ancient images. Antique Images and Motifs in the Crimean Context of N. S. Gumilyov's Creativity. Images of Antiquity in Russian Culture of the 18th Century

A lot has been written about Pontus Euxine, as the Greeks called the Black Sea. It was admiringly described by writers and poets of the 19th century, poets also turned to this topic " silver age”, who used ancient images and motifs in their work (A. Akhmatova “By the Sea”, O. Mandelstam “Insomnia. Homer. tight sails…”, “Feodosiya”, “A stream of golden honey…”, V. Bryusov “Crimea. Black Sea”, M. Voloshin. "Cimmeria", "Cimmerian spring, "Koktebel", "Noon", "Odysseus in Cimmeria" and others, R. Ivnev. "Sevastopol", etc.). The singer of Cimmeria - M. Voloshin turned in his work not only to the image of the Black Sea, but also to the image of the Crimean steppe, combining these images-symbols into a single whole (as, for example, in the poem "Noon"). In this poem, Voloshin describes the picture of the midday Crimea not only poetically colorful (“dark gold of resins”, “blue-gray stones”), but also sonorously (“bells of grass stalks”). But if you carefully read this poem, you feel the intrigue that the poet prepares for the reader:

"Grasses of ancient graves, we have grown from stones, from dust,
To the heat from the night and darkness, to the sun, the call rose.
By noon we endured, trembling with sweet fear,
Dead secrets of the earth.

Crimea is wise and amazing book, on the pages of which the history of many peoples and civilizations is described. The Crimean land is fraught with many secrets - archaeological, historical, mythological. N. S. Gumilyov, who, turning to antiquity, chose the images of ancient passionate heroes, because, as a poet and a person, was deeply passionate.

At present, interest has been shown in the term "passionarity", developed by L. N. Gumilyov. Passionarity is now being considered with different points vision, as a trait inherent in strong, courageous personalities. Passionarity is an important theme in the work of N. Gumilyov, since for the poet it is associated with forward movement in time and space. However, the images of passionaries in the works of N. Gumilyov have not yet been studied enough. This striving forward carried Gumilyov on long journeys, the impressions of which he outlined in the African Diary:

“On April 10, on the steamer of the Dobrovolsky Fleet “Tambov”, we went to sea. Some two weeks ago, the raging and dangerous Black Sea was calm, like some kind of lake. The waves were softly heard under the pressure of the steamer, where an invisible screw was rummaging, pulsing like the heart of a working person. No foam was visible, and only a pale green malachite strip of disturbed water ran away. The dolphins rushed after the steamer in friendly flocks, now overtaking it, now lagging behind, and from time to time, as if in an unbridled fit of fun, they jumped, showing their shiny wet backs. Night came, the first on the sea, sacred. Stars not seen for a long time were burning, the water was seething more audibly. Are there really people who have never seen the sea?” .

Nikolai Stepanovich began to rave about the sea since childhood and carried this hobby through his entire short life. The heroes of the works of N. Gumilyov strive only forward - both by sea and by land - through time and space. Ancient heroes in this case are no exception.

Our task is to show the images of the passionaries of antiquity in the poet's work. In itself, the concept of "antiquity" is quite multifaceted, in the general sense the word goes back to lat. "antiquitas" - antiquity, i.e. We are talking about Greco-Roman antiquity. In the senior classes of the gymnasium, the future poet became interested in antiquity - literature, history, sculpture. This happened thanks to the lessons of the Greek language, which were taught by I. F. Annensky, an outstanding poet and playwright, director of the gymnasium. N. Gumilyov was always interested in ancient passionaries, and their images were reflected in his work.

Antique motifs present in the work of N. Gumilyov can be distributed as follows:

1) heroic;
2) spiritual wandering;
3) mythological.

Ancient passionaries are a kind of travelers striving only forward, to some extent they are sea travelers. The striving forward, towards the unknown, the desire to conquer new lands - all this was inherent in the ancient passionaries.

The ancient poems of N. Gumilyov can be called early experiences. Antique motifs were most clearly manifested in the collections "Romantic Flowers" and "Pearls", since they reveal the images of ancient heroes of both periods. As we noted above, the theme of antiquity in the poet's work can be divided into two periods, or cycles:

1) Greek;
2) Roman.

A number of poems thoroughly emphasize the division of the theme: “The Warrior of Agamemnon”, “The Return of Odysseus” is a Greek cycle, while “To the Emperor”, “Caracalla”, “Pompeii at the Pirates”, “Founders”, “Pauzanius the Navigator”, etc. are Roman cycle. In these poems, the poet sings of the strength, courage of ancient passionaries, devotion to the idea, shows the characters of the heroes in development. So, in particular, in the poem "The Warrior of Agamemnon" we are talking about a brave warrior who dedicated his life to the Greek king, and who does not know what to do after the death of the king. The poet surprisingly accurately and subtly conveyed the thoughts and reflections of a warrior:

“The transparency of deep lakes beckons,
Looks reproachfully at dawn,
This shame is painful, this shame is painful, -
Live, having lost the king!

According to some literary critics, “... the influence of Homer's work on Gumilyov was not limited only to the level of poetics of images and artistic techniques, but was complex: the Homeric epic played an important role in shaping the philosophical and aesthetic worldview of the poet; Homer's heroes determined Gumilev's view of man, his fate and his life in this world. The image of the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, was unusually close to the poet, since Gumilev by nature was the same wanderer as this cunning hero of Homer's epic.

Odysseus, after his exploits in the Trojan War, accomplished “to the music of spears”, after many years of wandering “above the horror of the abyss”, returns unbroken to his home, single-handedly exterminates the suitors who brazenly settled in his house and harassed his wife, cruelly avenges the attempt desecration of one's honour. In the Gumilev cycle of poems "The Return of Odysseus" tells about the end of Odysseus's many years of wandering and his return to his native Ithaca:

“I am a trireme with a sharp chest
I'm tormented in a mad storm,
But I will come home to my native island
With a gray storm cloud.

... Cracks opened up in the ship,
The sea is blown up by hurricanes.

The researcher of N. Gumilyov's work - E. Yu. Kulikova in the monograph “Space and its dynamic aspect in the lyrics of acmeists” writes: “Describing the wanderings of Odysseus, the poet lists all the worst that can happen to a sailor. It is almost impossible to survive this, and Gumilyov sees the wanderer who returned to Penelope not passionately missing home, but almost a legend. We think we can agree with this statement.

Homer did not depict panoramic scenes, like, say, artists of later eras. The poet built a harmonious chain of duels between individual opponents, for example, Menelaus with Paris, Ajax with Hector, etc. Unlike the Homeric epic, Gumilev's triptych dedicated to Odysseus reflects Gumilev's concept of travel. For Gumilyov, travel was more important than love for his wife and affection for his home. Therefore, Odysseus in the Gumilev cycle of poems is suspicious of female beauty and does not trust his wife.

Despite a long absence and a short stay at home, in his native Ithaca, Odysseus sets off again, but this time with his son Telemachus:

"Well, get ready to go with me,
A young man of light, my son Telemachus!..
Again we will love the enticing distance
And the golden horizon from the moon,
We will see the sacred palms again
And the open, bubbling Pontus.

