Art History Research Articles

Dance Culture in Screen and Stage Discourse

The purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive analysis and determine the specifics of the director's means of adapting choreographic art in the screen plane. Research methodology. In the development of the topic, an interdisciplinary approach was used, based on the application of such general scientific methods as: a system of theoretical methods – induction, deduction, complex art analysis, synthesis. This enabled the author to study the factual material of choreographic numbers on stage and screen. The method of generalisation and systematisation was used in order to argue the originality of screen direction in the presentation of choreographic art. The use of analytical and systematic methods was effective and useful for researching the art history aspect of the given problem. The scientific novelty of the article is the delineation by the researcher of the vectors of mutual influence and mutual enrichment of choreographic and audiovisual arts in the modernisation of visual and expressive means of directorial skill in the screen and stage plane; in revealing the peculiarities of the director's activity in the presentation of choreographic works in screen productions, which became the subject of a special study for the first time; in the identification of creative dominants in the production of screen works in which choreographic experience is adapted. Conclusions. It is substantiated that screen direction not only popularises, but also with the help of audiovisual means opens up new opportunities for showing works of choreographic art (in particular, folk dance), the work of choreographers, choreographers, choreographic groups, and individual performers.

Michael Tippett: Specification of the Work for Orchestra and Soprano "Byzantia"

The purpose of the research is to reveal the deep image-sound layers and features of the Irish bardic tradition in the work of M. Tippett through the prism of the work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium". The methodological basis of the research is historical-conceptual, hermeneutic method and comparative analysis of factual data based on the works of Thomas Weiskel, David Clark, Edward Venn, and Meirion Bowen. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the Ukrainian art history segment, M. Tippett's work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" was analysed with an emphasis on the dramaturgy of the composition, cyclical elements, metaphorical sound images, symbolism and characteristic features of the musical and poetic tradition of Irish bards. Conclusions. Biographical collisions of M. Tippett influenced his creative aspirations and attitude to the surrounding world. M. Tippett's aesthetic views are a dialogue between romantic aspirations and sceptical realism of the modern era. Michael Tippett's musical language absorbed both tradition and the entire palette of accumulated world musical experience, as well as duality of meanings, symbolism, imagery and conflict. The work analyses the composition for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" by M. Tippet, which is based on the mosaic of images, the logical sequence of musical motifs, and cyclicity. It is necessary to highlight the fragmentary nature of musical sections, variable motifs, the presence of contrasting material, the symbolism of magical, changing life force as secular ephemerality, the destruction of the musical text using the technique of expansion and fragmentation. Thus, the composition "Byzantium" is a reincarnation of Irish cultural nationalism in the aspect of traditional forms of bardic poetry. The musical language of M. Tippett in the work "Byzantium" is based on the forms crystallised by the work of L. Beethoven and updated by the musical context of modern and postmodern.

Synthesis of Arts by means of Sculpture Forms

The purpose of the work is to characterise the syncretism of sculptural forms in the development of monumental Ukrainian sculpture; emphasise the national features of the development of national sculpture on the example of the works of modern Ukrainian sculptors. The methodology of the work consists in the principles of holistic and systemic approaches to the study of the synthesis of arts in the sculptural forms of Ukrainian artists. An analytical method was applied to study scientific approaches to the synthesis of arts, as well as an artistic-stylistic method, as well as a system-functional method to the structuring of artistic works as a phenomenon of modern monumental sculpture. The scientific novelty of the study consists in the discourse on the synthesis of arts in the art history environment, characterising some works of art that belong to the category of monumental sculpture. Conclusions. It should be noted that in the Ukrainian art space there is a synthesis between classical forms and intermedia installations, which creates a complex and multi-layered context for modern artists. The perception of time, space and material becomes plastic and changeable, and this, in turn, stimulates the development of new aesthetic forms. Sculptural images have a significant influence on the formation of styles of young artists, where the emphasis is not only on silhouettes, but also on specific elements originating from various forms. Artists build associative visual sequences, embodying unrealistic, yet deeply symbolic images that resonate with viewers on an emotional level. In the examples from the workshops you mentioned, we see how a variety of materials and art forms and execution methods are used to create coherent and complete images that reflect the synthesis of different arts. The theme of the synthesis of arts in different sculptural forms, which sometimes seem completely incompatible, is indeed one of the most relevant for research.

