How Art and Film Influenced Imperial Russian Society - Research Paper Example

? The Snow Maiden and The Tale of The Firebird Thesis: Russian art was just starting to develop it's own art in the beginning of the 19th century. The country was still in the neo-19th century classism in which Europe had influenced each form of art. Nationalism was beginning but it would take 50 years before it would be defined and Russia had established her own style. The purpose of this essay is to take two unknown Russian fairytale at the time and show how the 19th century transformed them to be used as a subject for lacquer boxes, rewritten as a famous plays or in poetry then rewritten by the same author as a libretto for an opera of Rimsky Korsakov. The same fairy tale was used in paintings and used by a distance cousin of Tolstoy's. From folk art to literature to music to art, the Snow Maiden and the Firebird crossed all schools of art form and cross cultures of native Russia. The early lacquer boxes started national art that was an independent contribution to the later 19th century "Wanders" , a group of Russian artists concentrating on their own culture. Our story begins with one man's trip to the Schtobwasser's factory in Germany and will finish on the stage with the famous opera of Rimsky Korsakov. TWO RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES The Snow Maiden and the Firebird have been chosen as they represent Russian Fairy Tales which have elements from the pagan time which were then adapted in the 19th century to be used in art, literature, music, folklore and Russian lacquer boxes. This essay will show how each element of art was used and how each element, therefore influenced the progression into other forms of art. Lacquer boxes tell a story or show scenes from a tale. In the 18th century, they were popular all over Europe and Asia. It was only in the late 18th century did one Russian who traveled to Germany and brought back with him, a group of masters to set up what would be one of the four leading schools of lacquer boxes. The school's history is fascinating. The influence of Fedoskino on other aspects of art touched all of Europe. The Snow Maiden and the Firebird have been chosen for analysis because it touched so many different forms of art: literature, lacquer boxes, art, and music. They are a symbol of Russian folk tales adapted to Russian Orthodox tradition. The tales still are part of Russian culture as they were put in artistic form in the early 19th century. The old tales told at home became principle themes used for the small black boxes. It is because of such beautiful work of Fedoskino, that the Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov wrote his rendition of the "Snow Maiden" and the "Firebird". Four Fairytales in all which were used as subjects in lacquer boxes were also used in music, art, literature and poetry. Miniature lacquer boxes with beautiful paintings came from Asia over thousand years ago. The technology came to Europe in the 17-18th centuries. Since there was a demand for inexpensive snuffboxes, factories of lacquer boxes sprung up all over Europe. In 1795, Korobov visited the Schtobwasser factory which was one of the most famous. Wanting to bring this technology to Russia, he returned to Russia with a group of artisans The first factory and school were in his own village Danilovo later to be merged with Fedoskino. It was in his legacy that the lacquer boxes started to become famous. Korbobov's daughter married an educated business man, Lukutin who was able to turn the concept around and by 1828, his factory became well known all over Europe. He presented his wonders at the International Exhibition in Paris in which he won the 2nd place. Nicolas I awarded the factory the right to mark the boxes with the Royal emblem. They supplied the Tsar for three generations. One would think that the boxes are made of wood but as wood is a porous material and changes with time, Russian chose to work with paper marche (Maxym 9). In China, wooden boxes were used. The process of lacquering takes up to 60 days before it is given to the artist to paint. Entry into Fedoskino Art School is passed on from generation to generation, the training last for 5 years. The complexity of the miniature paintings in the 19th century comes from classical Russian paintings. There are scenes of boxes from the Makovsky "The Boyar's Wedding . (Maxym 1985)(Art Authority). There are "village folk scenes and festivals" (Maxym 10) but they are specialists in untold fairytales .(Maxym 10) The florescent effect is achieved by first laying a gold or silver leaf on the box and painting over The Tale of the Firebird ,Tsarevich Ivan and the Gray Wolf was one of the most intricate scenes to be painted on a lacquer box. A summary of the tale is compared to the synopsis of the ballet, ending with a child's poem. The Tale of the Firebird shows how each person covets thy neighbor and true love always wins. Tsarivich Ivan goes to get the firebird at Tsars Afron who says he will give him the firebird if he gets the golden horse at Tsar Kousmin. Kousmin says he will give him the horse if Ivan gets him Princess Elena at her father's, Tsar Dolmat. The wolf helps him get Princess Elena. The wolf marries with Tsar Kousmin . When Ivan and the real Elena go back to Tsar Dolmat, the wolf pretends to be the horse. The couple goes back to Tsar Afron. The wolf pretends to be the Firebird. They take the Firebird. The Princess escapes with Ivan on the Golden Horse. . They are so tired that they take time to sleep, when the brothers come, Ivan is killed. The wolf comes too late and stops a Raven and says he will kill her baby if she doesn't go get the water of life and death. Ivan comes to life and goes to the wedding party to marry Elena. He would give him the Firebird for his Father. The themes are love, jealousy and personal interest. It shows the difficulty of being at the lower end of the social economic scale in early Russia. There are many different versions. The ballet changes the story line but keeps the central themes, Prince Ivan enters a magic kingdom with the magical immortal Russian Kashei. Kashei is an ancient Russian figure whose soul is contained in an egg which is in a duck which is in a hare, which is in a box buried on an island. Stravinsky did not develop the character but a parallel can be drawn between his symbol and the 19th century historical context. Elena and Ivan's love is released by the breaking of the egg, the family of Tsar (Ivan and his brothers) is the egg, having to go from different fiefdoms to get approval is shown by the movement of the