence of the visual interpretation of the text on the functional purpose of the monument (illuminated manuscripts and monumental murals), as well as to compare the existing visual representations of the history of Yvaine with the structure of the literary plot itself. The main research methods in this work are the methods of iconographic and iconological analysis, involving the identification of relationships between the images of the iconographic program of monuments and literary subjects on which these programs are based. The novelty of the work consists in identifying the structural features of the iconographic programs of the monuments under consideration, their similarities and differences from the programs of the religious content of the era under consideration, which is important for understanding the overall picture of the development of the visual language of Western medieval art of the XIII-XIV centuries. As a result of the conducted research, it is concluded that the considered secular programs are significantly inferior in their structural complexity to programs of a religious nature, most of them represent a visual interpretation of the plot intended to demonstrate and glorify the traditional lifestyle of the knightly estate and entertainment, and only one of the considered iconographic programs of this period has a complicated structure closest to the basic one It can be considered, as well as the text of the poems of Chretien de Troyes and Hartmann von Aue, in the context of understanding its religious basis.

Keywords: illuminated manuscripts, program structure, the theological basis, frescoes, Rodenegg, The Lion Knight, visualization, interpretation, Schmalkalden, iconographic program

Abstract: The subject of the study is the reaction of Colombian artists to the events that took place in the country on April 9, 1948 and were one of the most important milestones in the modern history of Colombia and the history of art of this country. On that day, peaceful Bogota was involved in an unprecedented civil uprising in Colombian history, the consequences of which affected all spheres of life of Colombian society. For art, this uprising also became a turning point in its development. Changes have taken place in all areas of fine art: there has been a pronounced social problem, there has been a break with academism and, of course, since the events of Bogotaso, the critical position of artists in relation to the phenomena of socio-political life in Colombia has received its vivid expression. This paper analyzes the paintings of key artists of the history of Colombian art: Enrique Grau and Alejandro Obregona. The works in question reflect the events of the fateful day for the country on April 9, 1948, interpreting the facts of this tragedy in their own way, and affirm the importance of the artist's socially critical position in society. Methodologically, this is a work with a comprehensive approach, including cultural-historical, iconographic, artistic-stylistic analysis of works. The novelty of the research lies in the study of the reaction of artists to political and social repression in Colombia, as well as in the study of the dizzying political and social changes that occurred after the events of Bogotaso in 1948 and influenced the development of the "critical art" of Colombia up to the present day.

Keywords: Enrique Grau, avant-garde in Colombia, Alejandro ObregГіn, Colombian History, Bogotaso, Repression in Colombia, twentieth century art, Critical Art, Latin American art, Art in Colombia

Abstract: The subject of this research is the theme of violence in Colombian art as a reflection of political and social conflicts in the country. Political, economic and social problems in the history of Colombia of the XX century are closely intertwined, resulting in a complicated situation of coups d’état and terror, which affects different types of art in the country and representatives of the cultural elite. The conflict that stretches since the early XX century is reflected in the Colombian architecture and painting. It is depicted as rather conservatism and alienation from the constituency in architecture, and from the critical perspective in painting. The projects of the Palace of Justice are taken as an example of the changes in architecture. Trends in the visual arts are revealed in the works of Beatriz Gonzalez and Doris Salcedo. One of the central events in the political and social history of Colombia of the XX century – 1985 Palace of Justice siege – has found a special place in their art. The novelty of this research lies in using the comparative method of analysis. This is the first Russian-language research to draw the parallel between the architectural changes in the projects of the Palace of Justice in Bogota and the impact of the events of November 6 and 7, 1985 upon Colombian painting based on the works of the two remarkable Colombian artists. It is established that different types of art show different response to the political and social disturbances that take place in the country. This is substantiated by differentiation of the political-social order in various types of art.

Keywords: colombian history, art in Colombia, peace process, latin American art, enforced disappearance, art and violence, Palace of Justice siege, partisans, Beatriz Gonzalez, Doris Salcedo

Abstract: The subject of this research is the theme of violence in Colombia in the works of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, mainly of the XX century. Attention is given to determination of the prerequisites for the emergence of the theme of violence in his painting. For this purpose, analysis is conducted on the indirect presence of this theme in Botero’s works since the very beginning of his career to paintings of mature and later periods. It is demonstrated that the artist approached the reflection of the theme of violence from different perspectives, depicting massacres, tortures, death, and involuntary relocation. The article employs the method based on iconographic analysis of the artist’s works, as well as artistic and stylistic analysis. The scientific novelty lies in examination of the topic relevant to the culture and history of the Latin American country, revealed in the works of Fernando Botero, who distanced himself from comprehension of art as resistance throughout his entire career. The author concludes that the Botero’s paintings may be called a form of depicting the slaughterous history of the country, without adherence of the painter to any political or party ideology. The manner used by Botero in the series “Violence in Colombia” is identical the artist resorts to throughout his career, which leads to distortion and caricaturing of the artistic form, in combination with the tragedy of storylines, which aggravates the dramatic character of the chosen themes. The works of Botero of the late XX century are of invaluable cultural value for Colombia.

