Synthesis of stained glass art and architecture in the semiotic space of the Victoria Cottage in the city of Feodosia

Kuznetsova-Bondarenko Ekaterina Sergeevna Senior lecturer; Department of Fine and Decorative Arts; Crimean Engineering and Pedagogical University named after Fevzi Yakubov 295024, Russia, Republic of Crimea, Simferopol, Kantar str., 3, sq. 106 katrin-bond@list.ru

Relevance of the research topic. The study of the synthesis of various types of art in Crimean architecture has not become widespread, but in recent years, interest in this topic has increased significantly. The paper analyzes one of the most significant and significant architectural objects of the city of Feodosia – Villa Victoria, which presents a synthesis of architecture and stained glass art.

The concept of synthesis (other Greek – connection) means connecting previously disparate things or processes, combining them into a single system. It should be noted that the synthesis or fusion of two or more types of art does not always imply a positive final result, since perfect harmony is achieved only through the interaction of all the creators of one work of art. In this article, we will study the relationship between architecture and stained glass windows, and also consider them as independent types of art using the example of Villa Victoria in the city of Feodosia.

The high pace of urbanization poses an important task for the modern world to preserve cultural heritage, urban architectural environment and the works of monumental and decorative art located in them. Each city is perceived as a single whole with a common perception of its image, which is built thanks to its architectural structures, creating its own individual cultural landscape. The Russian scientist and culturologist V. L. Kagansky spoke about the concept of a cultural landscape as a "carpet of places of an iconic text." "A cultural landscape is an earthly space, the living environment of a sufficiently large (self–preserving) group of people, if this space is both integral and structured, contains natural and cultural components, and is utilitarianly, semantically, and symbolically mastered" ^[1]. It is necessary to study the peculiarities of the formation of the architectural appearance of the city in order to preserve and develop its originality.

The degree of scientific elaboration of the problem. The problems of this research are dealt with by such sciences as cultural studies, art history, philosophy, semiotics and history, therefore its interdisciplinary nature should be noted. There are a number of works by researchers that we rely on and that study the synthesis of stained glass art and architecture. Such scientists as A.Y. Tikhonova and A.P. Petrenko are engaged in the problems of the urban environment in their theoretical research, the semiotic space of the city and some aspects of the semiotics of art are realized in the works of N.P. Antsiferov ^[2], V.L. Glazychev, Yu.M. Lotman ^[3], A.V. Ikonnikov, V.N. Toporov, U. Eco. A.V. Stepanov's works are devoted to the synthesis of art in an architectural environment, and E.I. Kirichenko and M.V. Nashchekina – to the aesthetic organization of urban space. The architecture of the Crimean Peninsula is analyzed by such scientists as E.N. Alekseeva, E.I. Kirichenko, E.I. Kovalenko. The semiotic space of cultural landscapes of Crimea is described by Crimean researchers D.S. Berestovskaya ^[4], A.V. Kostromitskaya, V.G. Shevchuk ^[5]. Stained glass art in the architectural environment of Crimean cities is analyzed by E.R. Kotlyar ^[6]. E.I. Kirichenko studies the features of compositional specificity in Russian architecture of the new modern and eclectic style (late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) ^[7]. Stained glass windows occupy a special place in the Art Nouveau era, becoming an integral part of the composition in architecture and interior design. Such scientists as T.V. Volobaeva, E.I. Kirichenkom and M.M.Zinoveeva wrote about the role and influence of stained glass in Art Nouveau architecture in their scientific works ^[8]. However, the problem of the synthesis of stained glass art and architecture in the context of the study of semiotic meaning has not yet received a full scientific understanding. An analysis of sources devoted to the architecture of the twentieth century shows that there are several opinions about the mixing of styles in the architectural buildings of Feodosia in the early twentieth century. According to A.I. Kovalenko, the use of diverse styles in architecture expands the range of stylistic diversity, often without maintaining the unity of architectural form. In this unique eclecticism, the luxury of architecture of the early twentieth century manifested itself. Nevertheless, the researcher reports that each architect created the uniqueness of his sample, embodied in the details of the artistic style ^[9]. Just like a stained glass artist, he develops a compositional solution individually for the architecture and interior of each individual object.

