From all of the different types of art now developed in Russia, religious art and national crafts are the most unique. You can not see anything like them in other country. Russians are Orthodox Christians. This religion was adopted from Byzantium at the end of 10th century. Later Byzantium was concurred and became a part of the "Muslim Osmanian Empire". So, development of any Christian art was stopped.
Russia became the center of orthodox art. The Russian type of church is called a "Basilica". Here people believe that a church, just like a person, should be beautiful inside rather than on the outside. So the halls of basilicas are decorated with wonderful icons, mosaics and frescoes. However, Russian churches look very nice outside with their bleached rounded walls and huge domes that are gold or blue with golden stars. Huge cathedrals usually have one big dome in the center and 4 smaller domes around the center (five-domes-cross basilicas). Small chapels usually only have one dome. Each dome is crowned with a golden decorated cross. There are bell towers in almost every church and any divine service starts and ends with a ring of different-sized bells, in which each of them has its own tone. At Moscow`s Red square, you can see the “Tsar Bell”, the biggest bell in the world. Statues are never used in the decoration of Russian churches. There are very few icons and frescoes outside, mostly above the gates.
From first site, traditional Russian icons might look primitive but they are actually painted in a special way with a special use of pure unmixed colors, proportions (the size of each figure shows its importance) and shadows. The main attention is paid to the spiritual faces of saints painted in detail. The rest of their bodies are covered with clothes and painted symbolically. Many icons have huge frames decorated with ornaments made of gold, silver and precious stones. The most beautiful part of a Russian church is the altar which looks like golden heavens gates with small icons describing the life of Jesus Christ inserted in them. You can see some icons of the two most famous Russian icon painters, “Andrey”, “Rublev” and “Feofan”. Greek in churches of the Kremlin in Moscow.
Speaking about secular architecture, ancient Russian architects achieved a great art in the building of wooden constructions. Many cities had wooden fortresses with towers around them for protection called Kremlins, where most of the houses and palaces were made of wood. Unfortunately they were fragile, so most of them were destroyed by fire and time. You can see buildings of this type in some cities around Moscow (so called Golden Ring), “Yaroslavl, Vladimir” and some others, in the “Kolomenskoye Park” in Moscow which has a collection of wooden architecture from all over Russia. Most of them have high sharp towers and are literarly decorated with wooden lace. The famous "Moscow Kremlin" was wooden up until 1812, when it was destroyed by a fire during the war with France. The twenty towers on the Kremlin walls, which give it a unique aspect, were built for decoration and have no military significance. They were constructed in the seventeenth century when Moscow had ceased to be a fortress. Among the ancient buildings in the Kremlin are the churches and the Bell Tower of “Ivan the Great” built in 1600 by Russian architects. The largest cathedral of the Kremlin is “Uspensky” (Assumption) built in 1475-1479 by “Aristotle Fiorovante”. It was a place where Russian tsars and emperors were crowned.
Many architectural styles were adopted from Europe in the 18-19th centuries. Foreign architects came to Russia to build palaces, churches and governmental buildings in Moscow and in St.Petersburg. St.Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world and can be compared with Paris and with Rome. At the end of the 17th century, secure painting came to Russia. You can see some of the best Russian paintings in the Hermitage, Russian Museum (St.Peterburg), Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow). They are mostly realistic: landscapes, stealives, portraits of famous people, historical scenes, some of which are very big. Their aim was to show everything as realistic as possible and artists even used real prototypes for each person. Among these painters can be mentioned Aivasovskiy (sea paintings), Levitan(landscapes), Brullov, Serov, Repin, Tropinin and others (19th century). At the beginning of the 20th century, abstract art started to develop in Russia, and such painters as Malevich, Kondinsky, Shagal are known all over the world. They are more famous abroad then in their native country because most of Russians tend to like realistic art more. You can see some of their paintings in the new Building of Tretyakov Gallery and partly in Hermitage.
Soviet Art was heavily ideological, with soviet symbols of crossed sickle and hammer everywhere (some buildings are still decorated with them). Paintings were mostly realistic showing heroes of revolution or the second World War, battle scenes, farm or factory life, and scenes of life of common people. Architecture tended to lean toward everything huge and massive: tall heavy buildings with symbolic, giant statues and monuments. The best example of this is in the All-Russian Exhibition Center in Moscow (V.V.C.). Regular houses looked like one another and were built according to typical projects.
Now Russian art and architecture are going through a transitional period. Some architects and artists are trying to imitate western masterpieces. Some of them are trying to create some things so original that it looks stupid and ridicules. The only sphere of art which stays the same is national art, such as producing matreshkas (a traditional Russian wooden doll, one inside of the another), clay toys (people, domestic animals and bears) and penny whistles, wooden and clay utensils. Decorated trays, kerchiefs, clothes, lace and baskets can also be mentioned here. This art tradition is very old and is still spreading in some Russian villages. Toys and utensils are painted with colorful flowers, leaves and fruit. They are very bright, colorful, and funny (especially toys) and reflect the Russian natural character. Each region has its favorite colors and ornaments. For example, in Gdjel, town artists prefer different shadows of blue on a white background, and in Hohloma, they use all types of reds and yellows. The souvenirs are really unique and usually homemade. To my mind, every tourist who comes to visit Russia, should purchase this little piece of the counties art, a piece of culture of this great country.
Written and Copyrighted; Not to be Shown.
Part 2 Industry of the Russian People.
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