Keywords: Goya, history of Colombia, Fernando Botero, theme of violence, avant-garde art, art of Latin America, art of Colombia, Picasso, tragic in art, artistic tradition

Abstract: The subject of this research is Flemish painting the XVII century in the spiritual and cultural context of the Counter-Reformation, which created remarkable decorative and religious images to counter the iconoclastic trends of the Reformation movement. The object of this research is Flemish paintings of the Baroque Period of the XVII century with flower garlands edging the central image of Madonna. Special attention is given to the variety of iconographic patterns of the image of Virgin Mary framed in a flower garland, which was widely popular in painting of the Baroque period. Some artists use the pattern of “painting in a painting”; others imitate sculpture, the color of which accentuates the brightness of garlands. The article employs iconographic, iconological, and artistic methods, as well as stylistic analysis. The scientific novelty consists in proving the fact that Virgin Mary appears in painting not only as an individual image, but in paintings of flower garlands as well. The acquired results demonstrate that in the XVII centuries, the artists used different iconographic patterns for creating the image of Virgin Mary. The masters were able to combine different types of flowers, reaching the harmony of floral motifs and balancing them with the image of Madonna. The artists demonstrated the beauty of flower garlands by adding different living creatures in their paintings, such as birds and animals, to make them look more colorful, peaceful and vibrant. Thanks to these works, the image of Madonna remained extremely revered in the XVII century.

Keywords: Jan Bruegel the Elder, painting of the seventeenth century, religious painting, flower garlands, Flemish painting, image of the Mother of God, Daniel Seghers, Nicholas van Verendael, Flemish artists, baroque painting

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the relevant problem of art history, and determines the degree of impact of the traditions of the Soviet Academy of Art History upon the art education of the People's Republic of China. The fundamental role in this process is assigned to the Chinese students who studied in I. E. Repin Leningrad State Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of the USSR Academy of Arts during the 1950s – 1960s, as well as their pedagogues and academic advisors. The article analyzes the stenographic materials of state attestation of the four Chinese students of the faculty of Theory and History of Art, who defended their theses in 1959 and 1960. The novelty of this research lies in the fact that the the materials of the Scientific Archive of the Russian Academy of Arts that were not previously used in scientific discourse, namely work with the stenographic materials of state attestation of the selected students, reveal certain peculiarities of art history and art education of the People's Republic of China, description of the tradition of the Soviet Academy of Art History and its impact upon the Chinese education at the turn of the 1950s – 1960s. The Chinese graduates of I. E. Repin Leningrad State Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture have later continued the traditions of the Soviet Academy of Art History, and laid the foundation for education of the future generations of specialists in the field of art. The conducted research determines several relevant trends of the Soviet School that influenced the development of Chinese art history.

Keywords: Art history Traditions, Academic school Traditions, Soviet school Traditions, Soviet art school, Soviet-Chinese relations, Chinese art education, Art education, Chinese education, Academy of Arts, Leningrad Academy

Abstract: In view of female portrait of the turn of the XIX – XX centuries, which stylistically belongs to “salon” painting of the Russian Art Nouveau, the authors analyzes the two works by the artists of “The World of Art” association – the portrait of Elena Olive by Konstantin Somov (1914) and the portrait of Marina Makovskaya by Alexander Golovin (1912). Both portraits are attributed to the series of female portraits created by Konstantin Somov and Alexander Golovin in the early 1910s. The general circle of  the artists’ clients, similar formats of works, compositional and stylistic techniques allow drawing parallels between the selected portraits and finding certain conceptual similarity. The determination of stylistic, formal and conceptual patterns of both works against the background of the series of similar portraits created by the artists indicates that the generally accepted criterion of “psychologism” of the images in assessing these works is inapplicable. The female portrait of the Art Nouveau appease to be representative, creating “stylish” images of the contemporaries, meeting the tastes of the clients and the moods of Belle Epoque, but virtually not oriented towards personal characteristics and psychologism of the image in traditional sense. However, in the considered portraits, the researchers reveal generalizations and characteristics that describe the psychology of the depicted models in a different way, as well as form a three-dimensional female image of the turn of centuries: the phenomenon of “hidden psychologism”, the prospects for studying which are outlined in this work.