The period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was very complex and contradictory both in the historical and cultural time of the Russian Empire. At this time, there is a transformation of the artistic process, which is moving from an academic direction to the formation of a new symbolic and aesthetic ideology in art. In the field of architecture, there is a development of trends related to the synthesis of various styles, which is reflected in eclecticism and Art Nouveau. The architectural appearance of the city is beginning to change due to the introduction of various styles in the design of building facades, and the integration of architecture with monumental art is increasingly observed. Synthesis in architecture is the interrelation of elements, which is expressed in subordination of the elements of the entire system to each other. It ensures the functional and artistic integrity of the work. And if such types of monumental art as murals and mosaics assume part of the functions of architecture, adopting the tectonic principles of the wall, then stained glass should be distinguished as a more independent type of art from architecture, where most often it is a compositional emphasis on architectural form.

A stained glass window is a painting, a work of art, made of pieces of glass interconnected by a lead profile. It came to us from the Middle Ages, where it was very popular in religious buildings, carrying an ideological and semantic load. Like any painting, a stained glass window is an information sign system and is read as a cultural text, acquiring meanings and meanings. The Soviet cultural critic Yu.M. Lotman said that a cultural text is a message in the language of art, in which a semiotic multistructure is preserved, which "seems to be packaged in a monostructural shell of a message in the language of this art" ^[2]. The most important property of a cultural text is its fundamental implementation in the space of at least two semiotic systems, i.e. "the enciphering of many codes is the law for the vast majority of cultural texts" ^[10]. It should also be noted that the interpretation of the artistic image of a stained glass window is influenced by its spatial environment, such as architecture and interior.

The synthesis of architecture and stained glass art is a complex symbiosis that forms a semiotic space that promotes a deep perception of the ideological intent of the architect and the artist. The shape and scale of an architectural object, its material, lighting, and even the color scheme all affect how we see and feel a stained glass work. Stained glass works can become an accent emphasizing certain architectural elements, or, on the contrary, seamlessly integrate into the facade of a building, creating the effect of transparency and lightness. In this case, the semiotic meaning of a stained glass window may be more abstract, focused on conveying feelings and emotions rather than telling a specific story. It should be noted that the relationship between an architect and a stained glass artist does not always occur. Most often, the stained glass window is installed much later than the construction of the building, and the artist, even at the stage of developing the sketch, must take into account the composition, style, color and character of the architecture. It depends on his professional skills to what extent the stained glass work will harmoniously fit into the architectural space of the building. Until the middle of the 19th century, stained glass was installed only in window and door openings, but with the advent of Art Nouveau, its functional purpose began to expand.

Modernity in Russian architecture began to appear at the end of the nineteenth century, quickly spread throughout the country and by the beginning of the twentieth century began to occupy a leading role in the architecture of Crimean cities. In general, the Art Nouveau style is quite a significant pattern in architectural and monumental art for the Crimean cultural landscape. This style is the result of eclecticism, a mixture of various historical styles and manifests itself in an idle decorativeness, both in the exterior and interior design of buildings. The decor of facades, window and door openings is becoming more complex and stylized, starting to play an increasingly important role in the decoration of buildings. Artists and architects are beginning to use an ornamental composition with characteristic interweaving of lines and curved shapes, with images of plants, flowers, animal figures, birds and stylized images of various shapes. Stained glass in the Art Nouveau era is becoming more functional, it is beginning to be used not only in window openings, but also in the lighting and decorative function of the interior, where it becomes a kind of intermediary between the exterior (architecture) and interior (interior) space of the room. Modernity is beginning to dictate its idea of compositional works in stained glass art, moving far away from the sacred themes of the Middle Ages. In addition to the genre and landscape storyline, abstract and ornamental compositions are increasingly beginning to appear. Combining utilitarian and decorative functions, stained glass becomes the most important tool in embodying the idea of art synthesis, which is so significant for modernity. Revealing the pictorial principle, he plays a leading role in shaping the imaginative structure of the interior, at the same time, being the compositional and stylistic core in the organization of space. Acting in this capacity, the stained glass window is the quintessence of the aesthetic principles of the Art Nouveau style ^[11]. It should be noted that an important feature of stained glass works of art is that colored glass paintings look different at different times of the day. In daylight, the intensity of the color and transparency of the glass depends on sunlight, emphasizing the interior, and in evening artificial lighting, the stained glass window looks like a large color spot on the dark facade of buildings, thus acquiring a symbolic character of variability.

Despite the fact that there are quite a lot of Art Nouveau buildings in Crimea, each one has its own personality. From our point of view, Feodosia stands out among the cities of Crimea for its unique status. The rich cultural and historical heritage of the city of Feodosia dates back to ancient times, its history is inextricably linked with famous figures, and transformations in the urban environment are seen as a response to cultural and historical processes in the state.