Art Market as a Factor in Shaping the Artistic Environment of Ukraine: Institutional Foundations and Development Prospects

The purpose of the article. The article is devoted to the influence of the leading persons and institutions of the Ukrainian art market on the formation of the circle of the most famous figures in the artistic environment, the dominant trends in the artistic life of the country, the tastes of the public, as well as the growing influence of representatives of the art business on the activities of state institutions in the field of culture. The methodology of the work is based on the application of methods of observation, analysis and generalisation, as well as the structural-functional method, considering the art market and the artistic environment as closely related social phenomena. A sociological approach to art as a collective activity is applied, in which not only artists are involved, but a large network of other participants in cultural life and the art market. The scientific novelty of the work consists in the study of the role of local art business in shaping the structure of the contemporary artistic environment of Ukraine. For the first time, the question of how decisive is the influence of the participants of the Ukrainian art market (primarily – art dealers, collectors and institutions related to them) on the formation of a certain hierarchical ranking of artists in the Ukrainian art environment on representatives of the mainstream and the rest of other, less well-known figures was highlighted, a significant part of which is, so to speak, on the periphery of cultural life; the impact of the art market on public tastes and the activities of state bodies in the field of culture is also outlined. Until now, the topic of close interdependence of the art world and the art market has been avoided in the Ukrainian art history discourse. Conclusions. The art market selects artists who become the most famous figures in Ukrainian artistic life and get the opportunity to represent the country at the international level. The art market shapes public tastes; the most successful participants of the art market (primarily art dealers and collectors) seek to participate in the formation of state cultural policy by integrating into state institutions. In accordance with world trends, the private sector will gain more and more influence in the modern cultural life of the country, which will have both a number of advantages for the development of the Ukrainian art market and artistic life, as well as certain, potentially possible, disadvantages.

Regionality and Universality of Visual Arts: Evolution and Influence of Art Applications in Europe, America, and China

In the study of the regionality and universality of the development, evolution, influence, and application of visual arts, we should focus on the most representative regions of art development and transformation: Europe, America, and China. This study examines the evolution, influence, and application of visual arts in these regions. Based on this, the research focuses on the regionality and universality of visual arts, studying the evolution, influence, and application of visual arts in Europe, America, and China. This includes the characteristics of visual arts, their regionality and universality, the developmental history of visual arts in Europe, America, and China, the primary influences on the development of visual arts in these regions, and the application of visual arts in Europe, America, and China. It is hoped that this research will provide a scientific reference for the study, application, and development of visual arts.

The art of talking less

Caricatures of Nizhny Novgorod architect Alexander Khudin are considered from the point of view of art history analysis. It is shown that the style of the caricatures gravitates towards minimalism. The basics of true minimalism are also considered in comparison with fakes. It is shown that true minimalism is characterised by such style-forming features as brevity while being filled with meanings and allusions, elegance, sincerity and objectivity.

Scientific terms as a part of comparative tropes of modern Russian prose

Modern Russian prose is characterized by the active use of scientific terms from different fields of knowledge, which act as images of comparison for comparative tropes. Such tropes are marked by stylistic emphasis, as they contain new information for the addressee. Comparative tropes are defined as metaphors and similes of various structural types. The purpose of our work is to analyze the use of scientific terms as images of comparison for comparative constructions and determine their functions in the texts of modern Russian prose. The material for the study is the works of E. Vodolazkin, A. Ivanov, A. Ilichevsky, A. Matveeva, V. Pelevin, D. Rubina, A. Salnikova, O. Slavnikova, M. Stepnova, O. Vasyakina and others. The article discusses terms in tropes representing different fields of science: physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, biology, physiology, linguistics, literary criticism, art history, and computer science. The most active in the comparative tropes of modern prose are biological, medical, physical and computer terms. The productivity of these terms is associated with the rapid development of these areas of knowledge and their role in modern society. Regarding parts of speech, most of them are substantives. By metaphorizing, terms are subject to determinologization. In prose texts, terms often have distributors that clarify, specify or modify the image of comparison. In modern prose, scientific terms as part of tropes perform a number of functions: the function of figurative characteristics of a person, object or phenomenon, the evaluative function, the text-forming and conceptualizing functions. Scientific terms as part of metaphors and similes replenish and update the literature language.