Keywords: Konstantin Somov, Art Nouveau style, Art Nouveau, Russian Art Nouveau, salon painting, salon, salon portrait, portrait, Alexander Golovin, Mir iskusstva

Abstract: After the defeat in the Opium War of 1840, the Chinese Qing Government realized the advanced nature of Western technologies and culture and proceeded with comprehensive examination of the Western experience. The study of the Western painting by the Chinese artists became an important part of this process. The period from 1900 to 1949 was a pivotal stage in the history of development of the Chinese painting associated with the advent of the Chinese oil painting. This article analyzes the development trends in Chinese painting by means of comparison the corresponding historical documents that resemble the five cultural phenomena emerged in this period; as well as generalizes the stages of studying the Western painting in China during this historical period. The author also analyzes the contribution and impact of the Chinese students upon the development of Chinese oil painting, changes in the painting styles, as well as integration of the Chinese artistic experience in the Western oil painting. The peculiarities of the major associations of Chinese artists of this period are reviewed. The development trends of Chinese oil painting include five aspects. The study of Western painting in China was not an approval of the Western oil painting tradition, but rather a way to improve the outdated Chinese tradition as well as build up its international status. This is precisely why the Chinese government set an implicit goal to popularize the Western art of painting in China. The political reforms that took place in China of that time were an important factor, which contributed to cultural changes. The development of painting became one of the key factors in the development of Chinese culture and art.

Keywords: painting, traditional painting, Foreign painting, Chinese artists, Modern Chinese painting, Chinese culture, Chinese art, avant-garde art, style, oil painting

Abstract: The subject of this research is the artworks of the Flemish painter Jan Philipp van Thielen – a prominent author of the pieces depicting flower garlands in the XVII century, but so little-known nowadays. His name is unjustly forgotten in Russian historiography, although his paintings exhibited in the national museums; although in Western historiography, his popularity has grown in recent decades. Special attention is given to the painter’s works in different genres (religion, portraits, mythology), which are framed by a flower garland accentuating and symbolizing the central images. The scientific novelty of consists in ratification of art of the once renowned and now almost forgotten painter Jan Philipp van Thielen, as well as in the proof that he was one of the most popular flower painters in Flanders, and his patrons and customers were such high-rank aristocrats as Diego Felípez de Guzmán 1st Marquess of Leganés (1580-1655), and Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (1664-1662), both art lovers and philanthropists. The acquired results demonstrate that Jan Philip van Thielen painted flower garlands in different genres. In the art of Flanders of the XVII century with remarkable success the showed the beauty of garlands and their use for enhancing the religious or moralizing meaning of the central images. His works are widely exhibited not only in museums, but also in auctions, which once again proves his important role in the painting of the XVII century.

Keywords: art of the seventeenth century, Quellinus II Erasmus, Seghers Daniel, Van Thielen, religious painting, flower garlands, painting of Flanders, Antwerp's artistic school, painting of the Netherlands, flowers' symbolism

Abstract: This article presents the results of research of text sources associated with the image of Hippocampus or seahorse in the European culture of antiquity of the early modern age. The author examines the use of this image of Roman culture and adaptation of this character by modern arts in accordance with the Roman patterns. Within the framework of this research, the author uses not only the visual sources, but also other cases of depiction of the image of Hippocampus. Emphasis is made on impersonation of the image of Hippocampus in art objects and images of theatricalizes performances of the XVI century. The work employs semiotic and complex methods of research, as well as traditional methods of art history, historical and formal analysis. The analysis of similar cases allows observing the whole picture of the sources of formation of various form of European art of modern age. Special interest for the author presents impersonation of the image of Hippocampus in modern theatricalized performances as one of the attributes of sea deities, as well as the instances of its application.

Keywords: the ancient world, piece of art, Neptunus, theatrical performance, sea horse, hippocamp, ancient Rome, image, Renaissance, early modern period

Abstract: This article presents the results of research of visual sources related to oriental, and namely Turkish headwear, as well as varieties of its reception by the European painters of the late XVI – XVII centuries. The subject of this research is the perception of visual and scenic European traditions of certain forms of female headware of that time. The author examines different visual sources that describe the European representations on the Turkish female headwear, as well as scenic and allegorical costumes of the period in question. Such multi-symbolic item as theatrical costume requires application of semiotic method of research. The article also used the traditional for art history methods, historical and formal analysis. The study of similar instances allows seeing the overall picture of sources of creation of forms of the contemporary scenic European costumes. The conclusion is made on the positive and diverse application of the shapes of Turkish headwear in theatricalized and allegorical images of the late XVI – XVII centuries, their gradual transformation and shifting away from perceptions of these shapes as purely ethnic.

