Synopses & Reviews
The rise of critical realism in nineteenth-century Russia culminated in 1870 with the formation of the Wanderers, Russias first independent artistic society. Through depictions of the harsh lives of the peasantry, the fate of political activists, Russian history, landscapes, and portraits of the nations cultural elite, such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, the society became synonymous with dissident sentiments. Yet its members were far from being purveyors of anti-Tsarist propaganda and their canvasses reflect also a warm humanity and a fierce pride for such nationalistic themes as Russian myth and legend. Through close readings of single canvases, investigations of major themes and a multi-disciplinary integration of the Wanderers within Russian society, this book gives the first comprehensive analysis of the crucial cultural role played by one of the most successful and genuinely popular schools of art, the legacy of which comprises a fascinating panorama of life and thought in pre-revolutionary Russia.
Review
"The book is well written. It reads easily, and this in itself might help to popularize the Wanderers. It can certainly be recommended as a readable popular survey or introduction." --Elizabeth Kridi Valkenier, Columbia University
Synopsis
Russian nineteenth-century society, as seen through the art of the Wanderers, the nation's largest and most successful dissident school of realist painters, provides a fascinating social panorama of the late tsarist period: the land, the people, its times and history.
About the Author
David Jackson is Head of School and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds.
Table of Contents
Introduction * Academic autocracy and the artists burden * The challenge to the Academy and formation of the Wanderers * The lower depths: images of the rural and urban peasantry * The revolutionarys tale: political themes * Meritocracy: portraiture * History painting: sedition and tradition * Landscape painting: styles and ideologies * The Slavic Revival * Adapted allegiances * Conclusion * Select bibliography * Index