Abstract: The goal of this work consists in finding elements of Sami ornament in house carving in the northwest of Kostroma Oblast of the Russian Federation, as well as examination of their impact upon the development of cultural heritage of the region. The subject of this research is the decorative wooden elements of residential houses of the region and embroidery ornaments favored by the Sami people. Special attention is given to the use of décor at the present time. The author also reviews the décor of items created in the period of early settlement of Slavic people in the region. The research method is the visual fixation of elements of decorative carving, and comparison with the elements of ornaments and embellishments of different eras and peoples widespread on this geographical area. The analysis of acquires data allows understanding the visual expression of cultural heritage of the region and modern application of the décor elements of the ethnic group that left the territory thousands years ago. The result of this study consists in provision of evidence of the presence of Sami tracery in the modern house carving in the northwest of Kostroma Oblast, which underlines the succession of cultural heritage of the region in the field of applied arts. The novelty is defined by using the method of comparison of decorative traceries of different generations and peoples residing in a particular geographic area.

Keywords: folk, ornament, Sami, continuity, heritage, house, carving, decor, culture, population

Abstract: The goal of this works consists in tracing the dynamics of interrelation of the subject of irony with its object on the example of such cultural phenomena as Camp, New Sincerity and post-irony. The choice of namely these types of perception, associated with irony, is motivated by the fact that such sequence demonstrates the stage-by-stage change of the optics of an artistic subject. The transformation of structure of ironic actions in painter’s consciousness, in which the natural pattern begins to prevail over the critical, although not fully absorbing it, is evident within the highlighted range. Research methodology is based on the aesthetic-theoretical approach and comparative-historical method, as well refers to illustrative material of fiction literature, particularly the authors whose works reflect the mentioned in the title of the article artistic strategies. The novelty lies in the thesis that naturalness and irony are considered the elements of the uniform structure of perception, which leads to determination of the important patterns in metamorphoses of the ironic optics. The article demonstrates how each of the listed approaches to irony interacts with its artistic resources, which constitute the ironic method and reveal the specificity of emotional relationship of the ironist with the apprehended ideas and objects of reality. It is established that the relevance of naïve aspect of aesthetic irony correlates with the need of an artistic subject to reconsider and renew the ironic method without resorting to non-reflective naivety. The author highlights that the enlightened naivety, associated with the aforementioned types of ironic sensibility, manifests not as much as the object of irony, but as its constituent element, which allows the subject to express the intentions opposite to irony.

Keywords: New sincerity, kitsch, Camp, naivety, irony, postmodernism, art, aesthetics, metamodernism, postirony

Abstract: This article examines the visual representation in politically themed postcards of Meiji period (1868-1912). The cards were brought to Japan by the new cultural policy of the government in the late XIX century and implementation of the regular postal service. Certain plots associated with political activity became the cultural mirror of that era and its transformation. Postcards carried out not only propagandistic function, but also communicative and aesthetic, and thus obtained a range of attributable artistic techniques. The author applies the methods of classification based on the visual representation of images, as well as inductive analysis of the acquired data. Political plots of the postcards of Meiji era are often analyzed in the context of propaganda at the time of military conflicts. Other aspects of visual component remain virtually unexplored. This research classifies and analyzes visual representations of the elite and their symbols in illustrations of the postcards from the perspective of cultural transformation during this period.

Keywords: war, culture change, political, emperor Meiji, Meiji period, illustrations, postcards, nineteenth century, photos, mail

Abstract:   The subject of this research is the Latvian art of modernity. Relevance of the selected topic is substantiated by the need to examine the essence of creative processes in Latvia of modern era, since the image of Latvian art takes its roots in artistic practices of the late XIX – early XX centuries. The goal lies in determination of specificity of the concept of “style” alongside peculiarities of studying Latvian art of modernity as a part of European culture of the late XIX – early XX centuries. The theoretical importance is acknowledged by characteristic of the concepts of “style”, particularly modern style (Art Nouveau, Jugendstil) and symbolism in the context of the history of philosophical-art knowledge, as well as methodology of science. The acquired results provide a broader understanding of the role of style and art of modernity, which justifies practical importance of this work. The scientific novelty consists in generalization of the scientific-methodological and theoretical approaches towards studying the synthesis of modern style arts; specification of the content of key concepts of this research – synthesis of arts, object environment, style, modernism, Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, design; determination of attributes of the synthesis of arts in European modernism; characterization of peculiarities of modern style in Latvian art of the late XIX – early XX centuries. It is established that transitional nature of modernism “between the old and the new” generates a number of methodological problems, which emphasizes relevance of the selected topic.  

