RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF ART OF ST. PETERSBURG (part 1)
In 2007, the Russian Academy of Arts celebrates its 250th anniversary. November 17, 1757 (old style - November 6) - The governing Senate of the Russian Empire adopted a decree…

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TALKS ON THE ISLANDS OF ART (part 1)
Traveling in the endless sea of ​​the Internet, you can find a great many large and small sites where people share their art, want to be heard and seen, but…

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HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DUTCH AND FLEMAND STILL LIFE (part 1)
In the 50s and 60s of the 16th century, the situation in the Netherlands became extremely tense. If in the first half of the century the burden of economic exploitation…

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anti-realistic trends

MASTERPIECES OF PASTEL FROM FUNDS OF THE TREYAKOV GALLERY (part 2)

In Russia, pastel technique appeared in the second half of the XVIII century, but never reached such popularity as in Europe. The first pastors known to us were invited foreign masters – G.-F. Schmidt, V. Eriksen, Gagelgans, I.-G. Schmidt, I. Bardou and their younger contemporary K. Bardou. Many of them were portrait painters. Their works are executed at a good professional level, in the tradition of cabinet portraiture. They are characterized by a picturesque solution, they carefully wrote out individual features, finely modeled faces, powdered wigs, carefully detailed clothing, thin foam of lace, the mysterious sparkle of orders, the gentle shimmer of tones typical of pastels. In these small, often paired, family portraits that once adorned the walls of Russian noble nests, live human faces, famous and unknown, appear in front of the viewer – people who have gone down in history but have not sunk into oblivion, thanks to artists who have preserved their appearance for posterity. Continue reading

LENINGRAD SCHOOL OF PAINTING (part 4)

However, in 1928, after a series of publications in the journal Revolution and Culture, edited by N. I. Bukharin, supported by the section of literature and art of the Communist Academy, a new aggravation of the ideological struggle in art began. Realistic traditions and easel art were opposed by new types of creativity (photography, design, cinema), and models of Western modernism were offered as a standard. This had consequences for Vkhutein (as the Academy of Arts was called in 1923). The directors were accused of restoring academism. The dissatisfaction of some teachers and students of the institute was supported by the art groups “Proletariat”, “Circle”, a group of P. N. Filonov, who opposed, among other things, any control in the development of culture in general and the art school in particular. Continue reading

PRINT. CLASSIFICATION AND VARIETIES (part 1)

An engraving (from French estampe) is a generalized name for works of printed graphics, which is an engraving or any other print on paper from a printing form.
There are four types of prints: high (convex) printing, flat printing, intaglio printing and screen printing. Convex printing includes woodcut, linocut and cardboard engraving. For flat printing – lithography with all its varieties and monotype. Intaglio printing: etching, engraving, mezzo-tinto, dotted line, dry needle, aquatint, reserve, lavis, soft varnish, pencil style. Screen printing – silk screen printing.
Let us consider in more detail the main print techniques in chronological order. Continue reading

HISTORY OF ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF ART OF ENAMEL (part 2)
The Egyptian manner of performing jewelry was developed in the post-Dynastic period beyond the borders of Egypt. Ornaments from the burial of the wife of Pharaoh Amenemkhet from Meroe (Nubia)…

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ABOUT AQUARIAN PAINTING TECHNIQUE (part 5)
This is confirmed by laboratory tests. Today, there are world-famous manufacturers who honor the traditions of the best manufactories, they have earned the high trust and respect of professionals. Information…

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EXCURSION TO THE WORLD OF PAINTING (part 2)
By depicting reality on a two-dimensional plane, painting creates the illusion of three-dimensionality and volume: people and objects appear to be at different distances from the viewer — some closer,…

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