Russian Art - Parkstone Art

Łarysa Jermiłowa
265 x 317 mm; 10.4 x 12.5 in.
256 pages
Hardcover with dust jacket

This is a major pictorial work about the Romanov dynasty, the supreme rulers of Russia for over 300 years, with special emphasis on the life of Nicholas II, the last Tsar. Moreover, it is an unsurpassed photographic record of the lives of the last reigning members of the Russian Royal family.

The great majority of the photographs used in this book have never been published before, and have rarely been seen even by researchers from the West, having remained hidden in archives for 70 years, since the Russian revolution.

The many contemporary photographs depict Russian royalty in ceremonial dress and at leisure in informal surroundings. There are also such unique items as a picture of Rasputin, the “mad monk” and confident of the Tsarina Alexandra, surrounded by female admirers.

From the 18th century to the 20th, this book gives a panorama of Russian painting not equalled anywhere else. Russian culture developed in contact with the wider European influence, but retained strong native intonations. It is a culture between East and West, and both influences in together.

The book begins with Icons, and it is precisely Icon-painting which gave Russian artist their peculiar preoccupation with ethical questions and a certain kind of palette. It goes on the expound the duality of their art, and point out the originality of their contribution to world art.

The illustrations cover all genres and styles of painting in astonishing variety. Such figures as Borovokovsky, Rokotov, Levitsky, Brullov, Fedatov, Repin, Shishkin and Levitan and many more are in these pages.