By "bubbling Pontus" here, probably, we mean Pontus Euxinus - as the Greeks called the Black Sea. As you know, the Greeks not only visited, but also lived on the territory of modern Crimea. N. Gumilyov's visit to Koktebel, which took place at the invitation of M. Voloshin, inspired Nikolai Stepanovich to create poems containing ancient motifs, themes and images. Many poets of the Silver Age wrote about the wanderings of Odysseus. So, for example, Osip Mandelstam very accurately reflected his impressions of the epic of Homer and a visit to Cimmeria:

"Insomnia. Homer. Tight sails.
I read the list of ships to the middle.

Moreover, the wanderings of Odysseus occupied the minds of many poets of the "Silver Age" - Gumilyov's contemporaries, for example, M. Voloshin ("Odysseus in Cimmeria").

Over time, in the "antique" works of Gumilyov, an image of a lyrical hero was formed, striving to know the world, but at the same time rejecting the earthly world in the name of the heavenly. In the "ancient" poems of N. Gumilyov of the Roman period, one can observe the main phases of the Roman ethnos: from the emergence to the fall.

Considering the ancient images of the passionaries of the Roman period, A. Dolivo-Dobrovolsky calls the Romans "a highly passionate people", Romulus and Remus - passionaries, but was it really so? We believe that this point of view of A. Dolivo-Dobrovolsky is very subjective, since the author of the theory, L. N. Gumilyov, divided passionaries into several ethnic groups:

1) passionaries;
2) cultural heroes;
3) subpassionaries.

Continuing to explore the Roman period of antiquity in the work of Gumilyov, one should first of all pay attention to the images of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. The poet embodied their images in the poem "Founders". The brothers were going to build a city like the sun in a deserted area:

"Romulus and Remus went up the mountain,
The hill before them was wild and mute,
Romulus said: "There will be a city"
“The city is like the sun,” Rem replied.

"There will be a circus here," said Romulus,
Here will be our home, open to all.
"But you need to put closer to home
Grave crypts,” Rem replied.

The phrase "The city is like the sun", uttered by Rem, belongs to Campanella and is present in his work "City of the Sun".

Laconism and aphorism of the given lines are amazing. But behind the brief remarks lies the drama of the two founders of Rome. Cheerful at the beginning of Rem's phrase, they end with disturbing words, in which one feels an attempt to inspire his brother with the idea of eternal reproaches of conscience, which can be caused by family tombs erected near the house. Romulus and Remus are more cultural heroes than passionaries.

Continuing the analysis of the Roman cycle, we should note the poems "To the Emperor" and "Caracalla", which deal with the tyrant emperor. But the poet depicts this emperor by no means a tyrant:

"Emperor with an eagle's profile,
With a black curly beard,
Oh what a ruler you would be
If you weren't yourself!" .

N. S. Gumilyov reveals the image of Emperor Caracalla as a passionary. However, we have a passionary who has lost his former energy. If we adhere to the concept of passionarity of L. N. Gumilyov, then we can say that Caracalla lived in an era of a decrease in the passionarity of the Roman ethnos. In the same time main characteristic N. S. Gumilyov’s Caracalla is the “greed of dreams”, that is, the desire for accomplishments, the thirst for great deeds:

“The greed of dreams for you is tireless:
You could spread the military camp,
Throw a flame in the temple of Jerusalem,
To tame the rebellious Parthians".

In this case, we can draw an analogy: "the greed of dreams - the fatigue of dreams." “Fatigue of dreams” torments and plunges into deep sadness the lyrical hero of N. S. Gumilyov’s poem “Iambic Pentameters”. The “greed of dreams” of a passionary is opposed to the fatigue of the dreams of a person who has lost his former passionarity.

For Nikolai Gumilyov, a poet who "knows everything, can do everything" was an extraordinary ruler-passionary. Hence Gumilev's dream of "poetocracy", that is, the new role of the poet in society. However, some forms of poetocracy were also found in ancient society, namely among the Celts, among whom were poets-rulers (we are talking about the Celtic priests-druids).

Regarding the image of Caracalla, some literary critics have a different point of view. For example, T. S. Zorina believes that Caracalla is "... a typified, collective image of the ruler of Rome during the period of decline, and even endowed with the consciousness of a decadent aesthete of the early twentieth century ...".

Despite the fact that N. S. Gumilyov depicted the era of the decline of imperial Rome with historical accuracy, he nevertheless significantly distorted the image of the emperor himself, since, contrary to historical reality, he called the emperor “wise”. Caracalla in N. Gumilyov's poems "Caracalla" and "To the Emperor" seeks to know the eternal accomplishment of heroic deeds, and also realizes the futility and impotence of human attempts to defend their will and freedom in the fight against fate. T. S. Zorina also believes that “... his real, historical deeds - the suppression of the uprising of the Jews, the wars with the Alamanni and Hatt tribes, an attempt, like Alexander the Great, to conquer the Parthian kingdom - are given only as “dreams”, unrealized possibilities of a person who has forgotten the path of their ancestors in order to comprehend the secrets of the universe and their own souls.

I. Zakharieva emphasizes that Caracalla is a generalized image of the hero, which is distinguished by “clarity, concreteness of positions. This is a self-confident person who does not trust other people's calls, relying on his own mind, courageously moving towards the intended goal. Gumilyov's Caracalla is far from historical in that it opposes the traditional idea of the emperor as a despotic ruler. The well-known gumilev scholar V.V. Bronguleev, the author of a monograph about N. Gumilev “In the middle of the earthly wandering, considering ancient verses (“Roman period”), noted that “the verses of the Roman cycle are not so much historical as they are addressed to some abstract image of the ruler, endowed with poet with features far from reality, creating around him an aura of majesty, drama and strength. We believe that N. Gumilyov's poet is the highest embodiment of passionarity, since Nikolai Stepanovich believed that "a poet must know everything, be able to do everything." Therefore, Gumilyov portrayed Caracalla not only as a ruler, but also as a poet.

In the poem by N. S. Gumilyov “Pompey with the Pirates”, the youngest son of Pompey the Great, Sextus Pompey, is depicted. After the overthrow of his father, he continued the war against Julius Caesar with the help of runaway slaves and deserters. In the image of Sextus Pompey, the features of Julius Caesar are guessed, since the latter spent more than a month in captivity with pirates. However, in Gumilyov, the captive of the pirates behaves as befits an emperor. The poem "Pompeii at the Pirates" tells about a man with a strong character who is able to conquer others with his voice and look:

"Dear fragrances float
In the hold, where they hid in dangerous excitement
Pirates with a menacing look.

With hidden malice fear
They say, now brave, then turning pale,
And in an undertone they demand execution,
Heads of young Pompey".