Keywords: design, allegory, early modern period, image, masque, theatrical performance, turkish headdress, Costume, interpretation, assimilation

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the peculiarities of arrangement of altar space in the Franciscan Churches of Umbria during the XIII-XVI centuries. The authors underline the typological and liturgical dependence of the initial layout of Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on the structure of apsidal-papal basilicas in Rome (namely St. Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of St John Lateran). The design of the Franciscans’ main basilica affected virtually all churches of the order in Umbria (Perugia, Città di Castello, Todi, Borgo Santo Sepolcro, and other). The choir in these churches was situated in the chancel space of the apse. It is demonstrated that this pattern hinged upon the location of the Pope’s throne along the arc of apse (in St. Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi). The preserved original altars of the XIII-XIV centuries in Franciscan churches allow positioning these sites into a single stylistic-typological row, and place into a separate category the mensae altars: wide stone throne surrounded by the ogival arch. The analysis of altar décor allows concluding on the similarity of Franciscan altars with the early-Christian sarcophagi of a colonne type. The authors examine the case of using sarcophagi as a tomb of Saint Giles in the Church of San Francesco al Prato, Perugia. It is highlighted that the structure of altar space and presence of monumental chancel screen tramezzo defined the absence of altar ciborium in the Franciscan churches.

Keywords: choir, architecture of the Franciscan Order, Franciscans, ciborium, altar space, altar, Umbria, Paleochristian sarcophagi, tramezzo, Assisi

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the two prominent figures in the art world of 1950’s-1960’s – abstract expressionist, representative of “painting of action” Jackson Pollock, and future generation painter, founder of the “environment” Allan Kaprow. On the grounds that the turn of the 1950’s-1960’s is viewed as a breakthrough era for the art of modernism, the article analyzes the artistic techniques of Pollock and Kaprow, as well as the social aspect of their work for determining the points of convergence and divergence in their practice. Critical and theoretical texts used in the article include the works of Clement Greenberg, Michael Fried, Yve-Alain Bois, and Allan Kaprow himself, who is known not only as a painter, but also as theoretician of the new artistic practices of 1960’s – assemblage, environment and happening. The focus of author’s attention became the insufficiently studied and untranslated into the Russian language text of Allan Kaprow “Legacy of Jackson Pollock” (1958), which defines the scientific novelty of this research. Within the framework of modernistic discourse, the works of Jackson Pollock are viewed as a pinnacle of “self-purification” of the avant-garde painting and realization of the principle of medium-specificity. However, some aspects played a significant role for artistic practices of the 1960’s, longing to cut ties with abstract expressionism. Reference to such aspects – performativity of Pollock’s painting, his representation on the graphic form, format and spatial dimension of his canvasses – allows determining continuity between the opposing trends of art of the 1950’s-1960’s, and reveal the role of Jackson Pollock as a crucial transitional figure at the turning point of modernism.

Keywords: action painting, medium, Minimalism, environment, painting, Modernism, avant-garde, Abstract Expressionism, dripping, authorship

Abstract: The object of this research is one of the earlist palaces of the Nasrid dynasty in Granada (Generalife) of the late XIIIth - first quarter of the XIVth centuries. The author focuses on the architectural features that would influence the development of a typical 'Nasrid Art' style. The article deals with such issues as classification (private country palace 'munia') as well as the composition and symbols of the palace garden, the planning decision of the palace building and the features of its decoration (in particular, the use of epigraphic ornamentation) on the example of the central space of the complex, the courtyard of the Channel and the adjacent facilities. The research methodology involves an integrated approach including a typological, compositional, artistic, stylistic and semantic analysis of an architectural monument. The importance of the issues raised in the article is determined by the fact that the Generalife ensemble remains poorly understood in the context of the Nasrid palace architecture; the analysis shows the key role of this monument in the history of the development of Spanish-Muslim art. The research materials can serve as a starting point in studying the process of the addition of the Nasrid architectural language, its planning, decorative and symbolic features.

Keywords: munya, Patio de la Acequia, Generalife, Granada, Nasrid art, palace architecture, Islamic garden, Islamic architecture, Islamic art, epigraphical ornament

Abstract: The objective of this research is to analyze the ideas in the literature regarding the origin and content of the Russian iconography of Saviour in Glory; the subject is its relation to the western and eastern counterparts and images of the vision of the prophet Ezekiel. In the iconography of Saviour in Glory, there are features that gave the researchers reason to see the iconography as the direct source of the Book of Ezekiel, and to understand it as an image of the Vision; its appearance is associated with the introduction of readings from Ezekiel into Russian worship. The methodological basis of the article is an interdisciplinary and integrated approach, in particular, attraction of liturgical manuscripts, church inventories and images: icons, frescoes, book miniatures, etc. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the researcher analyzes a large number of sources of  including unpublished ones. The author of the article shows that the emergence of iconography is not synchronous with the introduction of readings from Ezekiel to Russian worship. The author concludes that most of the Western and Eastern Vision images are not similar to the iconography under study and cannot be considered as its source; direct link with the text of Ezekiel is questioned.