The study of various materials related to the development of the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries shows that an exceptional cultural environment was formed in Feodosia, reflected in the architecture of mansions and country cottages built by rich merchants, industrialists, nobles and representatives of the creative intelligentsia of Russia. These buildings were designed by outstanding architects, and masters of monumental and decorative arts decorated their interiors with elements of various types of art. The facades of these buildings reflect the atmosphere of that time, the history of the city and the peculiarities of local culture ^[12]. Ornamental motifs are beginning to acquire symbolic expressiveness, which appear both in the appearance of architecture, in stained glass art, and in wall paintings. Eclecticism combines different architectural styles and it should be noted that the eclectic nature of Art Nouveau is manifested at the level of the stylistic combination of facade compositions. The cottages located on the Feodosiyskaya embankment are considered examples of eclecticism and Art Nouveau. New architectural structures are beginning to significantly change the entire appearance of the city, which leads to the transformation of the urban environment as a dynamic structure. We are talking about the dachas of rich manufacturers who came to the Crimea, such as Victoria, Flora, and Stamboli. These buildings have quite expressive wall decor inspired by Gothic, Baroque and Moorish styles. Architectural techniques typical of different eras form the basis for eclecticism, and various styles become integral elements of facade design. The materials studied show that all strata of society were involved in the creation of a new architectural appearance of the city. On Yekaterininsky Prospekt from I. Aivazovsky's house there are cottages of rich entrepreneurs, who in a short period of time formed a new architectural appearance of the Feodosiya embankment ^[12].

One of the characteristic buildings of the early 20th century in Feodosia is considered to be the cottage of Solomon Samuilovich of Crimea (1835-1936) "Victoria". The dynasty of Solomon of Crimea was one of the wealthiest and most respected in the Karaite society of the city of Feodosia. He was a member of the State Duma and was one of the initiators of the creation of the Taurida University. Villa Victoria was designed by the famous architect N. P. Krasnov (1864-1939). The work of Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov was one of the fundamental elements in the formation of the architectural landscape of the Crimean peninsula. Krasnov was the chief architect of the city of Yalta, and designed such significant architectural monuments as the Livadia Palace in Yalta, the Dulber Palace in Koreiz, the Yusupov Palace in Koreiz, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Roman Catholic Church in Yalta.

The Victoria cottage was built in the style of medieval and Spanish-Moorish architecture, with elements of the Mudejar style, which we can increasingly observe in the buildings of the peninsula of the Art Nouveau period. The cottage consists of several rectangular buildings of different sizes, which combine Renaissance arches and towers in the Moorish style, there are strict symmetrical windows, decorative columns decorated with stucco and stone carvings. The iconic contents of Villa Victoria fully reflect the new trend of that time – modernity and eclecticism, and are a unique legacy of Crimean and Russian culture. The villa is a kind of cultural text from which the viewer can read information about the author of the building, about the style and cultural era of that time. The facade of the villa, decorated with delicate stone carvings, arches with columns and mouldings in the Moorish style, bas-reliefs depicting animals, all these elements, combined with the shape of the building, help the viewer to "read the architectural text" of Villa Victoria. In general, the decoration of the building is characterized by the use of a large number of Seljuk ornaments, the so-called "plaits". In the decoration of the building, the "plait" in the form of a harness is repeated in the edging of doorways, in the design of semi-columns, in arched openings at the entrance to the building, and in the arch connecting the two volumes of the building. The "plait" on the gate, the entrance to the building, is decorated at the ends with palm trees, a stylized image of palm leaves. The palmette was a symbol of special honor and respect, belonging to a noble family. Also, the Seljuk type includes intertwined star images arranged in a circle ^[13].

The stained glass works are located in one of the central arched windows, which consists of five parts, the upper arched window and under it four rectangular elongated windows that cover the first and second floors. Each window opening has its own compositional idea, while they are united by a common color scheme and stylization of story forms. It is necessary to note a rather important detail, all the stained glass works filling the windows of Villa Victoria were completed much later than the date of its foundation, already in Soviet times. Therefore, there may be a compositional and plastic discrepancy between the architecture of the building and the monumental stained glass windows. If in the exterior of the building we see a combination of Spanish-Moorish style, Art Nouveau and eclecticism, which can be read in smooth lines, ornamental composition, orders and stucco, then the stained glass windows are made in the style of Soviet socialist realism, which is well recognizable in the composition of all the stained glass works of the villa, but most of all is read in the stylization of figures of people and ships.

The stained glass windows in the building of the Victoria cottage are made in the technique of classical soldering using a lead H-shaped profile. Bryansk glass was used for their manufacture, mainly in such colors as white, blue, light blue, orange, red, yellow, ochre and brown.

