The harmonious development of ancient Russian culture was interrupted by the Mongol invasion in the middle of the 13th century. Therefore, historians separate the initial period of its evolution (IX-XIII centuries) from all subsequent ones. Life was an inseparable part of culture - everything that surrounded the daily life of ordinary members and nobility of East Slavic society.

Architecture

Like the entire culture of pre-Mongol Russia, the architecture of the country has changed a lot after the adoption of Christianity and the layering of Byzantine traditions on Old Russian ones. Residential buildings of the Eastern Slavs from ancient times were semi-dugouts and log cabins. In the north, in the forest zone, rich traditions of carpentry have developed.

Stone buildings appeared at the end of the 10th century, when Greek architects arrived in the country at the invitation of Prince Vladimir. The most important cultural monuments of pre-Mongol Rus were built in Kyiv - "the mother of Russian cities." In 989, the construction of the stone Church of the Tithes began, which became a cathedral, located next to the princely courtyard.

In the future, ancient Russian monumental architecture spread throughout all the East Slavic lands. For example, in the 11th century, St. Sophia Cathedral was consecrated in Novgorod - today it is the main attraction of the city. Also, this building is considered the oldest church built by the Slavs and preserved in Russia. There was also a St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. An outstanding monument of architecture is built in the Vladimir principality in the XII century.

Fortifications most often were city walls assembled from wooden log cabins (they were also called gorodnitsy). At the top, platforms for the garrison and cracks were set up, from which they fired at the enemy. Towers (vezhi) were additional fortifications. Large cities consisted of outer walls, a citadel and an inner fortress. The walls of princely capitals could be built of stone. Beyond them, the settlements grew, where artisans and other ordinary people settled down.

Painting

Thanks to the influence of Byzantine Orthodoxy, the culture of pre-Mongolian Russia was enriched not only by the traditions of building stone churches, but also by new trends in painting. Such genres as fresco, mosaic and iconography became an integral part of the life of the Eastern Slavs. In painting, the Greek influence turned out to be more durable than in architecture, where an original old Russian style soon arose. This was due to the fact that, for example, there was a strict Christian canon in iconography, from which the masters did not depart for several centuries.

In addition to religious art, there was also secular painting. A vivid example of this genre was the wall paintings created in the towers of the Kyiv Sophia. The drawings depicted the family of Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise, scenes from the everyday life of the monarch, fantastic birds and animals. Several icons created in the Vladimir-Suzdal land in the 12th century have survived to our times. These artifacts demonstrate in the best possible way what the culture of Russia was like in the pre-Mongolian period. Another unique monument, a medieval fresco, which is the main attraction of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral, depicts scenes of the Last Judgment.

The golden age of the culture of pre-Mongol Russia dates back to the 12th century, when the feudal fragmentation of a formerly united country caused the emergence of regional “schools” in many areas of creative activity. This trend also affected the visual arts. For example, murals were created in Novgorod, imbued with a unique gloomy and harsh spirit. Drawings of formidable archangels and figures of saints are unlike any other example of ancient Russian painting.

Music

Music is another art form that clearly shows what the history of the pre-Mongolian period was, leaving behind a lot of evidence about the song preferences of the Eastern Slavs. Music is characterized by the fact that at all times it has existed inseparably from the life of both the nobility and ordinary people. Family festivities, "games", could not be imagined without songs, dances and playing instruments. Folk art was very different. These were wedding parables, spring game melodies, laments for dead relatives.

The most gifted performers became professional musicians. Singers of solemn epics and storytellers specialized in the epic genre. Parallel to them, there was a whole world of wandering troupes, consisting of buffoons, who performed in city squares and feasts. The culture of pre-Mongol Russia was multifaceted, and music in this sense did not differ from other types of art. Many buffoons not only sang, but also tried themselves as acrobats, dancers, jugglers and actors, that is, they became actors. Interestingly, the princely authorities often fought against such amateur performances, since the ancient "demonic" songs bore the stamp of long-standing pagan traditions.