Color restoration of mural images based on a reversible neural network: leveraging reversible residual networks for structure and texture preservation

AbstractThe Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, a treasure of China's and the world's cultural heritage, contains rich historical and cultural deposits and has left precious relics of the history of human art. Over centuries, the Mogao Caves have been affected by natural and human factors, resulting in irreversible fading and discoloration of many murals. In recent years, deep learning technology has shown great potential in the field of virtual mural color restoration. Therefore, this paper proposes a mural image color restoration method based on a reversible neural network. The method first employs an automatic reference selection module based on structural and texture similarity to choose suitable reference mural images for the faded murals. Then, it utilizes a reversible residual network to extract deep features of the mural images without information loss. Next, a channel refinement module is used to eliminate redundant information in the network channels. Finally, an unbiased color transfer module restores the color of the faded mural images. Compared to other image color restoration methods, the proposed method achieves superior color restoration effects while effectively preserving the original structure and texture details of the mural images. Compared to baseline methods, the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Feature Similarity Index (FSIM), and Perception-based Image Quality Evaluator (PIQE) values are improved by 7.97%, 3.46%, and 13.98%, respectively. The color restoration of the Dunhuang Mural holds significant historical, artistic, cultural, and economic values, and plays a positive role in the preservation and inheritance of Chinese culture, as well as in the promotion of cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Interplay of art and faith in women’s communities: Developing a heightened awareness of research perspectives and evolving methodologies

The Lost and Found: Revising Art Stories in Search of Potential Changes marked the inaugural conference of a collaborative initiative between the University of Wroclaw, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and the Polish Institute for World Art Studies in Warsaw. This unique meeting brought together university researchers and artists, creating a stimulating atmosphere. The collaborative artistic endeavours undertaken aimed to build community and explore alternative knowledge production rooted in affectivity and openness to surprise, rather than an immediate quest for success. The focus was on a shared experience of being together and learning about each other’s roles beyond the conventional boundaries of scholars and artists. At the heart of the conference was the project Residua of Pre-Modern Relations with Art in Selected Contemporary Convents in Lesser Poland and Lower Silesia, supported by the National Science Centre in Warsaw. Although the residues and anachronisms discussed during the meeting did not explicitly refer to religious orders, they provided insights into the significance of faith and the evolving nature of the sacred in contemporary art. The project’s premise challenged the distinction between the religious and the spiritual, emphasizing the roles of community, respect, and care. It was hypothesized that female religious orders maintain these values in relation to the place of art in everyday life. Consequently, if an art historian wishes to study the relationship between women’s art and the sacred in everyday life, they should learn from nuns and female artists, not merely study them.

PERFORMANCE

Written by Kristine Stiles, an artist and Art History Professor at Duke University, “Performance” originally appeared in 1996 as the sixth chapter of the volume Critical Terms for Art History, edited by Robert S. Nelson and Richard Shiff. The essay’s goal is to theorize the genre that brings the artist as both the subject and object of the artwork. According to Stiles, performance constructs a transpersonal visual aesthetic that functions as an interstitial continuum connecting subjects through mutual identification. That identification spans from agreement to opposition but rarely achieves resolution. Central to Stiles’ interpretation of performance is her concept of commissure, which signifies the dual operations of linkage: 1. Connection, and 2. Entrustment. The author utilizes this concept and traces a brief history of performance art since the early 20th to examine Jim Dine’s work The Smiling Workman (1960). Her discussion includes artists and movements such as Oskar Schlemmer and the Bauhaus, Hermann Nitsch and the OMT, Guy Debord and the Situationist International. Stiles concludes that performance “tells a truth about art” that is based on the processes of making and the emphasis on the human body as the center of art production.

