Morozova A.V. Specific Features of Understanding Spanish Painting by Russians in the First Half - the Middle of the XIXth Century

Abstract: The subject of the research is the first stage in the active acquaintance of the Russian audience with Spanish art during the first half - the middle of the 19th century. According to the author of the article, this is a very important period because it was the time when the main approaches of Russian art studies to Spanish painting developed. The author analyzes responses and perception of Spanish art by Russian writers, artists and first scholars in art history. Writers discussed by the author are Botkin and Brullov and a scholar is Somov. The research method used by the author of the article involves comparison of evaluations of Spanish painting demonstrated by different people, representatives of literary groups, artists and the first representatives of new Russian art studies. The main conclusion of the research is that studies of Spanish images and styles were rather discrete. A major art critic Somov, for example, whose researches combined aesthetical and artistical approaches, expressed his admiration by the imaginary side of Spanish painting and dissatisfaction of its stylistic patterns. Evidently, Russian science was still to come to understanding that there was an inextricable connection between the former and the latter in Spanish painting of that time. 

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