Russians included balalaikas, tambourines, psaltery, rattles, domras. And horns and pipes were used not only for singing songs, but also for signaling during hunting or military operations. The squads had their own semblance of "orchestras". For example, such a team raised the morale of the troops during the sieges of the cities of the Volga Bulgarians in 1220.

Like the rest of the culture of pre-Mongol Russia, music received its own Orthodox niche. The texts of church hymns were Byzantine (translated into Slavic). Russia borrowed the liturgical ritual from the Greeks. In the same way, chants appeared.

Folklore

Most of all, Old Russian culture is known for its folklore, which is distinguished by its outstanding diversity and richness. Songs, epics, spells, poetry were its integral components. Paganism gave rise to mythological tales that survived even after the adoption of Christianity. Folklore representations merged with Orthodoxy, which was most reflected in calendar holidays and superstitions.

The epic heroic epic is the pinnacle in oral folk art. Heroes became the main characters of such works. Heroes such as Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich are known to every child from collections of fairy tales. The epics reflected the wealth that represents the culture of Russia in the pre-Mongolian period. Bogatyrs could be both real historical characters and generalized images. In the tales of fearless heroes, an entire medieval era with its characteristic features (the struggle against steppe nomads, "dashing people", etc.) was deposited.

Writing

Written creativity was the opposite of oral folk art. However, such literature could not appear without the alphabet. That, in turn, leaked to Russia along with Christianity. The Byzantine enlighteners Cyril and Methodius created a special alphabet for the Slavs, which became the foundation for a variety of scripts: Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, etc.

The work of the Greek preachers from Thessalonica had the most far-reaching consequences. Without the Cyrillic alphabet, the entire pre-Mongolian would not have developed. This alphabet was used for the complete translation of Orthodox texts. The first literacy schools were founded by Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.

Novgorod birch bark letters are unique monuments of ancient Russian writing. Most of them were discovered by archaeologists in the 20th century. Birch-bark letters testify that literacy in Russia was not considered the lot of the aristocracy only. Many ordinary citizens were able to write, which was recorded by medieval Novgorod artifacts.

The ancient Cyrillic alphabet was somewhat different from the modern one. It had superscripts and some extra letters. A cardinal reform of the old alphabet took place under Peter I, and it took its final form after the 1917 revolution.

Literature

Along with writing, Russia adopted book culture from Byzantium. The first independent works were religious teachings or sermons. Such can be considered the “Sermon on Law and Grace,” written by Metropolitan Hilarion in the middle of the 11th century.

Chronicle has become much more common genre. They are not only chronicles of events, but also a source of knowledge about what the culture of Ancient Russia was like in the pre-Mongolian period. Nestor is considered the main chronicler of Kievan Rus. At the beginning of the XII century, he compiled The Tale of Bygone Years. This collection described the main events of Russian history from the emergence of statehood to 1117. Nestor focused his attention on political events: princely disputes, wars and alliances. The chronicler also left behind a "Reading", in which he dwelled in detail on the biography of the two martyr princes Boris and Gleb.

Prince Vladimir Monomakh was remembered not only as a wise politician and talented commander, but also as an outstanding writer. The ruler of Kyiv left to his heirs "Instruction" - a political treatise in which the author explained what an ideal state and effective power should be like. In the book, Monomakh reminded the future princes that the personal interests of politicians should not harm the unity of the state, which is necessary, among other things, to fight against the Polovtsy nomads.

"Instruction" was written at the beginning of the XII century. At the end of the same century, the main work of ancient Russian literature appeared - "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". It was also devoted to the theme of the fight against the Polovtsians. In the center of the narrative of the poem is the unsuccessful campaign in the steppe of Prince Igor Svyatoslavich, who ruled in Novgorod-Seversky.

The threat to peaceful life emanating from the nomads largely influenced the way the culture and life of pre-Mongol Rus became. In the Lay, an unidentified author better than anyone showed how destructive the pagan raids were. Like Monomakh in his Teaching, he emphasized the importance of the unity of the Russian lands in the face of a common danger.

applied arts

Russian craftsmen have long been famous for their unique jewelry making techniques (enamel, filigree, etc.). Similar products were made to order for the boyar and princely nobility. Foreigners admired Russian niello on silver. A variety of products were processed with this mixture: bracelets, crosses, rings, etc.