Keywords: Russian icon painting, Book of Ezekiel, the Paroimian Book, symbols of evangelists, iconography, high iconostasis, Deesis, Majestas Domini, Saviour in Glory, Saviour in Powers

Abstract: The subject of the research is the artistic features of the profile portrait miniature in the style of an antique cameo by a miniaturist Augustine Christian Ritt (1765-1799) that became widespread in the second half of the 18th century in Russia. The object of the research is the portrait miniatures of the master stylized as antique cameos with the help of graphic means. The author made an attempt to study and analyze such a phenomenon as a miniature cameo by Augustine Ritt and to reveal the peculiarities of his creative manner. In order to achieve the research objectives, the author uses multi-aspect analysis using formal-stylistic, comparative-typological and iconographic methods. As a result of the research, the author came to the following conclusions. Using the rules of creating an image in a cameo style and the knowledge gained during training in Antwerp and Paris, the master developed his own distinctive style imitating the colors of minerals, transferring their layering and creating the illusion of a three-dimensional image. The artist depicts models quite naturally, and also brings sentimental and preromantic features to works, conveying the mood and emotional state of the portrayed, representing them in the form of modern heroes. A special contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the clarification of the attributions of several miniatures and their additions. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author carries out an in-depth analysis of the cameo miniature and the manner it is represented in Augustine Ritt's artwork. 

Keywords: Sentimentalism, Classicism, Antiquity, Glyptics, Cameo, Cameo portrait, Portrait, Profile, Ritt, Pre-romanticism

Abstract: The subject of the research is the modern trends in studying portrait painting of the XVIIIth century against the background of a lengthy history of Russian science on Russian culture of the aforesaid period. The object of the research is numerous monographies that relate to different branches of humanities: art history, history of philosophy, semiotics, aesthetics and anthropology, that allow both to present particular researches of portrait art in terms of interdisciplinary studies but also to demonstrate the variety of methods used in such researches. Application of the comparative historical method and particular analysis of historiography allows to define the main stages of Russian art history research as well as to define key approaches and issues outlined by scientists of different generations. In-depth analysis of monographies allows to make a conclusion about the succession of research topics in art history and philosophy as a result of a special interest towards the role and feeling of human within culture. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author discovers favorable interaction between philosophy of art and history of art in terms of the anthropological problem at the present stage. This contributes to the extension of the methodological framework in researches of the portrait painting of the XVIIIth century and becomes a promising perspective for future researches. 

Keywords: anthropology, esthetics, philosophy, XVIII century, Russian art, methodology, portrait, historiography, semiotics, culture

Abstract: The subject of the research is the iconography and interpretation of the creative content of the frescoes series made by Giovanni Antonio Fasolo after 1565 in Villa Caldogno near Vicenza. The interpretation of the frescoes is based on the comparison of the narrative content of the frescoes with the descriptions of the country life in rural treatises of the second half of the 16th century such as Agostino Gallo's The Twenty Days Of Agriculture And The Pleasures Of The Villa (Brescian, 1564), Gioseppe Falcone's New Lovely and Pleasant Villa (Brescian, 1559) and Alberto Lollio A Letter In Praise of Villa (Venice, 1544). Such comparison allows to get a better insight into certain everyday life motifs as well as to understand a deep aesthetic meaning of the country life style as it was viewed by people of that epoch. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author demonstrates iconographic parallels to Fasolo's genre paintings in both texts and artwork of the Ancient and Renaissance literature that described the country life as a decent life of a nobleman. For the first time in the academic literature the author of the article traces back sources of the creative message of fresco series in Villa Caldogno that can be found in preceding artistic tradition of the Venetian art and cast light on their semantics. The outcome of the research is that along with clarifying individual semantic aspects of each particular plot, the author of the article also manages to define the message of the entire series which was the idea of villa as a harmonious universe and perfect life order. From this point of view, everyday life in a villa is viewed as the foundation of life existence that is the best for the human nature. 

Keywords: Palladio, treatise, Fasolo, fresco series, villa, painting, Venice, Renaissance, Veronese, harmony

Abstract: The subject of the research is the problem related to representation of symbols and images of ancient Greek culture in creative work of one of the most famous English architects and scenewrights Inigo Jones (1573 - 1652). The author interprets the influence of ancient Greek culture in terms of the development of Inigo Jones' creative method that is characterised with the eclectic interaction of two oppositely directed styles, Baroque and Palladianism. Another issue to be analyzed is the phenomenon of consciously constructed symbolic values that use the images of ancient Greek culture to transmit state policy of Stuart dynasty in Britain at the beginning of the XVIIth century. Inigo Jones' hypothesis about the origin of Stonehenge the present article is devoted to is a good example there of. The methodology of the research involves description of Inigo Jones' architectural and scenographic methods, historiogrpahical review of research literature on the matter and analysis of Inigo Jones' treatise on the origin of Stonehenge. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author focuses on understudied hypotheses of Inigo Jones about Stonehenge in terms of the allegoric representation of the myth about Stuard dynasty. The conclusions made by Khasieva in her research reveals little-known aspects of symbolisation of ancient Greek culture in Inigo Jones' works as well as the role of that hypothesis in terms of Inigo Jones' strategy of developing the image of state and monarch. 