FEMALE PORTRAITS IN SOVIET AND CHINESE ART IN THE 1960-1980S: TRENDS, ARTISTIC IMAGES, VISUAL TECHNIQUES

From the end of the 1960s till the 1980s, Soviet and Chinese painters explored female portraiture, o ering visual conceptualisations in art history. This paper primarily discusses three central themes: overall trends in socio-cultural development, comparative analysis of female-themed portrait imagery, and research into the painting language of female portraiture itself. By examining the historical and cultural perspectives of Soviet and Chinese oil paintings, this study aims to reconstruct the development of female portrait themes during the aforementioned period. The indepth exploration helps the author not only understand the artistic styles and technical features behind the artists’ works but also glimpse the complex changes in gender consciousness and cultural identity against the backdrop of social and political contexts of that time.

Counter-colonial unfoldings of cubism in Latin America: The works of Wifredo Lam, Fernando de Szyszlo, and Francisco Matto

The exceptional cubist configuration is often thought of as a French movement. Nevertheless, beneath the geographical label lies a hidden truth: an art that arises in Paris but relies on the cooperation of artists, critics, and art historians of various nationalities. On the one hand, the channels by which cubism established transatlantic dialogues and exchanges in different moments were diverse and in other periods. For example, by direct contact of Modern Latin American artists with the movement, art students and painters that attended the French academies, and distinguished visitors related to the movement. On the other, as in other regions, cubism circulated in Latin America, catalyzing different artistic approaches and practices that, despite sharing the same origin, resulted in a manifold of proposals and plastic forms. The cubist influence in Latin America was not strong enough to break with previous cultural traditions. In a similar way to how Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque assimilated the lesson of African sculpture, Latin American artists also dialogued with the so-called primitive cultures of their regions, maintaining and resizing their original symbolic and mythical value. Artists such as Tarsila de Amaral (Brazil), Cándido Portinari (Brazil), José Cúneo (Uruguay), Emilio Petorutti (Argentina), Diego Rivera (Mexico), among many others, assimilated its morphological aspect. But other artists understood cubism as a way of thinking. They assimilated its structural dimension, such as Wifredo Lam (Cuba), Francisco Matto (Uruguay), Joaquín Torres García (Uruguay), and Fernando de Szyszlo (Peru), among others. With a theoretical frame following the considerations of Carl Einstein, Daniel- Henry Kahnweiler, and Vincenc Kramář, three art theorists who tackled cubism from different angles and in terms of man’s active participation in the creation of a new, more dynamic view of the world, this paper approaches the works of Wifredo Lam, Fernando de Szyszlo and Francisco Matto, privileging the way they deal with space and their dialogue with local ancestral traditions in the context of modern societies.

Transnationality and stylistic ideology in semi-cubist Finnish art between 1914 and 1923

The article focuses on the changes in Finnish modern art and artistic discourse caused by World War I and Finnish Independence in 1917–1918. World War I changed artistic networks radically, because travel to France was no more possible, and Independence of Finland changed the art world with the ideas of national modernism. These changes centred in Finland around the role of cubism – seen as a logical continuation of Paul Cézanne’s art – and were expressed in both formal language and artistic discourse. Questions of “primitive” in art and its connection to cubism and to what is national in art were also essential in defining Finnish modernism and avant-garde in around 1917–1920. There was small exhibition of French cubism in Helsinki in 1915, but otherwise knowledge of cubism came via second-hand sources, such as lectures, art magazines and Der Sturm Gallery’s exhibitions. Norwegian art historian Jens Thiis had a strong impact on notions of cubism in Finland. It is in my interest to show that there were transnational connections between Scandinavia, Russia and Finland, and also more or less between Finland and oth- er “new states”, which were born after Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian empires collapsed. These connections can be seen in formal elements and iconography of kind of cubo-expressionism, which was a kind of fusion of cubist structuralism and expressionist emotion. This “semi-cubism” seemed to serve as stylistic ideology or ideological tool for those who had thoughts of national modernism in countries like Poland (formists), Latvia (artists like Jēkabs Kazaks), Estonia (artists like Jaan Vahtra and Märt Laarman) and Finland (art of the so called November Group). It is obvious that artists in Finland were not conscious of what happened on the southern side of the Baltic Sea, but there are so many parallels which were born by shared general views of the role of new art, that it is possible to see not only France, Norway or Russia, but also Poland, Latvia and Estonia as artistically close to Finland, when one tries to map the topography of Finnish semi-cubism in late 1910s and early 1920s.