Kyiv masters preferred gilded and silver figures on a black background. Vladimir artisans often made a pure silver background and gold figures. Galicia had its own niello school. Using these examples, applied art once again demonstrates how diverse the culture and life of pre-Mongol Rus were.

The crafts of the village were very different from the crafts of the city. In the countryside, craftsmen used pagan motifs of evil spirits in their ornaments for a long time. Charms and amulets were popular. Most of them were made from the most accessible material - wood. If at first the incantatory elements in applied art had a distinct magical purpose, then gradually they lost this meaning and became simple patterns. The culture of Russia of the pre-Mongolian period, in short, evolved. With each generation, it gradually changed and became more complicated.

Life and housing

The early Slavic semi-dugouts consisted of a stove, benches and bunks. Each such room became a home for a separate married couple. The prevalence of semi-dugouts among the southern tribal unions of the Eastern Slavs was noted by Arab geographers. Such dwellings began to disappear in the 10th century. This process was associated with the rupture of the patriarchal ties of a small family and the withering away of tribal remnants.

For example, in Kyiv, in addition to semi-dugouts, there were log and log dwellings. Wood was a relatively cheap material, almost every urban or rural resident could get it. Accessibility helped to quickly rebuild settlements in case of fires. Fires always led to severe destruction, which, on the other hand, was a noticeable drawback of the tree.

An important part of the princely palaces was the gritnitsa - a spacious room where the retinue gathered at feasts. Studying the arrangement of an aristocratic dwelling is another interesting way to understand what the culture of pre-Mongol Russia was like. Architecture was an indicator of the social position, the position on the social ladder of the owner of the building. It is interesting that in the 12th century, when the state finally collapsed, the former grand ducal grids disappeared - their premises began to be used as prisons.

clothing

Ordinary peasants, or smerds, dressed in belted shirts-kosovorotkas, tucked into trousers, and high boots. In winter, inexpensive furs were used. At the same time, bear fur coats were considered common people. Belts were narrow and leather, buckles were made of copper. Women, as a rule, wore jewelry necklaces, beads).

A characteristic feature of the retinue, boyar and princely clothes was a cloak. If the peasants wore coarse linen shirts, then the aristocrats wore silk shirts. Princely boots were made of morocco. A mandatory attribute of the monarch was a hat with a fur band. Jewelry of noble people was made of precious stones and gold. For example, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich wore a characteristic pearl earring. The life and culture of pre-Mongol Rus (10th-13th centuries) surprised many foreigners. The winter clothes of the Russian nobility were made from sable furs, which were the most valuable commodity in all European markets.

Food

Since the basis of agriculture in Russia was arable farming, the diet of ordinary people consisted mainly of bread itself and various cereals (barley, wheat, rye and millet). Their importance for the life of the Eastern Slavs was fundamental. So dependent on bread that archaeologists have found children's toys in the shape of bread. Crop failure was considered the greatest disaster, the obligatory consequence of which was widespread pestilence.

The meat food of the townspeople consisted of poultry and livestock. The ancient tradition of eating horse meat has been preserved in the village for a long time. Dairy products, including cottage cheese, were an important part of the home table. The ideological war of the church with paganism also affected the diet. For example, all the same cottage cheese was considered a ritual dish. The priests tried to regulate the diet of their flock with the help of various fasts.

Of the fish on the table, sturgeons were especially valued (it is known that the Novgorod princes had “sturgeons” who collected taxes from sturgeons from fishing catches). Key vegetables were turnips and cabbage. The food culture of pre-Mongol Rus, in short, changed more slowly than all other areas of Slavic life. Traditional seasonings were cinnamon, vinegar, nuts, anise, mint, pepper. The lack of salt could turn into a real national disaster. This product was a favorite object of speculation of merchants.

Culture (translated from Latin - cultivation, processing) - all material and spiritual values ​​\u200b\u200bthat are created by the physical and mental labor of people (humanity). Cultural phenomena should be distinguished from natural phenomena. Under the material culture is usually meant technology, tools, machines, dwellings, household items, i.e. the totality of the means of production and material goods created by human labor at every stage of social development. Spiritual culture includes education, science, literature, folk art, art.