Keywords: Stuart dynasty, vitruvian principles of architecture, Banqueting House of Whitehall, baroque, palladianism, English architecture, Inigo Jones, Roman Britain, Stonehenge, Celtic culture

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of rayography by American-born artist Man Ray. In the 1920's the abstract visuality of rayography (rayography is historically known as photogram) was in opposition to "straight photography" which proclaimed the primacy of the photorealistic language as well as to "pictorialism", the direction destroying the documentary by using special manipulation that turned a photo into a picture. Man Ray's experiments allowed him to take the position of a lead photographer of modernism, as well as to get orders from the most famous illustrated magazines: Vanity Fair, Vogue, Vu, Harper's Bazaar. Rayography by Man Ray has really become synonymous with what today is called media art, where the media implies providing the subjectivity of artist, regardless of the area of his activities. The formal-stylistic analysis was applied as a primary method of the research. In addition to this the problem-logical method was applied; it allowed dividing the topic into a number of more specific aspects which were considered in a logical sequence and then, in accordance with the general context of the study, the main conceptual items of the article were derived. The novelty of the research is associated with the perspective research: rayography is considered not only as the original author's work, but also as an artistic brand, successfully functioning as Ray’s specific cultural policy. The invention of rayography by Ray is largely linked with the development of the strategies of mass culture, which in its turn stems from the Dadaist experience of the artist and, to some extent, with his American origin, that suggested a clear primacy of pragmatism over idealism. Man Ray brought a photograph beyond its representational capabilities, turning formalistic aesthetic practice into a quite successful commercial product.

Keywords: Christian Schad, surrealism, Dada, Man Ray, photogram, rayography, photography, László Mahou-Nagy, modernism, brand

Abstract: Temple programs of the Romance epoch widely represented the Christ in Glory (Majestas Domini) image in portals and apses of temples and little parish churches. That image could be either a part of a more massive iconographic scheme or a concise piece drawn on the portal tympan or apse conch. The subject of the research is the structure and symbolism in the image of Christ in Glory in Western European temple decoration of the XIst - XIIth centuries. The object of the research is the representation of that image in various Western European monuments of that period. The main research method used by the author of the present article is the method of iconographic analysis that implies comparison of the program of monuments themselves and associated texts from the Bible, texts of masses and liturgic manuscripts. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author defines liturgic symbolism of this composition with reference to particular objects and including it into the general interpretational picture for each program. Such approach allows to achieve better understanding of the visual language of the Roman temple decoration in general and each program in particular. As a result of this research, the author concludes that at least starting from the Carolingian epoch the image of the iconographic scheme 'Majestas Domini' in temple programs does not only symbolically depict the beginning of the Eucharistic prayer but also becomes the key to understanding complex iconographic programs directly related to the visual representation of evangelistic themes. 

Keywords: portal, Romanesque churches, temple decoration, interpretation, visual sermon, apse, liturgical symbolism, Christ in Majesty, Eucharistic Canon, iconographic program

Abstract: Volgograd performance as well as the contemporary artistic process in general still remains the subject of additional research, analysis and conceptualization. As a result, it hasn't been duly presented in large expositional projects and researches devoted t regional artistic processes of the last decades. This article describes the process of the rise of Volgograd performance based on the example of the “Orkestrion" All-Union famous art-group of the late 1980s. The fate of the “Orkestrion" is considered in close connection with the history of legendary festivals “Unidentified Movement" held in Volgograd in 1987-1991. This article is a product of a two-year research that was carried out based on the following: 1) interviews with contemporaries and participants of the aforesaid events; 2) unpublished manuscripts, written and oral evidences, and 3) local periodical publications. Analysis of these sources allows to reproduce the factological side of the research object and understand the response to the described events in terms of their historical period. Throughout the short term of its existence, Orkestrion performances were an integral syncretic action that synthesized elements of new academic music, new jazz, plastic arts, stage and fancy-dress pieces, poetry, kinesthetic sculpture, photography and video art. Despite the fact that the group participated mostly in new jass and neo academic music festivals, it should be admitted that Orkestrion was a totally unique phenomenon of those times and stood rather isolated on the music stage. Its spectacularity and the absence of any jazz stylistic particularities were the features that made it so unique. This is why Orkestrion became one of the first Volgograd avant-garde groups that managed to go beyond the borders of the city and attained international recognition.

