The Symbolysm and Meanings of the Railway Image in Art Culture: the “Home” Concept

Abstract

The one of the aspects of symbolic value of the railway image in art culture is dealt with in the article. The railway image as an embodiment of the “home” concept is described based on literary, painting, graphic works. The analysis of cultural and philosophical studies showed the “home” concept to be of importance for the culture and revealed its main meanings. The consideration of the home as anthropological and sociocultural space turned out to be useful for the current study. The key ideas of the “home” concept in the artistic image are revealed on the basis of exploration of the large empirical evidence (the author’s catalogue of art works with the railway topic includes 525 paintings, 443 graphic works, 210 literary works). Characteristics such as the creation of the space to be shielded from the outside, the opportunities to read or talk calmly or to be surrounded with domestic items are considered under the anthropological understanding of the railway image. The railway image as the sociocultural space is examined by identifying the social relationships, norms and traditions of the artistic embodiment of the railway reality, in particular the relationship of different social groups and gender relations.