Even before the adoption of Christianity, the East Slavic tribes had a developed culture. Material culture was associated with the main occupations and included tools for labor and processing of raw products, technologies for the production and preservation of various products and products. Wooden construction (houses, settlements, crossings and bridges over rivers) was supplemented by the manufacture of many wood products. Oral folk art was associated with pagan religion and everyday life.

The adoption of Christianity in 988 enriched Russian culture.

In the XI-XII centuries. appeared: chronicles ("The Tale of Bygone Years", Pskov, Ipatiev, Lavrentiev and other chronicles); translated books; original Old Russian literature, mainly lives and teachings (“The Word about Law and Grace”, “The Word about Igor's Campaign”, “The Prayer of Daniil the Sharpener”, “Monomakh's Teaching to Children”, etc.). Writing (“Cyrillic”) became widespread, which was reflected in the inscriptions on dishes, handicrafts, on the walls of cathedrals (graffiti), and in birch bark letters. The first schools appeared at princely courts and monasteries. Children were also taught privately at home. Monasteries were important centers of culture and education.

After 988, stone, mainly temple architecture appeared. The twenty-five-domed Church of the Tithes in Kyiv, St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kyiv, Novgorod and Polotsk, Assumption and Dmitrovsky Cathedrals in Vladimir, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and others, most of which have survived to this day, were built. During the construction, a cross-domed structure, an altar, apses, and other new elements were used. Cathedrals were decorated with icons, frescoes, mosaics. During worship, church hymns appeared.

Works of art were the products of some artisans - jewelers, gunsmiths, potters, etc. Their products were exported along with furs, honey, and other goods.

With the adoption of Christianity, the family became monogamous. Polygamy and concubinage were forbidden. The responsibility of fathers for the upbringing of children and the material well-being of the family has increased, but the dependence of women on men has increased. When drawing up a set of Russian legislation - Russkaya Pravda (first half of the 11th century) - not only customary law and princely decisions (precedents), but also Byzantine canon law and the norms of international treaties were widely used. The church had a special status and jurisdiction.

The Christianization of Russian culture, Russian consciousness continued for a long time. Some pagan, pre-Christian customs and rituals have survived to this day (for example, seeing off winter, caroling at Christmas, etc.). Slavic paganism and Orthodoxy were guided by the same moral criteria. But the religious content assumed different spheres of activity. Christianity regulated mainly social relations, and paganism regulated the relationship between man and nature.

Ancient Russia in its heyday was a single Old Russian state with a single Old Russian language, a single Old Russian culture.

But the degree of cultural unity was not high enough. In the cultural and everyday sphere of various territories of the vast East European Plain, there were their own characteristics. During the period of feudal fragmentation, the specific princes saw culture as a way to assert their own superiority and satisfy personal ambitions. Local chronicles depicted events from the standpoint of the local prince. The development of local icon-painting, architectural, handicraft and other "schools", special features was encouraged.

Influencing factors

The culture of Russia of the pre-Mongol period includes the era from $IX$ to $XIII$ centuries, respectively, from the formation of the Old Russian state to the Mongol-Tatar invasion.

The basis of any culture is the totality of the accumulated experience of previous generations. Speaking of Ancient Russia, we mean the Slavic pagan culture. Let us designate the most common features of pre-Christian Slavic culture:

• The preliterate nature of culture
• rich folklore
• Well developed polytheism
• A fortress of communal ties
• Lack of stone construction

The most important factor determining the ancient Russian culture is the adoption of Christianity in $988$. It is known that the Christianization of the Old Russian state followed the Byzantine model. At the same time, it is necessary to clearly realize that the Byzantine influence was not a simple copying - Christian traditions and other cultural features were assimilated in Russia through synthesis with Slavic culture.

Writing

The first and most significant consequence of the adoption of Christianity was the spread of Slavic writing in Russia. Byzantine monks Cyril and Methodius were the founders of the Slavic alphabet in $863$. Their authorship is confirmed by sources, for example, the legend "About the Letters" of Chernorizets the Brave:

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"Saint Constantine the Philosopher, named Cyril ... created letters for us and translated books, and Methodius, his brother."