Cubism in Sweden – from experimental to moderate

In this article, examples of various forms of cubism practiced by Swedish artists are described and analyzed regarding form, content and reception in the field. A certain emphasis is placed on female artists, since there is a need for differencing the narrative of modernism regarding women’s contributions, often disregarded in their own contexts as well as in the writing of art history. Attention has also been paid to changing notions of cubism in the field of art. In the early years of cubism, from the 1910s, a considerable number of Swedish artists experimented enthusiastically with prismatic and other cubist effects in their paintings. Many of them went to Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen to see the new art, and brought new ideas to Sweden. For most of the artists who experimented with different kinds of cubism, it was a temporary activity, although many of them felt they had acquired new insights concerning artistic form. Some of them further developed their findings into new directions of modernist art, such as post-cubism, purism and concrete art. Women artists were active in all of these movements. The art market in Stockholm thrived in the 1910s and 1920s. Several of the art critics and large parts of the art audience had difficulties understanding cubism, and rejected the non-figurative art exhibited at the Stockholm exhibition in 1930. However, most Swedish cubism proved to be of a moderate sort, such as the works by Georg Pauli. On the other hand, Agnes Cleve, Siri Derkert, Gösta Adrian-Nilsson (GAN), and Otto G. Carlsund never ceased to generate bold forms and compositions. Regardless, it took a long time for Swedish art audiences to accept this form of visual art.

The Evolution of Indian Sculptural Traditions: Interweaving Art, Culture, and Contemporary Practices

Indian sculptural art has historically been intertwined with various artistic forms, such as music, dance, and painting, creating a distinct narrative that has shaped the country's cultural identity. Among these, religious idol-making holds a significant role in reflecting societal values, spiritual beliefs, and artistic expression. Over centuries, idol-making techniques have evolved while adhering to traditional aesthetic and religious principles. This paper explores the evolving traditions of Indian sculpture, with a particular focus on Rajasthani stone sculptures, and examines how modern Indian sculptors are adapting ancient practices to contemporary sensibilities. The research adopts a qualitative approach, employing historical analysis and interpretative methods. Archival materials, such as ancient texts and scholarly commentaries, are used to trace the continuity and transformation of traditional sculptural practices. Fieldwork conducted in Rajasthan, specifically in Jaipur and Alwar, documents the current state of traditional sculpture workshops. Interviews with contemporary sculptors provide insights into the adaptation of traditional techniques to modern artistic trends, while secondary literature on art history situates these changes within a broader cultural and religious context. Results indicate that religious idol-making continues to be a central form of artistic expression in Indian culture, with Rajasthani sculptors preserving traditional methods while incorporating modern materials and techniques. Proportions, aesthetic purity, and spiritual symbolism remain key components of traditional idol-making, influencing contemporary works. However, modern sculptors are expanding their themes to include social, political, and philosophical concepts, reflecting the changing socio-political landscape of India. In conclusion, Indian sculptural traditions have shown resilience and adaptability, balancing cultural heritage with modern innovation. This study highlights the evolving nature of Indian sculpture, particularly in Rajasthan, as artists continue to redefine their craft in response to contemporary cultural shifts.

