1 origin of style
1.1 background
1.2 development
1.3 denial of art nouveau
1.4 alternative eclecticism
origin of style
background
luxury apartment blocks, 1 in solyanka street, moscow, became visible , numerous application of style
in 20th century, russian architecture (at least in moscow) dominated diverse , protean style moderne, local adaptation of art nouveau. style peaked in 1900-1904, , manifested in denial of classical order, flowing curvilinear shapes, floral ornaments , expensive artwork. high costs , exterior novelty limited style upper-class mansions, retail stores , middle-class apartment blocks. many upper-class clients, in saint petersburg, rejected style moderne , insisted on traditional, neoclassical designs fitting image of old gold. art nouveau never reached universal status: church relied on russian revival tradition, while charities , majority of homeowners used economical red brick eclecticism. muscovite neo-grec of 1870s-1880s forgotten, single exclusion of roman klein s pushkin museum (1898–1912). meanwhile, numerous empire style cathedrals, public buildings , private mansions of alexandrine period shaped central squares of russian towns remained omnipresent, impressive statement of classicism, associated glorious age of napoleonic wars , russian poetry.
in 1902, 2 years before bloody sunday, when saint petersburg preparing celebrate bicentennial anniversary. alexander benois, vocal anti-modernist activist of mir iskusstva group, defended classical tradition of saint petersburg, rejecting both art nouveau , official russian revival, arguing classical city must return roots. in same year, evgeny baumgarner criticized otto wagner: in leaning toward utilitarian, falls obvious absurdity. proposing contemporary architect come terms statement nothing not practical can beautiful, lowers architectural art, praised such feeling, level of applied craft... theory of professor wagner proposes aesthetic suicide. human soul requires architectonic beauty human vision requires illumination. .
development
practicing architects followed benois; example, in 1903 ivan fomin, successful 30-year-old enthusiast of art nouveau, switched purely neoclassical, palladian architecture , returned moscow saint petersburg practice neoclassicism on own territory; studies of 19th century, culminating in 1911 exhibition of historical architecture, followed wide public interest classical art in general. conceptual statement of neoclassicism - , term - further developed in 1909 in apollon magazine benois , sergei makovsky.
the new style took on specific niches, starting nostalgic country estates , upper-class downtown apartment buildings. 1914 became preferred choice schools , colleges. in moscow, new cinemas of period built in neoclassical stylem, continuing old theatrical tradition. neoclassicists celebrated victory: classical tendencies in architecture have replaced sinuously agitated, temperamental , , riotously dashing modernistic efforts of architects kekushev, simplified structures faced brilliant walls of yellow brick of architects schechtel. time, concept shifted preservationism shaping new, wholesome art, opposed diverse styles of 19th century. there difference, not leap, , here lies subtlety of understanding problem of neoclassicism.
denial of art nouveau
a common concept of soviet art critics linked neoclassical revival social shock of 1905 revolution; concept, narrowed architecture , refined further w. c. brumfield, treats neoclassicism in 1905-1914 architecture professional reaction against art nouveau. society, shaken russian revolution of 1905 dismissed art nouveau ephemera of fashion , settled moderation in architecture. end of hostilities, moderate neoclassicism emerged ethically acceptable alternative extravagance of past. prior 1905, saint petersburg architects completed 30 buildings in neoclassical revival (about 5% of extant neoclassical buildings). 5 years, 1905–1910, added 140 new buildings. 1910, saint petersburg reached equilibrium between neoclassical revival , art nouveau (in terms of new buildings launched , completed). ivan fomin praised universal, easy-to-reproduce set of classical rules, consolidating profession: when style being formed, masters in capital , provinces worked toward same end, not fearing imitate 1 another. , in guarantee of strength.
by 1914, revivalists won victory not universal. large share of intellectuals despised empire style symbol of slavery , militarization of alexandrine period. ilya repin publicly condemned lust luxuries of filthy arakcheyev period, , harshness of living suffered millions, free (russian: Он напоминает мне поганое время Аракчеева и всей связанной с этим временем тягости жизни миллионов теперь свободных людей ).
alternative eclecticism
fyodor schechtel, largest figure in russian art nouveau, built own house in neoclassical style.
contemporary domestic authors dismiss concept outlined above oversimplification. reaction against art nouveau did exist, secondary, tangential factor behind neoclassical revival. 1902 , 1909 statements benois targeted ideology of eclecticism in general. neoclassicism of 20th century extended far beyond denial of rival style, pretending create wholesome realm of art in forms. viewpoint indirectly supported fact there no clear-cut boundary between 2 styles. art nouveau artists, starting otto wagner , gustav klimt, relied on greek heritage. neoclassical architects followed same gesamtkunst approach interior , exterior finishes , relied on work of same craftsmen , factories. architects (fyodor schechtel) , painters (mstislav dobuzhinsky) created pure examples of both styles. despite magazine critique, various forms of art nouveau persisted until russian revolution of 1917, halted construction altogether.
neoclassical projects in saint peterburg emerged when art nouveau still in infancy, years before 1902 magazine campaign. russian ethnographic museum laid down in 1900, petrovskaya embankment in 1901, public library in 1896.
importance of clients , tastes, elevated in traditional concept, disputed. architects not simple contractors: many wealthy property developers, betting own money (roman klein, nikita lazarev, ernst nirnsee). part of wider movement in arts, led writers , painters who, unlike architects, not bound investors. artists changed tastes of general public.
contemporaries identified revival of empire style part of larger trend seeking way out of apparently unsolvable crisis of fin de siècle; art nouveau , decadence in general perceived least of threats. nikolai berdyaev stated in 1910, modern age joins ranks of goethe ... clear reaction against mounting catastrophes - catastrophe of nietzsche , Übermensch, catastrophe of marx , socialist judgement day, , catastrophe of falling abyss of decadence.
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