In this poem, there is a characteristic for N. Gumilyov opposition of a fearless young aristocrat to a crowd of vengeful, vicious, and, of course, dangerous opponents, in this case - pirates. The pirates leave "with a menacing air" and "with hidden malice", demanding the execution of Pompey. The sophisticated reader may identify this scene with the novel Captain Blood's Odyssey by R. Sabatini and its main character, Peter Blood, since both heroes behaved courageously and heroically in similar situations. The descriptions of the images of Pompey and the pirates are filled with expressive details and realistic details, which helps to present them vividly and visibly. Both Peter Blood and Pompey can be attributed to passionaries.

Although antiquity in N. Gumilyov combines such different artistic phenomena and concepts as “heroism”, “spiritual wandering”, “earthly world”, “search for truth”, the poet managed to combine these concepts in an artistically harmonious whole. At the same time, Crimean motifs and images flow smoothly through all the poet's work, presenting antiquity in an artistically new perspective.

Literature:

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Author: Vladimir Alexandrovich Abramenko - Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of Rostov state university ways of communication. Below is his article "Antique images in public thought Russia in the 18th - early 19th centuries (on the example of ideas about the Novgorod veche republic)", published in the journal "Proceedings of the Historical Faculty of St. Petersburg University", 2015.

Ivanov D.I. Marfa Posadnitsa (Presenting by the hermit Theodosius Boretsky of the Ratmir sword to the young leader of the Novgorodians Miroslav, appointed by Marfa Posadnitsa as the husband of her daughter Xenia), 1808. Russian Museum

Antique Images in Russian Public Thought in the 18th - Early 19th Centuries (on the Example of Ideas about the Novgorod Veche Republic)

Today, among domestic and foreign researchers, the problems of the development of the culture of individual peoples, estates or other groups of the population are quite popular. In this connection Special attention is given to the study of art, its forms and place in the life of society. At the same time, the authors focus their attention primarily on the external side of such a global cultural phenomenon as art - on its individual types, monuments or figures, which can be described as the most expressive in a particular historical period. Focusing on the outer side of the problem of interaction between culture and society, researchers do not pay enough attention to the issue of its ideological significance, symbolic and educational potential for the formation of mass and individual historical consciousness and memory of future generations.

It should be noted the work of V.V. Mavrodina " Peasants' War in Russia in 1773-1775. Pugachev's uprising" [Mavrodin, V.V. Peasant war in Russia in 1773-1775. Pugachev's uprising. T. I. L., 1961. 587 pp.], in which the author managed, on the basis of numerous and diverse sources, to form a complete picture demonstrating Pugachev's place in the public thought and historical memory of the people. In this aspect, the question of the naturalness and artificiality of the penetration of certain images into various types of art is of particular interest. It is possible to answer it by analyzing the semantic content of works created over a sufficiently long period, comparable to the life of several generations. Considering a high degree subjectivity in works of art, can be defined as the most objective material historical genre. This is due to the traditional politicization of assessments of the past and, consequently, the censorship of such works. In addition, the historical past is always edited in a certain way within the framework of the education system, which forms a semantic filter for future artists in advance.

This article analyzes the content of ancient images that are atypical, new for Russian society of the 18th century, their semantic load in the period of the 18th - early 19th centuries in order to characterize the stereotypical ideas about the past of Russia that are formed in the viewer. This aspect of the study cultural monuments to date, insufficiently developed by both art critics and historians. At the same time, it seems important in terms of studying the national identity of the Russian people and studying the issue of the formation of a national idea of Russia.

The period of the 18th - early 19th centuries is significant in the development of Russian social thought. The process of the formation of a new Russian culture, primarily among the representatives of the privileged classes, took place in the form of the translation of Western European cultural patterns and their merging with traditional Russian cultural
values. This was accompanied, especially at the first stage, by a sharp antagonism between the two
cultural principles, which was caused by the accelerated pace of modernization of the Russian
states.

Many new trends can be noted in various spheres of manifestation of social thought: science, literature, fine arts and drama, drawn from Northern Europe and often introduced by people from these countries. The fact that, simultaneously with modernization in Russia, there was a process of strengthening autocratic power and the formation of an empire, determined the sharp politicization of almost all spheres of domestic social thought: from historical science to fine arts. Each of them was used in its own way to promote and consolidate in the historical consciousness, first of all, representatives of the privileged estates, the idea of the need for the existence of an absolute monarchy, as a guarantee of the stability and power of Russia. In this regard, it was necessary to downplay the importance of some historical facts from the past, associated with the possibility of a positive development of the democratic traditions of statehood in Russia. The most important of these historical places of memory can be called the Novgorod Veche Republic.

Estimates by figures of socio-political thoughts XVIII- the beginning of the 19th centuries of this place of memory are ambiguous, sometimes opposite. However, a certain interesting trend can be distinguished - all authors use ancient allegories in their rhetoric. There are several reasons for this state of affairs. Firstly, a special interest in the historical past is already manifested within the framework of the activities of the Academy of Sciences, which refers to the second third of the 18th century. At this time, a stereotypical circle of ancient stories and allegories was already formed, understandable to representatives of the Russian educated society. So, for example, in "Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow" A.N. Radishchev concluded that “trade was the cause of his (Novgorod’s) rise”, and “internal disagreements and a predatory neighbor made him fall” [“On the damage to morals in Russia” by Prince M. Shcherbatov and “Journey” by A. Radishchev / [Preface A .AND. Herzen; Intro. Art. and comment. N.Ya. Eidelman] Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Institute of History of the USSR. M., 1985. C. 158-159.]. This, in his opinion, brings medieval Novgorod closer to the ancient city-states - Rome, Troy, Carthage.

The question arises - how could, in such a relatively short chronological period, semantic images new to Russian society so firmly enter the consciousness of the population of Russia that they are used in their works by authors who are in opposition to the official authorities? What is the mechanism of such an effective plasticity of social consciousness and historical memory? The answer should be sought in special forms of reflection of social thought, based on the sensory perception of reality, perceived primarily not by reason and logic, but by emotions. With regard to Novgorod, Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna was one of the first to use this form of introducing new ideas and stereotypes. In her "comic opera in five acts, composed of a fairy tale, a song of Russians and compositions" "Novgorod Bogatyr Boeslavich" [Catherine II. Novgorod hero Boeslavich // Niva: Ill. magazine literature, politics and modern. life. 1893. No. 8. S. 345-355.] she retells the content of the Novgorod legends, slightly changing the names of the main characters.

In spirit and meaning, the opera "Novgorod Bogatyr Boeslavich" is one with "Historical Performances from the Life of Rurik" [Catherine II. From the life of Rurik // Lib.ru: "Classics" (Project "Collection of Classics" of the Moshkov Library). URL: http://az.lib.ru/e/ekaterina_w/text_0250oldorfo.shtml (accessed 09/14/2014)]. They sound the idea of the inability of the Novgorodians to independently manage the city without mutual enmity. Only a strong-willed leader, relying on the force of arms, is able to contain anarchy and maintain peace and tranquility in the country. The Novgorodians' attempt at autocracy failed, and they themselves agreed to submit to the authority of the legitimate heir to the throne. The final part of the opera has much in common with chronicle stories. For example, Rurik received the right to the throne through the daughter of Gostomysl - Umila, his mother. Vasily Boeslavich, in turn, along with the reign, receives Umila as his wife.