Remark 1

It is important to note that Cyril and Methodius invented the Glagolitic alphabet, and the Cyrillic alphabet was developed on the basis of the Glagolitic alphabet by Cyril's student Clement of Ohrid.

So, after the adoption of Christianity in Russia, writing spread, first of all, it was required for the development of religious literature and the conduct of worship.

Literature

With the development of writing, the literature of the Old Russian state reached a very high level. Most of them were translated works, mainly the lives of the saints and other religious texts, but they also translated ancient literature. Its own Old Russian literature appeared in the $11th century.

Example 1

The most famous works are: "The Tale of Bygone Years" - a set of all-Russian annals, "The Word of Law and Grace" by Metropolitan Hilarion, "The Walk" by Father Superior Daniel, "Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh". The pearl of ancient Russian literature is "The Tale of Igor's Campaign".

Education

A distinctive feature of the society of Ancient Russia is widespread literacy b.

Birch bark finds found in large numbers in Novgorod show that the literacy rate was high among various segments of the population, including children and women. Naturally, along with the common people, the rulers were also educated, the most famous example is Yaroslav, nicknamed the Wise.

Architecture

The development of architecture at the initial stage of the Old Russian state was influenced by Byzantium. First, stone construction spread. Secondly, in Russia they adopted the form of a temple - a cross-domed type. However, then the architecture began to take on more and more distinctive features. Examples of Byzantine influence were the Church of the Tithes and the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kyiv. And St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, built under the guidance of the son of Yaroslav the Wise Vladimir, is an example of strict northern Russian architecture. With the deepening of fragmentation in the state, architecture became more and more variable: each prince took care of his land.

Example 2

The masterpieces of this period are the Assumption and Dmitrievsky cathedrals, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, the Golden Gate - all these are monuments of the elevated Vladimir-Suzdal land.

art

Fine art technique in Russia also originally came from Byzantium. One of the most revered was the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, also Byzantine. The name of Alympius Pechersky embodies the development of domestic icon painting, his authorship, perhaps, the icon of Yaroslavl Oranta. The Novgorod school of icon painting revealed to the world such masterpieces as the icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands and the Angel with Golden Hair.

The development of the culture of Ancient Russia did not stop even the invasion of the Mongols and the established yoke. What areas have developed most intensively? What is characteristic for the development of Russian culture of this period?

1. Oral folk art

The folklore of Ancient Russia, rooted in the pagan rites of the Eastern Slavs, was extremely diverse. But a special place in oral folk art has always been occupied by epic, or antiquity, which have become real masterpieces of ancient Russian folklore. Most historians (B. Rybakov, I. Froyanov, R. Lipets, V. Kozhinov) include a cycle of epics about Ilya Murovlyanin (Muromets), Mikul Selyaninovich, and Nightingale the Robber among the oldest Russian antiquities created in the 9th-12th centuries. , epics “Dobrynya and the Serpent” and “Dobrynya the Matchmaker”, “Ivan the Guest Son”, “Mikhailo Potyk”, “Sukhan”, “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin”, etc.

Rice. 1. Nightingale the robber. Yudin G. ()

2. The emergence and development of writing

In modern historical science, the dispute about the time of the appearance of writing in Ancient Russia still does not stop. Some historians and philologists (F. Buslaev, A. Shakhmatov, A. Kuzmin) argue that it appeared simultaneously with the process of the official baptism of Russia in the late 10th - early 11th centuries. Their opponents (V. Istrin, D. Likhachev) say that there is indisputable evidence of the existence of East Slavic writing long before the baptism of Russia. But be that as it may, the vast majority of scientists associate the appearance of Russian writing with the names of the famous Thessalonica brothers Cyril (827-869) and Methodius (815-885), who created two of the oldest Slavic alphabets - Glagolitic and Cyrillic.

