Image of a sage in Russian art of the late 19th, beginning of the 20th century: features and cultural significance of the visual image

Abstract

The article examines the image of the sage as archetypal for Russian painting of the 19–20th. In addition to the developed plots about the self-determination of Russian culture during this period, the search for a visual component of national culture, the author is interested in the internal logic of the choice of plot by artists. The topic of searching for and creating a national visual tradition is touched upon in the article, but is not the main one. The work analyzes the canvases of several artists who have been significant over a number of decades: V.M. Vasnetsov, M.V. Nesterov, N.K. Roerich. The author addresses their common theme, namely, the image of a sage, compares the plot and pictorial features of the images and draws conclusions regarding their cultural significance. According to the author, the appeal to the image of a sage (real or collective) reflects the work of self-determination and the search for a way out of a sense of crisis.