These works, according to V.V. Rukovichnikova [Rukovichnikova V.V. Search case about the tragedy "Vadim Novgorodsky". URL: http://pandia.ru/text/78/237/20205.php (accessed 08/18/2015)], although they did not differ in outstanding literary qualities, they gave rise to a number of dramas dedicated to the same plot: “Vadim Novgorodsky" Ya.B. Knyazhnina, "Rurik" P.A. Plavilshchikov. Both tragedies develop the interpretation given by the empress of the place of autocratic power in the culture and statehood of Russia as an essential condition for prosperity, power and social stability. A special place in the process of interpenetration of traditional Russians cultural property and Western European was the activity of the Academy of Arts. Firstly, education at the Academy was based on the traditions of Western European art of the Renaissance, and the best students were sent on a retirement trip to Western Europe. Graduates of the Academy of Arts, following the traditions of European art, relied on classical antique subjects and allegories. Secondly, to determine the topics of graduation works, quotations from the works of prominent domestic historians-encyclopedists were often used - for example, M.V. Lomonosov and N.M. Karamzin.

An interesting work by I.A. Akimov “Prince Rurik, entrusting the death of his baby Igor and with him the reign of his relative Oleg” [Painting under dramatic circumstances in the 1940s. was cut into several pieces. A number of fragments have been lost, the rest are stored in the Irkutsk Art Museum.], created at the end of the 18th century. The theme was determined by the Academy of Arts. The picture is a reflection of the author's ideas about the depicted historical event. The picture shows Rurik lying on his deathbed, who hands over the baby Igor to Oleg. Rurik's pose is close to the classic poses of a dying hero from ancient art. Rurik also resembles the central male image from the painting by Michelangelo Buonarroti “The Birth of Adam”. The clothes of the heroes are by no means a reconstruction of Old Russian and could rather belong to the characters of the Iliad, Odyssey or Aeneid. Nothing indicates that the events depicted relate to Russian history. It is important that the image of Prince Rurik is used in the picture. This historical figure is interpreted as the first Russian ruler who managed to transfer the rights to the throne to his son. It is the moment of inheritance of power that is reflected on the canvas. Thus, the idea of the original existence of autocracy in Rus' as a natural form of power that replaced the veche democracy is affirmed.

Of great importance was the image of Martha Boretskaya, vividly and historically authentically conveyed by D.I. Ivanov in the painting “Marfa Posadnitsa (presentation by the hermit Theodosius Boretsky of the sword of Ratmir to the young leader of the Novgorodians Miroslav, appointed by Marfa Posadnitsa as the husband of her daughter Xenia)” (1808, Russian Museum. Ill. 1). This plot was reproduced not only by painters, but also by sculptors (bas-relief by M.G. Krylov “Marfa Posadnitsa at Theodosius Boretsky”, 1808). The named plot was the program of the 1808 competition for receiving the gold medal of the Academy of Arts. The picture shows three actors a: Marfa Boretskaya herself, her grandfather - Theodosius and kneeling Miroslav. The composition of the painting can be called traditional for the fine arts of the 18th - early 19th centuries. The poses of the heroes, the clothes and expressions of their faces make it possible to draw a direct analogy with ancient subjects in European art.

Attention is drawn to the attempt to reliably convey the ancient Russian costume. This applies to the attire of the hermit Theodosius Boretsky and Martha Posadnitsa. Martha is represented in the center of the composition. Turning her gaze to Theodosius, she points to Miroslav, as if introducing a young man to him. The clothes of Martha Posadnitsa are a kind of combination of the traditional costume of a Russian noblewoman and the attire of a Roman matron. A subordinate position among the characters on the canvas is occupied by the figure of Miroslav. His posture simultaneously expresses impatience and readiness to fulfill his duty to Novgorod.

Of particular importance in the analysis of the image of medieval Novgorod is the image of the Volkhov River. It is represented in the sculptural compositions "Connection of the Volkhov and Neva Rivers"
I.P. Prokofiev (1801, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg) and the statues "Volkhov" by I.P. Prokofiev (1805) and "Neva" by F.F. Shchedrin (1804), decorating the Grand Cascade in Peterhof. These works were created under the influence of ancient iconography, and are stylistically close to the images of Peter Paul Rubens: it is enough to recall his "Union of Earth and Water" (c. 1618, GE). I.P. Prokofiev. This work is dedicated to the construction of the Ladoga Canal, or the Canal of the Emperor Peter the Great, built on the initiative of the autocrat. In search of a figurative solution, the sculptor turns to the traditional iconography of Neptune and Amphitrite, but Russifies the characters. The Neva and Volkhov are represented reclining on stones - as if fragments of those granite blocks that were crushed during the construction of the canal - from which a source flows - a symbol of the unification of two rivers into a single system and the economic well-being of the state. The same idea is embodied in the sculptures "Volkhov" and "Neva" on the Grand Cascade in Peterhof, where there are similar figures.

However, in the first example, there is a more global symbolic image broadcast to the viewer. The lack of attributes of the figures causes some difficulties in the analysis of the symbolism of the image in the sculpture of I.P. Prokofiev "Connection of the Volkhov and Neva Rivers". Neva appears as a symbol of St. Petersburg - a young, actively developing capital Russian Empire. What, then, is Volkhov if not a metaphor for medieval Novgorod? The very location of the figures opposite each other emphasizes the identity of the political and economic status of Novgorod and St. Petersburg, the ancient and modern capitals of Russia. Thus, the images of the Volkhov and the Neva represent a symbolic image of the onset of a new historical era, inextricably linked with the origins of Russian statehood. Of considerable interest are the Rostral columns in St. Petersburg (1810). Made according to the sketches of the masters J. Kamberlin and F. Thibaut, the sculptures at the foot of the columns represent allegories of four Russian rivers - the Volga, Dnieper, Neva and Volkhov.

Each of the sculptures was decorated with attributes of ancient gods, symbolizing wealth, power, abundance and harmony. Volkhov is presented as an old man with a staff in his hands. This majestic figure inevitably gives rise to an association with the ancient Greek god Poseidon, the lord of the seas and earthquakes - the staff was replaced by a trident. In ancient mythology, the trident was a symbol of navigation and fishing - exactly those branches of the economy that Novgorod has been famous for at all times. Striking the trident on the seashore, the sea god caused earthquakes.

Novgorod, with its veche form of government, atypical for most Russian lands, also shook the autocratic order in Rus'. Representing not just an alternative, but an economically and military-politically effective form of statehood development, the Novgorodians did not allow various forms of self-organization of the population to completely disappear in the Russian lands. In addition, a peculiar form of "earthquake" is the predatory attacks of the Novgorod ushkuins. Their campaigns kept in suspense not only the neighbors of Novgorod, but also the inhabitants of rather remote lands. As we can see, the choice of the image of Poseidon as an allegorical incarnation of Novgorod was quite justified. The sculptures decorating the foot of the Rostral columns also reflected the historical confrontation between Novgorod and Moscow.