Among the written monuments of Ancient Russia that have survived to this day, a special place is occupied by the Putyatina Menaia (1130), the Ostromir Gospel (1056/57), Svyatoslav’s Izborniki (1073 and 1076), the Arkhangelsk Gospel (1092 d.) and the Mstislav Gospel (1115).

Rice. 3. Ostromir Gospel ()

The spread of writing and literacy in Russia was accompanied by the creation of the first Russian libraries. The largest repositories of books were St. Sophia Cathedrals in Novgorod, Kyiv and Polotsk, Kiev-Pechersky and Yuryevsky monasteries, as well as private collections of princes Yaroslav the Wise, Vsevolod Yaroslavich, Yaroslav Osmomysl, princesses Efrosinya of Polotsk and Efrosinya of Suzdal, archimandrite Theodosius of the Caves and Metropolitan Kliment Smolyatich.

Rice. 4. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod ()

3. Old Russian chronicle and literature

The development of the written culture of Ancient Russia gave a powerful impetus to the emergence of such an original genre of Russian literature as annals, which, according to most authors (L. Cherepnin, D. Likhachev, B. Rybakov, A. Kuzmin), arose at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th centuries. Unfortunately, the first Russian chronicles have not been preserved, but they have come down to us as part of three editions of the famous Tale of Bygone Years (PVL), created by the monks Nestor, Sylvester and John in 1113, 1116 and 1118.

Among the most significant literary monuments of Ancient Russia are such multi-genre works as “The Word of Law and Grace”, “Confession of Faith” and “Word to the Stylite Brother”, written by Metropolitan Hilarion, “The Memory and Praise of Vladimir” by Jacob Mnikh, “ Reading about the life and destruction of the blessed passion-bearer Boris and Gleb" and "The Life of Theodosius of the Caves", the author of which was the monk Nestor, "The Life of Princess Olga", "The Tale of the Blinding of Prince Vasilko Terebovlsky", "Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh", "The Life of Mstislav the Great" ”, “The Prayer of Daniil the Sharpener”, “Praise to Roman of Galicia”, “The Journey of 40 Novgorodians to the City of Jerusalem”, “The Journey of Abbot Daniel to the Holy Places”, “Instruction to the Brethren” by Luke Zhidyata and many others.

Various secular writings of Antiquity and the early Middle Ages were also widely used in Russia, in particular, the Chronicles by John Malala, George Amartol and George Sinkel, The Chronicler soon by the Byzantine Patriarch Nicephorus, The History of the Jewish War by Josephus Flavius, The Tale of Basil Digenis Akrita ”, “The Tale of Akira the Wise”, “The Tale of Barlaam and Tsarevich Joasaph”, “Christian Topography” by Kuzma Indikoplova and others.

4. Architecture of Ancient Russia

The high level of development of the architecture of Ancient Russia can be judged by many religious buildings of that time, which were based on old Byzantine style. Among the most significant monuments of ancient Russian architecture should be mentioned: the Church of the Tithes of the Mother of God (989-996), St. Sophia Cathedral (1037-1054), the Golden Gate (1037) and the Church of Irina and George (1037) in Kyiv, Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Chernigov (1036), St. Sophia Cathedrals in Novgorod (1045-1050) and Polotsk (1065), cathedrals in Dmitrievsky (1070-1075), Vydubitsky (1070-1088). ), Mikhailo-Zlatoverhovsky (1085) and Kirillovsky (1089) Kyiv monasteries, the Great Assumption Cathedral (1075-1078), Over the Gate (1106) and Mikhailovskaya (1108) churches in the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery , St. George's Cathedral of the Yuriev Monastery (1120), Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Anthony Monastery (1117-1119) and the Church of St. Nicholas on the Yaroslav's Court (1113) in Novgorod, Borisoglebsky Cathedral (1128) and the Church of Friday at the Market ( 1130-1133) in Chernigov and others.