Keywords: «Unidentified Movement», actionism, happening, performance, contemporary art, avant-garde, Volgograd, festival movement, festival, «Orkestrion»

Abstract: The subject of the research is the contribution mad by Alexandre Benois to the development of the hsitory of Spanish art in Russia. The object of the research is the descriptions of Spanish artwork and generally Spanish art given by Alexandre Benois in his 'The Hermitage Picture Gallery Guide' (1911) and 'The History of Painting of All Times and Peoples' (1914). In her research Morozova also uses Alexandre Benois' personal impressions of his trip to Spain. The researcher focuses on how Benois perceived and interpreted 'the old Spanish art', most of all, Spanish painting of the 16th - 17th centuries. THe author of the article compares the level that had been achieved in studying the history of Spanish art by the 19th - 20th centuries and Alexandre Benois' researches which allows to better describe the role of Alexandre Benois in studying the history of Spanish art in Russia prior to 1917. Never before the role of Alexandre Benois as an expert in the history of Spanish art has been discussed in the academic literature. The author of the article demonstrates how important Alexandre Benois' contribution to the history of art was. Benois' researches of Spanish art became the basis for the development of the history of Spanish art in the 20th century in general. Alexanre Benois' researches allowed to overcome the dichotomy between academic interest in painting techniques used by Spanish artists and unvervaluation of their graphic structure as well as between Russian society's interest towards Spanish culture in general and misunderstanding of many Spanish cultural phenomena. 

Keywords: El Greco, José de Ribera, Zurbarán, Murillo, Diego Velázquez, graphic structure, stylistics, Spanish art, Andrey Somov, Alexandre Benois

Abstract: The subject of the research is the painting 'The Call of Girondins' by a French academist Francois Flameng. Being the first and the brightest painting in his series of paintings devoted to the French Revolution, The Call of Girondins demonstrates a scope of Flameng's artistic interests at the early stage of his creative work and proves the fact that as a result of his devotion to the aforesaid theme, Francois Flameng happened to be on the frontline of the historical genre in painting which in many ways predetermined his future success. Despite the fact that Flameng created that painting in his younger days, the painting already shows his skills and sets a direction for Flameng's future creative development as well as marks out the main artistic directions of the artist's creative life. In this reserch Chernik conducts his analysis from particulars to generals and tries to define not only the main trends of Flameng's future creative work and outline a scope of masters who influenced the development of Flameng as an artistic but also to analyze the painting from the point of view of the general cultural and historical environment of those times, thus underlying the contradictory nature of artistic processes of the second half of the XIXth century. The author of the article pays special attention to the problems of iconography of the painting and the influence of new artistic trends on Flameng's painting style. For this purpose the author has used historiographical, iconographical and comparative analysis. As a result of analyzing the painting 'The Call of Girondins', the author comes to the conclusion that despite the common opinion of modern researchers that Francois Flameng followed strict academic rules and ideals of salon painting, the artist was also open for brave iconographic solutions and new artistic trends. 

Keywords: impressionism, naturalism, realism, history painting, academic painting, Girondin trial, French Revolution, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Édouard Manet, François Flameng

Abstract: The article is devoted to the evolution of fractal images in photography as an aesthetic means and creative paradigm in the art of the 20th century. The subject of the research is the means of representing the recursion infinity in analogous and digital art photography. In her research Nikolaeva defines parallels between fractal recursion in photography and traditional and post-modernist paintings (medieval iconography mise en abime, Salvador Dali's and J. Pollock's paintings, M. S. Escher's graphic art and advertising graphic design). Special attention is paid to the creative and cognitive meaning of fractal forms in different genres of photography. The aesthetics of recursion infinity is viewed from the point of view of the interdisciplinary approach that integrates the ideas of philosophy, art theory, art history, choas theory, fractality concept and computer technologies. Based on the analysis of a wide range of photographs made by both Russian and foreign professional photographers and semi-professional members of informatl art socieities, the researcher defines the following types of representation of fractal recursion in art photography: fixed fractal forms of the real world; fractals constructed by special photographic techniques; fractalisation of images bu using the digital post-processing; and algorithmic construction of fractal compositions. It is concluded that the first photographic experience of fractal recursions were deliberately performed by the anachronic method and the source of fractal images was the natural enviromment as it is. Later images of infinite recursion in photography became the result of the application of specific digital techniques and the 'fractal zone' of the search was shifted into the sphere of human nature and culture. 