The allegory of the Neva can be regarded as a metaphor for the capital of Russia [Novgorod is an allegory of the democratic principles of statehood in the Russian lands. After its ruin by Ivan the Terrible, it lost its economic, military, but not symbolic meaning. The reason is that after the 16th century there were no rises of any form of democracy except for the Cossack freemen on Russian lands. The Cossacks were located too far from the native Russian lands. Their way of life was extremely specific and, in many respects, far from the life of a communal peasant. In part, the image of the Cossack freemen merged with the image of Novgorod in the studies of the 19th century. The opposite symbol is the image of autocratic power, consistently displayed in the image of Moscow - the political center, the rulers of which systematically collected Russian lands, unified the system of government and strengthened the power of the monarch. The domestic policy of Peter the Great had a similar vector. Since the capital was moved to St. Petersburg, he took on the semantic load of Moscow as the capital of autocratic Russia. In the works of the Decembrists, this concept can be traced quite unambiguously. To a certain extent, the ancestor and popularizer of this view is Radishchev and his “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” (See for more details: Abramenko V.A. Medieval Novgorod through the eyes of descendants (based on documents of the 18th - early 20th centuries). Rostov n / D, 2011. 312 p.)], as well as the allegory of Volkhov as a metaphor for Novgorod.

The image of the Neva is largely associated with the image of the goddess Athena - the goddess of organized war and wisdom, and the image of Volkhov with the image of the sea god Poseidon - the patron saint of navigation. Thus, the fact of confrontation between the Novgorod veche republic and the Moscow principality can be compared with the ancient story of the confrontation between Athena and Poseidon for the right to own Athens. The Athenians recognized the goddess of wisdom as the patroness of the city. The allegorical meaning of this plot in the context Russian history can be interpreted as a reflection of the support of Moscow's claims during the conflict between the two ancient Russian cities by the people. It is noteworthy that the figures of the Neva and Volkhov are presented at the same column, which symbolizes the historical continuity from Ancient Rus' to Petrine Russia, from Veliky Novgorod to Petersburg. Creation by foreign sculptors of works of art located in the capital Russian state, with a similar symbolic load, is a confirmation of the deep rooting in society of certain stereotypical images-symbols associated with state power. The formation of such images was the result of a consistent long-term process, which was reflected in the works of graduates of the Academy of Arts.

Thus, we can conclude that the emotionally oriented spheres of manifestation of social thought have a significant influence, i.e. fine arts and drama in the 18th - early 19th centuries, on the formation of ideas about the ancient history of Russia and specifically about medieval Novgorod. They made it possible to quickly and effectively introduce into consciousness large groups certain stereotypical ideas and were in demand in this capacity both personally by the emperors (Catherine II), and enlightened intellectuals close to the throne who developed programs for works of art. In the context of the strengthening of the absolute monarchy and the need to fight the noble opposition in the 18th century, such forms of influence on historical consciousness were especially necessary for the authorities. It is no coincidence that the named works of fine art and dramaturgy are concentrated mainly in the capital and are available (both materially and semantics) mainly to representatives of the nobility.

The result of such a systematic, purposeful formation of historical memory among representatives of the educated society of Russia was the addition of one-sided ideas about some facts of the historical past. In the minds of the generation of the first third of the XIX century. artificially formed images were fixed as natural ones. This can be seen in separate images with a semantic load, which were used, in particular, by the Decembrists and their sympathizers. A significant influence of ancient images and allegories remains, as well as stereotypical ideas about the historical past of Russia, introduced by the official authorities in the 18th century, but now accepted as axioms. As a result, the authors predominantly turned to rationally oriented forms of social thought ( historical writings, literature, poetry) in order to popularize their own views as widely as possible. This became possible and logically justified under the condition of a deep penetration of the semantics of the images used into the public and individual consciousness.

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mythologicalimagesantiquityVworkspaintingerarenaissance

Volotskov Anastasia - student 2nd course FIA MAI (NRU)

Zubanova S.G. - d.h.s., Professor,

head of department theories And practices second foreign

languages FIA MAI (NRU)- scientific supervisor.

annotation

The purpose of this article is to familiarize readers with the genre of ancient mythology in painting, to reveal and analyze artistic images on the canvases of the most famous artists of the Renaissance, as well as to draw parallels between fine arts and other areas of spiritual culture of the corresponding era.

Anastasia Volotskova - 2nd year student of the foreign Languages Department of the Moscow Aviation University (National Research university)

S. G. Zubanova - Doctor of history, professor, chairperson of the theory and practice of the second foreign languages department of the foreign Languages Department of the Moscow Aviation University (National Research university) - scientific advisor

mythologicalimagesofantiquityinmasterpiecesofRenaissance

The following article is aimed at readers" familiarization with the genre of antique mythology in pictorial art, analysis of artistic images appearing in canvases which belong to the most famous artists of Renaissance; also, matching art and other spheres of inner culture parallels of the same epoch.

Mythological images of antiquity in the paintings of the Renaissance

rebirth, or Renaissance(from French renaissance , ital. rinascimento) - an era in the history of European culture, which replaced the culture of the Middle Ages and preceded the culture of modern times. The approximate chronological framework of the era is the XIV-the very beginning of the XVII century. A distinctive feature of the Renaissance is the secular nature of culture and its anthropocentrism (that is, interest, first of all, in a person and his activities). There is an interest in ancient culture, there is, as it were, its “revival” - and this is how the term appeared. Drawing pictures of traditional religious themes, the artists began to use new artistic techniques: building a three-dimensional composition, using a landscape in the background, which allowed them to make the images more realistic and lively. This sharply distinguished their work from the previous iconographic tradition, replete with conventions in the image. The genre dispersion of painting in the Renaissance is relatively small, the most popular were icon painting, vanitas, and portraits. But some artists often turned to ancient cultural roots for inspiration, as a result of which their brushes and canvases gave rise to mythological images of ancient gods and heroes from folk tales. Myth and legends are closely intertwined with the everyday life of people. Myth in the meaning of the Russian language is "a legend". Ancient mythology (from the Latin Antiquus - “ancient”) is manifested in the vivid pictorial images of artists who endow the characters of their canvases with a certain corporality and greater fantasy. From the very beginning of the Renaissance, the creators looked for inspiration and drew ideas from the plots of the mythology of Ancient Rome and Greece. Florence became the birthplace of the Renaissance and ReRenin, which in the 13th century. was a city of rich merchants, owners of manufactories, a huge number of artisans organized in workshops. In addition, the guilds of doctors, pharmacists, musicians, lawyers, attorneys, solicitors, and notaries were very numerous for that time. It was among the representatives of this class that circles began to take shape. educated people who decided to study the cultural heritage of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. They turned to the artistic heritage of the ancient world, the works of the Greeks and Romans, who at one time created the image of a man not bound by the dogmas of religion, beautiful in soul and body. Therefore, a new era in development European culture received the name "Renaissance", reflecting the desire for the return of samples and values ancient culture in the face of the "materialization" of myths and legends in the new historical conditions.