Rice. 5. Tithe Church in Kyiv

5. Picturesque art of Ancient Russia

The construction of large temple, monastery and palace complexes in different cities of Ancient Russia was accompanied by the rapid development of monumental and easel painting.

monumental art Kievan Rus (mosaics, frescoes and tempera painting) was most clearly represented in Kyiv Sophia, the Church of the Tithes, the Kiev Caves Cathedral of the Assumption, the Transfiguration Church, the Cathedral of the Mikhailovo-Golden-domed Monastery and other religious buildings of that time

To the ancient rarities easel painting Kievan Rus, created in the second half of the 11th - 12th centuries, should include such famous icons as “Our Lady of Vladimir”, “Bogolyubskaya Mother of God”, “Ustyug Annunciation”, “Angel of Golden Hair”, “Savior Not Made by Hands”, “Assumption of the Virgin” , "George the Victorious" and many others.

1. Istrin V. I. 1100 years of the Slavic alphabet. M., 1988

2. Kozhinov VV History of Russia and the Russian word. Modern look. M., 1997

3. Kuzmin A. G. Initial stages of Old Russian chronicle writing. M., 1977

4. Kuskov VV History of ancient Russian literature. M., 1989

5. Lipets R. S. Epos and Ancient Russia. M., 1969

6. Likhachev D.S. Russian chronicles and their cultural and historical heritage. L., 1947

7. Rybakov B. A. Ancient Russia: legends, epics, chronicles. M., 1963

8. Tikhomirov M. N. Russian chronicle. M., 1979

9. Froyanov I. Ya. Russian epic epic. SPb., 1995

1. Russian educational portal ().

3. Russian Orthodox Church ().

Introduction

The origins of Russian art can be traced back to ancient times. Long before Kievan Rus, the Eastern Slavs built pagan temples, carved idols in wood and stone - Perun, Svarog and Veles, made beautiful jewelry from bronze and gold. These "wild" tribes created a rich and original artistic culture, testifying to the remarkable talent of our distant ancestors and becoming a living tradition of the art of subsequent centuries. The earliest monuments of Russian painting have not reached us. But the subsequent ones, starting with Kievan Rus, who fully accepted and preserved the Russian artistic traditions of antiquity and supplemented them with new content, explain a lot in the history of Russian and world culture. Therefore, the topic of the course work is very relevant, practically significant and interesting from the point of view of the study of the artistic methods of Russian painting.

Object of study: artistic culture.

Subject of study: the artistic culture of ancient and medieval Russia.

The purpose of the study: to identify patterns in the development of Russian artistic culture.

On the way to the goal, the following tasks were solved: selection and analysis of literary sources; identification of historical periods in the development of Russian artistic culture; determination of the degree of influence of pre-Christian Russian artistic culture and the culture of Byzantium on the development of painting in ancient and medieval Russia; analysis of the work of outstanding artists and painters of the studied period of Russian artistic culture; formation of conclusions, conclusions; registration of the list of used sources.

Research methods: content - analysis, observation, comprehension, generalization.

Coursework was based on the works of: M. Alpatov, G. Ostrovsky, V. Lazarev, V. Tyazhyalov, O. Sopotsinsky.

As a result of the research, it has been established that the artistic culture of Ancient and medieval Russia is rooted in the culture of Russia of the pre-Christian period and, enriched by the icon painting techniques of the masters of Byzantium, other peoples and tribes, creates new art schools that reflect in their work the stages of development of the Russian state and society.

Thus, the topic of the course work is disclosed on the basis of the analysis of literary sources and methods of sociological research.

Culture of Ancient Russia of the pre-Mongolian period

The impact of tastes and skills of the pre-Christian period on the artistic culture of the Kievan state

artistic culture rus rublev

The Kievan state, which arose in the 9th century, reached its power in the 10th-11th centuries. Under Prince Vladimir, who lived at the end of the 10th-beginning of the 11th century, Russia was baptized by Byzantium. This act had significant consequences for the further development of the ancient Russian medieval state, both politically, socially and culturally. Under Yaroslav the Wise (in the first half of the 11th century), the Kievan state turned into a powerful feudal state.