hare and the duck and the buried box represents the terrible Tsarist system of social economic fiefdoms of the Russian systems. In the Firebird, Prince Ivan is walking in his garden which is in the magical kingdom of Kashchei. He chases and catches the firebird. In exchange for his life, the bird agrees to help him. The firebird bewitches Kashchei in letting one of the thirteen princesses marry Ivan. When he falls asleep, Ivan breaks the egg and the spell is broken. His princess is no longer magical and the firebird dances his final dance before flying to freedom. Igor Stravinsky 1910, heard the following poem as a child. '...And in my dreams I see myself on a wolf's back Riding along a forest path To do battle with a sorcerer-tsar [i.e., Kaschei] In that land where a princess sits under lock and key, Pining behind massive walls. There gardens surround a palace all of glass; There Firebirds sing by night And peck at golden fruit; Written by Yakov Polonsky 1819-1898 The following fairytale is from the pagan time when the seasons were honored for the changes in nature. This tale has many versions but doesn't seem to have been adapted to anything similar in the West. The Snow maiden appears to help the equivalent of Santa Clause in Russia. Here it is represented by a lacquer box, a fairytale, an opera, an artist a play and a poem. "Faerie Spring and Mighty Winter were lovers until the love faded and died. They were bound together by the child that was born to them, the lovely Snegurouchka". (Maxym 51) When she was sixteen her parents sent her to live with an old couple. She would be protected by the Spirit of the Wood as long as she never let the warmth of love enter her heart. She was happy in her new home. In one version of the fairytale, it is the camp fire of friends that melted her http://www.tradestonegallery.com and in another version it was the warmth of the love she felt when she was with a kind shepherd boy. An opera in 4 acts keeps the theme until act four where Rimsky Korsakov brings it up to date to the Tsarist system. Act IV. In the Valley of Yarilo, Dawn is about to Break Snegurochka needs her mother's help. She has no love for the merchant, Mizgir. In the fairy tale he marries Cupava. In the opera, Cupava marries the Sheppard boy. He wants to marry Snegurochka, but she feels nothing for him. Her mother is the fairy spring. She asks the flowers to help fill her daughter's heart with love. Miskir tells her she has to present herself in from of the Tsar to prove her love. When she does, she melts in the summer sun and Miskir drowns in the lake. The snow maiden brought the sun out because of the love she felt for Miskir. The tsar said it was good she died as summer must come when it is ready. "So ends the fairy tale clash of the seasons, a clash of nature" () The pagan idea of glorifying season. http://www.suite101.com/content/rimskykorsakov-opera-snow-maiden-a81020 Nov 28, 2008 Tel Asiado ALEXANDER OSTROVSKY (1823-1886) is a Russian play write of the 19th century. He wrote play entitled "Snow Maiden" though the title is not confirmed. The play motivated Rimsky Korsakov in writing the opera. Ostrovsky wrote the libretto. It is impossible to find a copy of this play translated into English. This article was originally published in Plays of Alexander Ostrovsky. Ed. George Rapall Noyes. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1917. pp. 3-8. In addition to the two tales presented today, there were two others which Fedoskino artist brought to light: Sadko, Le Coq d'Or and Ruslan & Ludmilla. Rimsky Korsakov wrote operas for the first two and an early Russian composer, Glinka wrote an opera for Ruslan & Ludmilla. Pushkin had heard it as a child and decided to write an epic fairy tale. He also wrote poetry "Le Coq d'Or. It became popular to write period pieces It has been the purpose of this essay to show the relationship of the first Russian lacquer school, Fedoskino as bringing to the foreground Russian fairytales . The two fairytales presented, the Tale of the Firebird and the Snow Maiden gave a new identity to Russian nationalism. Themes in operas and ballets showed the dances and themes of the Russian people. Artwork showed folk art and told stories which become a strong influence for future generations.. Nationalistic art was to speak to all levels of society as society was changing towards the beginning of the 20th century History of Lacquer boxes http://www.russianlacquerboxes.org/history.html http://www.suite101.com/content/rimskykorsakov-opera-snow-maiden-a81020 Fedoskino, 'Russian Lacquer Art' Web March 27 2011 www.russianlacquerart.com. http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0013722.html http://www.suite101.com/content/rimskykorsakov-opera-snow-maiden-a81020 http://www.magicoffedoskino.com/Home/E-History.html Magic of Fedoskino Holden, Amanda, Editor. Concise Guide to Opera, London: Penguin Books, 2005 Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997 History of Russian Art Web March 28 2011 http://www.randlltd.com. Maxym, Lucy, (1986) Russian Lacquer, Legends and Fairy Tales Volume 1. New York: Siamese Imports Co, Inc. Explains how they are made the villages different fairy tales and legends Maxym, Lucy, (1986) Russian Lacquer, Legends and Fairy Tales Volume II. New York: Siamese Imports Co, Inc. Continues with fairy tales story tellers Pushkin Folk art Treasures and art This article was originally published in Plays of Alexander Ostrovsky. Ed. George Rapall Noyes. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1917. pp. 3-8. Russian Lacquer Boxes Web March 28 2011 http://www.russianlacquerboxes.org. Another wonderful site for historical purposes. Everything is in this site. I was looking for the use of art and history of lacquer boxes. http://www.tradestonegallery.com Russian Lacquer Boxes Web March 28 2011 http://www.russfolkart.com. This site is called "Open the lid into Russian culture". They go back to the 18 century to explain the history of the four principal schools. The technologies and the artists Web March 29 2011 http://www.russianlacquerboxes.org. This site has no commercial value. It goes into the intricate process of the technology and paint of these beautiful boxes. What you should know about Collecting Russian Lacquered Boxes Web March 27 20011 http://www.squidoo.com/Collecting-Russian-Lacquer-Boxes#module56813802. This blog is written by someone who specializes in the collection of lacquer boxes It is a wealth of knowledge. All the villages are explained. Each has its own style and art work. Russian Art ttp://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0013722.html Read More