For a modern viewer, the narration of mythological scenes in canvases will seem commonplace, however, connoisseurs and connoisseurs who see the historical roots of the emergence of this genre, like ancient mythology in painting, appreciate with particular trepidation the art with which world artists of that time approached the creation of images and scenes of life fairy tale characters ancient mythology.

The most significant artists of this era who worked in the direction of painting ancient mythology are Sandro Botticelli, Titian, Antonio da Correggio and Nicolas Poussin.

Like a true Florentine, Botticelli the first began to write mythological heroes in his paintings. His most famous work, which to this day is considered not only a masterpiece, but also a symbol of Italian painting of the 15th century, is The Birth of Venus.

The theme is taken from ancient literature, more precisely, from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Naked Venus floats on the sea on a seashell, the gods of the winds fly to her left; on the right, on the shore, Venus is met with clothes in her hands by the nymph of the seasons Ora. Violets bloom under her feet - a symbol of the renewal of nature.

Among other literary landmarks is the poem "Stanza" by Angelo Poliziano, a contemporary of Botticelli and the main Neoplatonist poet from the Medici entourage. Neoplatonism is a philosophical movement popular in the Renaissance, which tried to find common ground between the cultural heritage of the ancient world and Christianity.

The philosophical interpretation of the work according to Neoplatonism is as follows: the birth of Venus is a symbol of the birth of love, the highest virtue and spiritual beauty, which is the driving force of life. Even the sign-symbol of the female sex (which, in fact, has the above qualities by nature) is called the "mirror of Venus."

In the pose of Venus, the influence of classical Greek sculpture is obvious: the goddess stands, leaning on one leg and chastely covers her nakedness. Botticelli was one of the greatest masters of line and drawing. . "Birth of Venus" is also unique in that it is for Tuscany firstexamplepaintingoncanvas. The use of alabaster dust gives the paints a special glow and durability.

The picture can also be interpreted as an ode to the Medici dynasty - thanks to their culture and talented diplomacy, love and beauty reigned in Florence.

Venus "flaunted" on the canvas not only at Botticelli. At Titian we can also find a couple of pictures with her. I immediately remember his "Venus of Urbino". antique mythology painting revival

It was written by order of the Duke of Urbino, Guidobaldo II della Rovere. Creation presents many options for reflection and interpretation. Most likely, the picture is an allegory of marriage . According to one version, the naked woman depicted as Venus is the young bride of Duke Guidobaldo II Giulia Varano. The open look of Venus, the ancient goddess of love, is directed directly at the viewer. The obvious eroticism of the picture was supposed to serve as a reminder to the young wife about the fulfillment of her marital duty. But again, cultural roots go back to Ancient Greece, where human beauty was considered the height of beauty, magnificence, and was even sacred to some extent.

The naked body of a woman, painted in warm light colors, contrasts with a dark background. Roses, long considered an attribute of Venus, symbolize female fertility. . A small dog sleeping at the feet of a woman personifies fidelity, in this context marital fidelity (since it is no secret to anyone that a dog is the most faithful pet). In the background, two maids are depicted, busy with a chest with outfits - the dowry of a young girl.

Next in line is Venus performed by Antonio da Correggio, appearing on his canvas “Venus, Satyr and Cupid”. The viewer can observe the lustful gaze of the goat-legged Satyr on the naked but chaste Venus, who, with motherly care, holds her hand near Cupid. We all know that Cupid, like Venus, is a symbol of love (we even turn to Latin: Venus is translated as Venus, which also means "love, charm"; the second “name” of Cupid in Latin is Eris, the translation is absolutely similar); but the irony is that he, and as Satyr, is the epitome of love attraction. However, the antithesis between them is that Satyr carries a vulgar thought, and Cupid is correct, or rather, the idea of continuing life. That is, roughly speaking, the picture is divided into two sides: bad and good, dark and light, evil and good, depraved and innocent.

The duet of Venus and Cupid is also found on the canvas by Agnolo Bronzino “Allegory with Venus and Cupid”. In the center, a naked Venus clutches a golden apple in her left hand - an award that caused Trojan War; with her right hand, she disarms Cupid, who erotically hugs her and almost crushes the peace dove with his right foot. On the right, a playful little boy is about to shower them with rose petals, not noticing that he is stepping on thorns, one of which has already pierced his right foot. Behind him, a beautiful girl holds out a honeycomb, but her generous gesture is a deceit, as she holds the sting of her snake tail in her other hand.

Based on the frequent appearance of Venus in the paintings of great artists, we can conclude that this goddess is the brightest and most attractive heroine for painters. In the examples of paintings I have given above, all artists skillfully use oil, creating a play of color contrasts. In all canvases, Venus, a symbol of love, beauty and fertility, embodies idealwomeneraRenaissance.

Be that as it may, despite the admiration of mythology by the great figures of the spheres of material and spiritual culture, modern man tends to underestimate mythology, mistakenly equating it with children's fairy tales. Moreover, it is obvious that the role of mythology has become insignificant compared to previous eras. It can be said that myths, such as they were in antiquity or the Middle Ages, are already almost forgotten as literary genre and are often studied only within the framework of school curriculum. But they are overflowing with wisdom accumulated over the centuries, and like no other genre is able to enrich the human soul with its rich symbolic images. Therefore, we can speak with confidence about the relevance of this topic for modern society. Perhaps it will be able to arouse in the reader a keen interest in mythology and will be able to encourage the study of myths from the beginning.

The waning interest in mythology these days is easily explained. It's all about the philosophical understanding of myth. It occurs within the framework of consideration of the problem of mythological consciousness, since is the key to understanding the very nature and essence of human consciousness and being. For the ancient people, mythology was a kind of understanding of reality, since a person did not have the opportunity and means to explain certain phenomena of nature or his own body and consciousness (and subconscious), so he came up with higher power, which identify everything that exists on earth. In our post-industrial, informational age, we have science and technology with which we can explain almost everything, and the uselessness of mythology followed the possession of these means.

But still, painting in any of its manifestations, genre (in this case, mythology for us) is a culture. Culture is something that enriches us spiritually, gives some food for the mind and soul. Modern culture is characterized by a new understanding of the world and man's place in it, expresses its own "myth", forms its own mythological space. Thus, any mythology, being the first form of knowledge of the world, in historical development gives us inexhaustible material for mastering it in terms of ethics, aesthetics and for revealing its artistic impact in the literature and art of Antiquity. Therefore, it is categorically important to take care of the preservation of cultural heritage, because this is an amazing and irreplaceable way to self-development, containing a response to the “eternal problems” of being.

The indirect role of mythology today is that the heroes of ancient myths (both Greek and Roman, as well as Egyptian and many others) are actively used in such areas of modern culture as cinema (the films "Wrath of the Titans", "Battle of the Gods"), game production (video games "Viking - Battle for Asgard" and "God of War"), animation production (mainly Japanese animation based on local folklore). Because we should not forget for a second that mythology is one of the most important vectors for the development of artistic culture. Not only in the Renaissance, but also today!