During the time of Yaroslav's successors, the gradual fragmentation of the Kievan state into separate principalities began - a process typical of early feudal states. The lands of Novgorod, Rostov, Vladimir, Polotsk, Smolensk, Galich and other cities are becoming increasingly important in political and cultural life. This, however, does not entail a decrease in the artistic level of art, although to a certain extent it changes its appearance and character. In art, there is a process of crystallization of local artistic forms, in which all-Russian ideals find expression. Having adopted the Christian religion from Byzantium, the Kievan state also took the valuable possessions of this most advanced European state in the 10th-12th centuries. Cultural ties with Byzantium largely determined the appearance of ancient Russian art. But even in the pre-Christian period, the Eastern Slavs had a fairly developed art. It became the foundation for further cultural development. Gnedich P. P. History of arts since ancient times. - M.: OOO Izd. house Letopis-M, 2000. - S. 123 ..

Few monuments of painting from the heyday of the Kievan state have been preserved. And, above all, these are mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv. The picturesque decoration of the temple as a whole follows Byzantine patterns. This is

not by chance. After all, the authors of both mosaics and murals covering vaults, walls, pillars from top to bottom were Greeks, although, undoubtedly, Russian masters also participated in the decoration of the cathedral. Symbolizing the "heavenly church" and the "earthly church", mosaics and murals carry in many ways "educational" functions. They are designed to visually present the gospel legend, draw attention to the heavenly and earthly hierarchy. But at the same time, there are accents in Sofia that indicate a noticeable difference from the Byzantine system of painting. Characteristically unusual for Byzantium is the combination of Kyiv mosaics and frescoes in Sofia, apparently continuing the tradition of pictorial decoration of the Church of the Tithes of the era of Vladimir.

One of the central ones in the temple is a mosaic image of the Mother of God in the altar in the form of an oranta - a figure with raised hands. This image, first of all, attracts the attention of the incoming. Its meaning is ambiguous. It symbolizes the "Church of Heaven". At the same time, the Mother of God acts as the organizer of the city - the capital of the Kyiv state. Finally, she has the role of defender of Kyiv; her orant gesture is not only a gesture of prayer, but also a gesture of a warrior who stands guard over Kyiv, protecting her children. The image of the Mother of God is majestic and solemn. Magnificent mosaic in picturesque respect. The monumental figure seems very weighty thanks to dark clothes. At the same time, the shimmering of the mosaic smalt and the golden background give it a sublime, mystical character.

Ostrovsky G. A story about Russian painting. - M.: Image. art, 1987. - S. 120.

In the numerous images of mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv, that high moral ideal clearly stands out, which, undoubtedly, had the value of an example for the people of that era. It is this ideal that corresponds to spiritual firmness, loftiness of thoughts, perhaps even the well-known straightforwardness of the thoughts and aspirations of the characters in the painting.

They are unwavering in their convictions and firm in their actions. They are also characterized by a special nobility, which testifies to spiritual purity and clarity. It is necessary to note the diversity of the characters of the saints, despite the common features. In addition to religious subjects, the murals of St. Sophia of Kyiv contain compositions of a secular nature. They are on the walls of the stair tower. There are images of buffoons, musicians, as well as games at the Constantinople Hippodrome. Unfortunately, the group portrait of Yaroslav's family, located in the western part of the central nave of the temple, is poorly preserved. Its inclusion in the painting of Sofia indicates that the artists of that time did not shy away from conveying the realities of life, although in such images they pursued the goal that inspired all medieval masters - to show the “inner man”, that spark of the “divine” and for them the true, what is hidden in all people and what contributes to moral perfection. The mosaics of the Church of Michael the Archangel of the Mikhailovsky Monastery (1111-1112) are the next stage in the development of painting in Kyiv. In the composition "Eucharist" - the communion of the apostles by Christ - much more freedom in the arrangement of the figures attracts attention than can be seen in the similar composition of St. Sophia of Kyiv. The linear rhythm here is more complex and refined. Among the Mikhailovsky mosaics, the image of Demetrius of Thessalonica is especially impressive - a holy warrior, representing the ideal of a courageous and brilliant knight of that time. Ostrovsky G. Decree. ed. S. 127.

Thus, the artistic culture of the Kievan state was influenced not only by Russian culture of the pre-Mongolian period, but also by the achievements of Byzantine culture. In painting, however, religious motifs and subjects predominate.