Fig. 1 Stained glass window of the cottage "Victoria", Feodosia

The largest window has the shape of an arch, which is divided into 5 modules (Fig.1). On top there is a single arched window and on the bottom there are four identical windows, which are shaped like elongated rectangles. In the arched upper window, which is a semicircle in composition (Fig. 2), we see a stylization of the marine theme: the sea, masts and flags fluttering in the wind. The composition is static, mostly consisting of straight lines and based on color contrast. The central composition of a warm decorative sun, shaped like a "Wind Rose", is accentuated on a large white spot, thus the artist has invested a semiotic meaning in the symbol of the sun. The sun is the most important symbol in human life, which in Slavic culture means the source of life and grace, the passage of time ^[14], and the Wind Rose is a symbol of purposeful and travel-loving people. The author wanted to convey to the viewer the image of the resort town of Feodosia, which is dominated by the theme of the sea and the sun. On both sides of the sun there are stylized geometric shapes, in which hidden symbols are read, reminiscent of the Crimean mountains. Behind them, the author depicted the rhythm of the match and the developing flags.

Below are four rectangular elongated windows, in each of which the author has executed a separate composition. In the two extreme windows we see the stylization of buildings from geometric shapes resembling castles, and in the two central windows the author depicted two human figures with flowing scarves and hair. In all four compositions, there is a semicircle of shades of blue glass at the bottom, which symbolizes the sea.

Fig. 2 Fragment of the stained glass work of the cottage "Victoria", Feodosia

In the lower windows, as in the upper arched window, there is a dominant white spot, which is the background of stylized figures. All forms, namely houses and human figures, are placed in the center of the composition, and are made mainly of warm glass in orange, yellow, red, ochre and brown shades. Note that, despite the large size of the entire window opening, its division into 5 parts and a different composition in each individual part, we observe a single thematic idea that the author conveyed to the viewer. Thanks to the color and tonal accents, the artist highlights the main figures in the composition, such as the sun, mountains, houses and human figures, thereby showing the symbolic connection of the building with the cultural space of the maritime city of Feodosia.

Let's consider the composite solution of stained glass windows on the second floor of another wing of the building (Fig. 3), which consists of six rectangular windows that differ from the previous stained glass in composition and size. This stained glass window, unlike the first one, in terms of stylistic design, smooth lines and compositional rhythm, fits more harmoniously into the architectural style of the Victoria cottage. If the first stained glass windows were dominated by a static composition with rectilinear lines and stylization of shapes from geometric shapes, then here we see a more dynamic picture with curved lines, where static shapes contrast against the background of plastic rhythms. Each stained glass window has a different composition, but the general theme, color and decorative solutions unite them. All six windows depict the sea with waves, shown using curved lines. Various objects are visible through the waves: Greek columns, sailboats and seagulls. Each image was chosen by the artist for a reason, and is a symbol of the Crimean coast. According to the color and compositional solution, the artist created a smooth transition from the warm and static first windows to the cold and dynamic last window openings. This professional approach symbolizes the change in the natural state from a calm sea during a calm to a raging cold sea during a storm.

The expressiveness of the stained glass works in the composition of the Victoria cottage building is also achieved due to the competent color scheme, namely, the rich color scheme of the decorative panels made of colored glass.

Fig.3 Stained glass window of the cottage "Victoria", Feodosia

Conclusions. Analyzing the Victoria cottage, we can say that architecture and stained glass create a single artistic idea, and despite the fact that they were executed in different historical periods, they ensure the harmonious unity of the building, thus, the architectural structure of the Victoria cottage shows a tendency to synthesize the arts. Many elements of the architectural appearance have special qualities, which makes the building a unique monument of its time. Consideration and analysis of the objects of the architectural appearance of the cottage in the context of the synthesis of arts shows that the symbolic space of the Victoria mansion represents a semiotic space in which the history and image of the city of Feodosia are reflected. The synthesis of stained glass art and architecture of the Victoria mansion in Feodosia harmoniously overlap with each other, despite their contrasting shapes and lines. Thus, the synthesis of architecture and stained glass art is a deep and multifaceted process, which results in the creation of a harmonious and semiotically saturated space. The interaction of these two arts is not limited to simple decoration – they mutually enrich each other, creating a unique and inimitable artistic image that deeply affects our perception and emotional state. Studying this symbiosis allows us to better understand the relationship between architecture, art and man, as well as to uncover the endless possibilities of creative collaboration between different artistic disciplines.