Keywords: recursion, fractal, Droste effect, fractal abstraction, fractal suprematism, aesthetics of infinity, art photography, fractal art, image post-processing, digital art

Abstract: The article is devoted to the method of literary montage that was theoretically justified and practically used by Walter Benjamin in his 'Arcades'. Being related to the concept of the dialectical image, the method implied combining quotations from all kinds of sources including magazines, journals and poetic works. Literary montage played an important role in Benjamin's philosophy and was a practical implementation of the greater part of his theoretical concepts developed in int he spheres of aesthetics, historiography and philosophy of history such as 'kitsch', 'shock', 'dream', etc. In this article Travnikov analyzes theoretical insights of Walter Benjamin from the point of view of their practical implementation in his 'Arcades'. The researcher has also studied the relationship between the montage method and the concept of 'present time' as well as the temporal structure of a montage image in relation to Walter Benjamin's concept [Penski]. It is also offered to treat 'Arcades' as the 'alarm clock' for the 'sleeping society' [Menninghaus]. Appealing to the images that have been nourishing the memory of the two or three generations before him, Walter Benjamin intended to make the readers feel something like an insight when the time is perceived in a completely different way and the reality shows its true face - catastrophe. 

Keywords: inactive dialectics, empathy, kitsch, shock, hypertext, dialectical image, collage, literary montage, Arcades, Walter Benjamin

Abstract: The object of the present research is the famous Parisian music theatre “Opera-Comique” which has celebrated its 300th anniversary this year. The author traces back the history of the theatre and describes the main stages of its development and its role in the history of music and theatre art in France. Attention is paid to the repertoire policy of the theatre during those three centuries as well as to the famous productions, important for opera history, the first nights of “Carmen” by Bizet, “Manon” by Massenet, “Pelleas and Melizande” by Debussy and others. Information is given about the works of Russian composers - Musorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov which were staged in the theatre and about Russian opera artists who performed on this stage. While preparing for the research, work has been done to find more information, electronic archives of the theatre “Opera-Comique” as well as the first-hand sources such as memoires of a number of musicians have been studied. The main methods of research involve textual and semantic analysis of the sources and historical and cultural analysis of the context of the theatre’s activity. The novelty of the present research is caused by the fact that in our country it is the first systematic analysis and description of the history of the Parisian music theatre “Opera-Comique” since its foundation till our days giving the full idea of all periods and important events in its history. This research is an innovative project of presenting empirical facts as an evidence of historical dynamics of culture and evolution of a cultural form in a combination of synchronic and diachronic analysis.

Keywords: music, music theatre, Opera-Comique, comic Opera, genre, history, opera, culture of France, art, Paris

Abstract: the article focuses on expressionism – an artistic direction which emerged in the first decades of XXth century. Retrospectives into the history of expressionism are linked to a conference which was devoted to one of the German expressionists, H. Walden, and which was held by the National History of Arts Institute. The article accents the fate of expressionism in the Soviet Union, in which the German expressionism had a significant impact and influenced numerous artists. However, it would not be correct to assert that it was as influential there as in Germany. The author attempts to determine the reasons why expressionism became a medium for mainly the expression of German spirit, and not the Russian one. This sort of view allows to point out the differences between the two unique cultures – the Russian and the German ones, which, however, have many common traits.

Keywords: culturology, culture, super-sensual, expressionism, positivism, romantism, avant-garde, archaic, mysticism, messianism.

Abstract: In 2012 it is going to turn 100 years since simulateniusm was founded. Simultaneism is one of the avantgarde movements in art of ХХ century, one of the founders of which was Robert Delaunay. Being born at the junction of art and science and being based on the theory of light and color by French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul, simultaneism armed people of art with completely new expressive methods of artistic language and inß uencing the audience. Expirements with simultaneous contrasts and forms allowed to depict the illusion of movement in art. Figurative art was changed into transformative art. Leger’s film ‘Mechanic Ballet’ clearly proved that the principles of simultaneism could be used in the black-in-white cinematograph. He used a certain form of film editing built on quick connection of fixed fragments (which was called ‘simaltenous editing’ in cinematograph). This particular article is aimed at clarying the definition of simultaneism and showing certain aspects of its implementation in art.

Keywords: history of art, simultaneism, movement, film editing, fine arts, cinematograph, illusion, color, Robert Delaunay, Fernand Leger.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the mutual relations which are being formed today between a booming ‘science about culture’ and art disciplines such as art history. Acknowledging the crisis of modern historical science (as well as art history) as a sub subject of natural science, the author tries to go back to historian of art Igor Grabar’s useful methodological thesis saying that history of art is a history of culture at the same time. According to the author of the article, today this thesis gives certain leads for historians but also demands a deeper insight into methodological matters.

Keywords: cultural studies, modern, post-modern, historical psychology, esthetics, structuralism, myth, social studies of art, history of art history, art studies