LiteratureAndsources

1. Wikipedia - free encyclopedia - http://ru.wikipedia.org

2. General Encyclopedia of Art History (section: Renaissance or Renaissance, SS. 245-270).

3. Official source of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence - http://www.florence-museum.com/uffizi

4. http://gallerix.ru

5. Journal "Humanitarian, socio-economic and social sciences", issue No. 7/2015, article by Petrov N.V. "Philosophy of the Mythology of Antiquity".

6. Dissertation Piven M.G. "Interpretation of ancient plots and images in the paintings of the early Italian Renaissance", 2011; SS. 3-9.

7. Article « Ancient mythology as a significant part of the plot-thematic complex in European painting of the 17th-18th centuries” Kolchikova T.O. and Ulakhovich S.N.

8. Ancient myths in world art: gods and heroes. Plots and symbols. Painting and sculpture: [mini-atlas / comp. and resp. ed. S.Yu. Afonkin]. St. Petersburg: SZKEO: Crystal; Rostov n/a: Phoenix, 2003. -- 95 p.

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Images of antiquity in Russian culture of the XVIII century.

The images of ancient mythology turned out to be one of the most important milestones at which Europeanized and traditional cultures were divided. Europe did not know analogies to this process. The spread of mythological knowledge in Russia is becoming part of the state policy aimed at the Europeanization of the country.

Peter I took care of the mythological enlightenment of his subjects. On his initiative, the "Library" of Alollodor, an encyclopedia of mythological information, is translated and published. At the same time, the translation is entrusted to the Synod: the fight against the representation of ancient mythology as a demonic faith becomes part of the state church politics. If the old (patriarchal) organization of the church was a breeding ground for prejudice, then the new (synodal) organization, according to Peter, was called upon to help combat ignorance. Thus, the popularization of Greek and Roman mythology was included in the scope of duties of the spiritual department and the church itself. Preface to the book

Apollodorus was written by Feofan Prokopovich. He argued that true paganism is ritual belief, and not antiquity.

The conscious introduction of mythological imagery as an element of state policy is connected with the functions of mythological plots in the apology of imperial power, in the formation of a new sacredness of autocracy. Mythological images were widely used in panegyric texts to glorify the emperor. Already in 1696, when Peter was returning from the Azov campaign, his triumphal entry into Moscow was furnished with antique elements. According to Roman custom, triumphal gates were built, decorated with statues of Mars and Hercules, and in the middle of the gate hung tapestries with the inscriptions "Return of the victory of King Constantine." Peter was presented as a new Constantine, and his "victoria" is attributed with signs of Roman victors.

Since the time of Peter the Great, a kind of civil cult arose, arranged according to the ancient model, using ancient characters as necessary attributes. Byzantine ideas about the monarch underwent significant modernization, which caused criticism from conservatives.

In 1704, on the occasion of the conquest of Livonia, Peter was given a solemn entry into Moscow, furnished with mythological symbols. The triumphal gates were decorated with images of Mars, Neptune, Juno, ancient heroes, and allegorical Hope. In the description of the celebration by the prefect of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, it was especially emphasized that the celebration was purely secular, and not religious, and therefore all antique paraphernalia was quite acceptable. Secular ceremonies received the same right to exist as church ones, and therefore other “pagan”, but at the same time “imperial”, “sovereign” symbols are allowed for them. A kind of compromise was reached between ecclesiastical and secular authorities, with the latter's clear primacy.

We can assume that for the first time Peter the Great introduced Russia to classical art, and in the most shocking form. The emperor's summer house in St. Petersburg is surrounded by the Summer Garden, an example of a "regular French" park with grottoes, alleys, fountains and sculptures. The sculptures exhibited in the garden became the initial acquaintance with classical art in Russia.

There is almost no round sculpture in the Russian tradition. The appearance of round marble (and often naked) statues in Russia was a stunning novelty. The Orthodox consciousness rejected them as analogous to "pagan idols". meanwhile sent

Peter I, people bought antique and baroque sculpture all over Europe. One of them wrote home: "I'm buying marble girls ... why - I don't know ... their place is only in hell." By the way, many ancient statues, even more copies, came to Russia in this way. The famous Tauride Venus (after the name of the palace where the exhibition was held) was also accidentally purchased in 1718 by one of Peter's envoys for 196 efimki - a lot of money at that time.

Already in 1710, more than 30 large statues were exhibited in the Summer Garden. Some sculptural groups were commissioned specifically for Russian scenes, such as “Peace and Victory” (in honor of the Peace of Nishtad). In fact, it was an art class under open sky, a visual textbook of ancient aesthetics. Under Peter, the foundation was laid for the creation of large collections of Western art. The sculpture appeared in the parks of Peterhof, Oranienbaum, in Tsarskoye Selo.

Mythology gradually became something like a state religion, the basis for the ritual side of secular power. During the solemn entry of Elizabeth Petrovna into St. Petersburg in 1742, Minerva was depicted on the triumphal gates, and under her eight more Greek gods and angels. At the coronation celebrations in Moscow in 1763, Catherine II appeared in the image of Minerva, and during the Potemkin feast in the garden of the Tauride Palace in 1791, an altar of white marble was even arranged in front of the statue of Catherine in the manner of the Greek.

The culture of the Russian Enlightenment realized mythology primarily as an act for the glory of state power. All of Petersburg is an invented mirage. The mythological essence of the new Russian capital was carefully supported by the ancient vocabulary of culture. The "gardens of Babylon" hung over the Neva, after the solemn prayer service "Minerva" opened the "temple of Enlightenment". The servants of the throne denounced vices, opening the eyes of the monarch, and the people praised their god-like ruler. The mythological heritage affected my favorite stories and characters. The theme of Arcadia and the Golden Age was constantly repeated; goddesses of wisdom and beauty, Zeus the Thunderer, grateful "villagers" do not leave the canvases and literary pages. In the image of G.R. Derzhavina Ekaterina - "Fslitsa", giving the peoples her "Instruction".

The trend under consideration, according to researchers V.M. Zhivova and B.A. Uspensky, develops against the background of the Christian sacralization of the monarch and serves as its figurative expression. Within the boundaries of the same characteristic lie the ancient images used in the literature of the "high style", primarily in the odes. For the first time, the question of their use was raised by V.K. Trediakovsky. A.S. Sumarokov in 1748 (“Epistole on Poetry”) even drew up detailed and categorical rules prescribing how and in what cases one or another ancient character should be mentioned.

Minerva - wisdom in him, Diana - purity,

Love is Cupid, Venus is beauty.

Where there is thunder and lightning, there the Angry Zeus proclaims fury and frightens the earth.

Mythology became the basis for the assimilation of the Baroque and Classicism styles, the image of its aesthetic attitudes. Ultimately, mythology participated in the conflict between the European and the national, since mythological images were associated exclusively with the new secular culture. The use of the names of ancient gods and heroes in speech became a sign of new enlightenment, decoration, evidence that the author belongs to a layer of highly educated nobility, that is, mythology acted as a factor in cultural self-identification, self-awareness. In Russia, mythology also turned out to be a means of cultural delimitation of estates.

