Title of the article:

THE PHENOMENON OF ARTS SYNTHESIS IN THE AESTHETICS OF THE SILVER AGE (BY THE EXAMPLE OF SERGEI DIAGHILEV'S ENTERPRISE)

Author(s):

Galina V. Varakina

Information about the author/authors

Galina V. Varakina — DSc in Culturology, Assistant Professor, A. N. Kosygin Russian State University (Technology. Design. Art), Institute of Slavic Culture, Khibinskiy pr. 6, 129337 Moscow, Russia. E-mail: galina_varakina@mail.ru

Section

History of Arts

Year

2019

Volume

Vol. 51

Pages

pp. 243–256

Received

March 18, 2018

Date of publication

March 28, 2019

Index UDK

7.01

Index BBK

85.33(2)53

Abstract

The article raises one of the key issues of art culture of the Silver age — the problem of synthesis. The problem is examined from different points of view: historical, aesthetic, artistic and practical. Such important issues of the era as music and its total influence on art, Theurgy and General religiosity of art, mystery and the idea of a universal work of art are introduced into scientific discourse. The author refers to the scientific and theoretical heritage of R. Wagner, Russian philosophers V. Solovyov and N. Berdyaev, Symbolist poets A. Bely and Vyach. Ivanov. The study pays special attention to the reconstruction of the ancient mystery`s image, which is extremely important in understanding the phenomenon of synthesis. The author demonstrates that one should talk not only about a synthesis of arts, but also a synthetism of thinking. The paper deals with the designated range of issues on the example of S. Diaghilev's enterprise. The activities of the famous impresario contributed to the birth of a fundamentally new ballet, in which dance, music and decorative art are not only subordinated to each other, but are in close cooperation and even interdependence. Curiously it is not a dance but his musical beginning that serves as a basis for synthesis of ballet`s elements. Choreography is understood in this context as a plastic “counterpoint” (L. Myasin) to the musical basis of the performance. The works of I. Stravinsky, created for S. Diaghilev's entreprise: “Parsley”, “Sacred Spring” and others acted as the best examples of a new type of ballet. All this allowed not only to highlight one of the most significant artistic events of the era — the Russian ballet seasons — but also to reveal the nature of synthesis and the peculiarities of its manifestations.

Keywords

aestheticism, synthesis of arts, religious-philosophical renaissance, mystery, theurgy, Russian ballet.

References

1 Benua A. N. i Djagilev S. P. Perepiska (1893–1928) [Benua A. N. and Diaghilev S. P. Correspondence (1893–1928) ], preparation of text and commentary by I. I. Vydrina. St. Petersburg, Sad iskusstv Publ., 2003. 128 p. (In Russian)

2 Berdiaev N. Krizis iskusstva [Crisis of art]. Filosofija tvorchestva, kul'tury, iskusstva: v 2 t. [Philosophy of creativity, culture, art: in 2 vols.]. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1994, vol. 1, pp. 399–419. (In Russian)

3 Berdiaev N. Russkii dukhovnyi renessans nachala XX veka i zhurnal “Put'” [Russian spiritual renaissance of the early twentieth century and the magazine “Path”]. Filosofiia tvorchestva, kul'tury, iskusstva: v 2 t. [Philosophy of creativity, culture, art: in 2 vols.]. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1994, vol. 2, pp. 301–322. (In Russian)

4 Berdiaev N. Smysl tvorchestva [Meaning of creativity]. Filosofiia tvorchestva, kul'tury, iskusstva: v 2 t. [Philosophy of creativity, culture, art: in 2 vols.]. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1994, vol. 1, pp. 37–341. (In Russian)

5 Berenshtein E. P. Russkii simvolizm: estetika universal'nosti [Russian Symbolism: Aesthetics of Universality]. Kul'tura i tsennosti [Culture and values]. Tver, Izdatel'stvo TGU Publ., 1992, pp. 132–142. (In Russian)

6 Vagner R. Proizvedenie iskusstva budushhego [Work of art of the future]. Izbrannye raboty [Selected Works], compilation and commentary I. A. Barsovoу i S. A. Osherova; introductory article A. F. Loseva. Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1978, pp. 142–261. (In Russian)

7 Vanslov V. Stat'i o balete. Muzykal'no-esteticheskie problemy baleta [Articles on ballet. The musical and aesthetic issues of the ballet]. Leningrad, Muzyka Publ., 1980. 192 p. (In Russian)

8 Varakina G. V. Antrepriza S. Diagileva: Vremia peremen [Entreprise of Sergei Diaghilev: The Time of Change], edited by V. P. Shestakova. Ryazan, Rel'ef-Print Publ., 2008. 128 p. (In Russian)

9 Varakina G. V. Mezhdu Dionisom i Apollonom: Ocherki o russkoi kul'ture “serebrjanogo veka” [Between Dionysus and Apollo: Essays on the Russian culture of the “Silver Age”], edited by V. P. Shestakova. Ryazan, Izdatel'stvo RIK Publ., 2007. 261 p. (In Russian)

10 Varakina G. V. Misteria kak fenomen kul'tury: istoria i sovremennost' [Mystery as a phenomenon of culture: history and modern times]. Religiovedenie, 2009, no 2, pp. 146–151. (In Russian)

11 Dolgopolov L. Na rubezhe vekov. O russkoi literature konca XIX – nachala XX veka [At the turn of the century. On the Russian literature of the late 19th – early 20th century]. Leningrad, Sovetskii pisatel' Publ., 1977. 366 p. (In Russian)

12 Diagilev S. Slozhnye voprosy [Complicated Questions]. Mir iskusstva, 1899, vol. I, no 1–12, pp. 1–16, 37–61. (In Russian)

13 Imgardt D. Zhivopis' i revoliucia [Painting and Revolution]. Zolotoe runo, 1906, no 5, pp. 56–69. (In Russian)

14 Levinson A. Staryi i novyi balet [Old and new ballet]. Petersburg, Svobodnoe iskusstvo Publ., 1918. 133 p. (In Russian)

15 Lifar' S. Diagilev i S Diagilevym [Diaghilev and With Diaghilev]. Moscow, VAGRIUS Publ., 2005. 592 p. (In Russian)

16 Sergei Diagilev i russkoe iskusstvo: v 2 t. [Sergei Diaghilev and Russian art: in 2 vols.], authors-compilers I. S. Zil'bershtein, V. A. Samkov. Moscow, Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo Publ., 1982. Vol. 1. 496 p. (In Russian)

PDF-file

Download

Illustrations