Keywords: Latvia, Art Nouveau, Europe, modern era, symbolism, artist, methods, art, Style, art nouveau

Abstract: The subject of this research is the religious-philosophical, theological and moral-ethical views of the British writer, poet, educator, scholar and theologian Clive Staples Lewis. The authors examine the key theological problems in the philosophical-religious treatise of C. S. Lewis “Mere Christianity”. Emphasis is made on the aspects of moral-ethical norms of Christian behavior from the perspective of traditions of the Eastern and Western Church Fathers. It is worth noting that the treatise “Mere Christianity” was of utmost importance for the religious life of England, namely during the difficult period of the World War II. The conclusion is made that faith, hope and love, as the Christian virtues, manifest as indispensable components of communication with God. For easier interpretation of these fundamental theological truths, Lewis uses the language of symbols, metaphors and analogies. Lewis’ personal views based on the profound knowledge of the classical medieval traditions and corresponding with the modern rhythms of our society, which require Christianity not in words but it in serious understanding of its dogmas and traditions, attain special distinctness to the treatise “Mere Christianity”. The scientific novelty consists in the analysis of all aspects of the moral-ethical norms of Christian behavior in the religious-philosophical religious treatise of C. S. Lewis “Mere Christianity”.

Keywords: morality, prayer requests, Trinity, Christian marriage, moral virtues, moral values, Christian religion, Lewis, treatise, spirituality

Abstract: The goal of this research is ti determine chronology of the activity of W. Swertschkoff’s stuido and role of this stage of life and work in biography of the painter; clarify the assortment of his works; characterizes the methods of interaction of different masters and the role of studio’s owner in the process of creation of the stained glass artworks; as well as outline the circle of his customers. The article leans on the extensive range of source in Russian, Finnish, and German languages: archival materials, periodicals, reminiscences of the painter, modern research of the Russian and foreign authors. The historical and iconographic methods are applied. The determined range of stained glass artworks characterizes them as the typical examples of the German school of stained glass art. Being brought to Russia not only as ornamentation for buildings, but also as exhibits for museums of industrial and applied arts, stained glass artworks of W. Swertschkoff were a visual aid, examples of highest level of artistic mastery, and thus, contributed to development stained glass art in Russian and Finland in the 1890’s – 1900’s.

Keywords: cultural connections, art of the nineteenth century, art history, Wladimir Swertschkoff, monumental and decorative art, art, stained glass windows, art glassmaking, stained glass production, stained glass workshop

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the use of photo collage and photomontage as the methods for illustrating the national printed matter of 1918-1936. The goal of this research is the determination of similarities and crucial differences between these two methods. Based on the key events in history of photo collage and photo montage, the author traces the transition from using picture in its traditional form towards active implementation of photo collage and photomontage techniques into illustrating the periodicals. Research methodology is presented by the analysis and synthesis of information from various sources, functional method, and comparison of the content of photo collage and photomontage methods. The main conclusions lies in identification of advantages and disadvantages of photo illustration overall, as well as analysis of its expressive means. The article determines the similarities and differences of photo collage and photomontage, revealing their essence. The author highlight the impact produced by these methods upon current media.

Keywords: facsimile, registration, documentation, printed edition, photographic illustration methods, photo illustration, photo collage, photomontage, chronic function, artistic and figurative function

Abstract: The subject of this research is the directing activity of the Italian playwright, actor and theatre director Dario Fo within the framework of opera genre. The author examines four of his spectacles staged in 1998-2000 based on the operas by Gioachino Rossini – “The Barber of Seville”, “The Italian Girl in Algiers”, “The Newspaper”, and “The Italian Girl in Algiers”. The productions are analyzes from the perspective of interplay of musical rhythm and rhythm of onstage action. The key goal consists in determination of the type of possible interplays and their implementation in Dario Fo’s opera spectacles. The research is based on the combination of structural-semiotic and hermeneutic methodology. The author determines the structural oppositions created by rhythm of the spectacle and reveals their semantics. The conclusion is made on the function of audience in the process of synthesizing the various elements of opera spectacle – musical, visual and verbal – into the symbols; as well as the role of central music in the course of such process. For semanticization of musical layer of the opera spectacle along with determination of interrelation between all its layers, active position of the audience is essential.

Keywords: L’Italiana in Algeri, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Semiotics of Theatre, Regieoper, Gioachino Rossini, Dario Fo, Opera, La Gazzetta, Il viaggio a Reims, Theatrical Hermeneutic