If the sacralization of the monarch took place in the concepts and images of the Christian faith, this could make a negative impression both on the people and on the educated nobility. Here it was almost impossible to “overdo it,” since a touch of convention and play successfully masked the development of “autocracy” into absolutism. When Lomonosov called Peter God in an ode in 1743 (“He is God, he was your God, Russia”), this seemed like blasphemy. And comparisons of the same Peter with Jupiter the Thunderer or Zeus were rather favorably received by the public. Even the opponents of the king-antichrist could not object to the application of pagan images to him.

Of course, the contradictions between Orthodoxy and the imperial cult, realized in the images of antiquity, could not be completely removed. The sacralization of the monarch in the mythological space only eliminated Christian associations, but could not stop the strengthening of the religious meaning of alien mythological images. This circumstance emphasized the delimitation of the secular and spiritual culture of modern times.

Images of antiquity in Russian art of the 18th century. most clearly realized in historical painting and architecture. The architectural “genre” of the triumphal arch, which is so beloved in Russia, became a direct borrowing. The young empire celebrated its victories in the style of the Roman emperors - triumphs. Already in the time of Peter the Great, the main events and military "victories": the Treaty of Nishtad,

The Battle of Poltava, coronations, namesakes, imperial entries - were marked by the construction of triumphal arches, temporary or permanent. Architects I.P. Zarudny, D. Trezzini, M.G. Zemtsov, painters R.N. Nikitin, A.M. Matveev, L. Caravakk.

Sculptural and pictorial allegories on ancient subjects likened the glorified person ancient gods and heroes. The symbolism was often straightforward and complimentary. So, Neptune forbids the winds to blow on Kronstadt; Menshikov offers Peter his flaming heart. Scenes of sea battles, as a rule, were accompanied by explanatory and jubilant inscriptions, such as “The Turks were struck at sea ... their ships were burned”, “Moscow wins”, etc. Hercules was a friendly neighbor with George the Victorious, Perseus - with the Archangel Michael, Alexander Macedonian - with King David, Alexander Nevsky - with Mars, etc. For the first time, national characters in a heroic interpretation appeared on the triumphal gates: Peter I, Karl XII, Menshikov in antique or modern clothes and in the real environment of a sea battle, near the walls of fortresses, etc. Thus, the triumphal arches in Russia acquired the significance of a kind of historical canvases, sometimes more nationally oriented than the actual paintings.

Antiquity (from Latin this word means "antiquity" - antiquus) is the era of two great civilizations - Ancient Greece and Rome.

Periodization of antiquity

Answering the question of what an ancient society is, you need to know in what era it existed and what periods this time was divided into.

The following periodization is generally accepted:

1. Early antiquity - the time of the birth of the Greek states.

2. Classical antiquity - the period of unity of Roman and Greek civilization.

3. Late Antiquity - the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Considering the ancient society, one must take into account the fact that it is impossible to establish the exact time frame here. Greek civilization appeared before the Roman, and the Eastern existed for some time after the fall of the Western. It is believed that the era of antiquity is the time from the VIII century. BC e. according to the VI century. n. e., before the beginning of the Middle Ages.

The emergence of the first states

On the Balkan Peninsula in antiquity, there were several unsuccessful attempts to create states. It was a period of prehistory

2700-1400 BC e. - the time of the Minoan civilization. It existed in Crete and had a high level of development and culture. It was destroyed by a natural disaster (volcanic eruption that gave rise to a strong tsunami) and the Achaean Greeks who captured the island.

Around the 16th century BC. Mycenaean civilization arose in Greece. She dies in 1200-1100 BC. e. after the Dorians invaded. This time is also called the "Greek Dark Ages".

After the disappearance of the remains of the Mycenaean culture, the first period of antiquity begins. In time, it coincides with the end and formation of early class society.

The ancient Greek state was the primary civilization. It originates in the primitive system, and before it there was no previous experience of statehood. Therefore, ancient society experienced a strong influence of primitiveness. This was manifested, first of all, in the religious worldview. A person in this period was considered as the main feature of antiquity - an active position in relation to the world.

Life in ancient society: structure and classes

The first Greek states developed very actively. This was facilitated by the struggle between the peasants and the nobility, when the latter tried to convert the former into debt slavery. In many other ancient civilizations, this was done, but not in the Greek. Here, the demos not only managed to defend its freedom, but also achieved some political rights. Of course, this does not mean that society in the ancient world did not know slavery. AND Ancient Greece, and subsequently Rome were

What is an ancient society and what is its structure? Main public education ancient world was a polis, or city-state. Therefore, a society has developed here that is completely different from other countries. The community was its core. Everyone occupied his position in it. It was determined by the presence of civil status. The entire population was divided into three categories: full-fledged citizens, incomplete and disenfranchised. Civil status is the main achievement of ancient society. If in other countries the population lived within the strict limits of estates, then in Greece and Rome it was more important to have the status of a citizen. He allowed the demos to take part in the management of the policy on an equal footing with the nobility.

Roman society was somewhat different from Greek and had the following structure:

2. Free farmers and artisans. Columns were included in the same category of the population.

3. Merchants.

4. Military.

5. Slave owners. Here in the first place was the senatorial estate.

Science and culture of ancient society

First scientific knowledge were obtained in ancient times, in the states of the East. This period is called pre-scientific. In the future, these teachings were developed in ancient Greece.

The science of ancient society is the emergence of the first scientific theories, basic concepts, treatises and communities. At this time, the formation and emergence of many modern sciences.

In its development, the science of antiquity has come a long way:

1. Early stage - VII-IV centuries. BC. This is the time of natural science and philosophy. The first scientists-philosophers were mainly interested in the problems of nature, as well as in the search for the fundamental principle of all living things.

2. Hellenic stage - it is characterized by the division of a single science into separate areas: logic, mathematics, physics, medicine. This time is considered the highest flowering of ancient science. Euclid, Aristotle, Archimedes, Democritus create their great works.

3. The Roman stage - the time of the decline of ancient science. Among the most important achievements of this period is the astronomy of Ptolemy.

The main success of the science of ancient times lies in the formation of separate directions, the creation of the first terminology and methods of cognition.

The philosophy of ancient society and its famous representatives

It arose in the 7th-5th centuries. BC e. in Greece and is divided into the following stages:

1. Naturphilosophy, or early classics. Philosophers of this time were primarily interested in questions of cosmology. Outstanding representatives: Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus.

2. Classics is the heyday of the time in which its most lived prominent representatives: Socrates, Plato, Euclid, Aristotle. Here, for the first time, questions of natural philosophy were replaced by an interest in the problem of good and evil, ethics.

3. Philosophy of Hellenism - at this time begins active development philosophical thought under the influence of ancient Greek scientists. The most famous representatives: Seneca, Lucretius, Cicero, Plutarch. There are many directions of Epicureanism, Neoplatonism and Stoicism.

The influence of antiquity on modern culture

Ancient Greece and Rome are poetically called the cradle of modern civilization. Undoubtedly, ancient society had a tremendous impact on the development of other countries and peoples. Sciences, theater, sports, comedy, drama, sculpture - not to list everything that the ancient world gave modern man. This influence is still traced in the culture, life and language of many Romanesque peoples and inhabitants of the Mediterranean region.