Painting as Existential Experience: the Work of the Painter Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas

The aim of the article is to study the life and creative work of the famous Lithuanian artist Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas in the context of socio-cultural phenomena of the late 20th century. Results. Paintings of Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas (1957–1993) give an impression of intriguing, temperamental, obscure and enigmatic creative work. The artist lived for a short time, as his life ended unexpectedly when he was only thirty-five years old. The painter is strongly etched in the memory of his contemporaries, and his personality, as well as creative work are intertwined with things that may not even exist. Nowadays, a lot of people talk about Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas and his paintings. This bright personality achieves more and more colourful tones, and is vividly portrayed. Art historians are interested in his artistic legacy. The artistic work of this painter remains a subject of interest and discussion among artists and art critics. It is fought over at public auctions, and in the shadow of the art market. After graduating from the Vilnius Art Institute (now the Vilnius Academy of Arts), the young artist was thrust into a period of political change. The liberation of Lithuania from the Soviet Union meant new opportunities and creative freedom for him and other artists. Scientific novelty. This article is the first attempt to analyse in detail the oeuvre of Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas, as during the period of political changes, his paintings became a symbol of creative freedom. Conclusions. In fact, this outstanding artist brought many innovations to Lithuanian painting. The painter intuitively found a new concept of abstract painting in Lithuania. His main idea was to improvise freely on a very large canvas, and to paint nature alla prima. Free colour improvisations in his work only appeared after long sessions in painting plein air workshops. Rimvidas Jankauskas-Kampas stood out because he did not care about subtle colour nuances, or even for the whole expressive colourist school of Lithuanian painting. His abstractions are like a short and precise message spoken aloud.

The legacy of Erich Mendelsohn – expression and context in the architecture of Modern Movement.

In 2021, the international community of architectural and art historians started the so called “Erich Mendelsohn Initiative”, with the goal of inscribing the architectural legacy of Erich Mendelsohn on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Despite some efforts, the final list of nominated buildings, along with the Statement of their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the title of the nomination has not yet been established. This article presents a new, authorial look at Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in view of the UNESCO World Heritage. It analyses the global significance of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in the opinions of leading architectural historians of the 20th century. The article puts forward the preliminary list of Mendelsohn’s realisations which should embody his legacy, the criteria for assessment their historical value and the proposed title of the nomination. The main part of the article is defining the first two sections of the “Statement of Outstanding Universal Value”, to be presented in the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. According to the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention they are: the “Brief synthesis”, and the “Justification for Criteria”. In conclusion, the author argues, that the most significant qualities of Erich Mendelsohn’s architectural works are their strong expression and their dialog with the local context. Therefore, these features should be the main subjects of the Outstanding Universal Value Statement, the title and in the main narrative points of the nomination dossier for the inscription of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Theoretical Dimension of Modern Designers’ Conceptual Forms of Creativity

The aim of the article is to identify key characteristics of artistic and design practices interaction; to define directions of conceptual design development based on the results of analysing scientific and theoretical foundations of conceptualism as a special form of the artists’ creativity in the 20th century. Results. It is demonstrated that the focus of modern designers on conceptual forms of creativity is explained by the fact that they contribute to forming unique authors’ projects of aesthetic and value content, innovative searches in the context of cultural and civilisational shifts. A conceptual costume of the beginning of the 21st century is a kind of mediator between art practices of conceptual art and design practices in the sphere of project culture, synthesising social and psychological aspects of fashion, social and symbolic functions of clothing. A conceptual design narrativises philosophical, artistic and technological aspects of design, enriching design products with an expressive metaphoricity. It is revealed that in modern art history a clear definition of the term system of the conceptual direction in design has not been formed till now. The research of this complex phenomenon, synthesised by fashion and artistic clothing design, requires a complex interdisciplinary approach. The conceptual costume is studied as an art-design object from the standpoint of global and local tendencies in the society development, which declare certain worldview values in the form of a visual metaphor. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the theoretical understanding of the conceptual costume grounds on the interaction of design with culture and art as a special space of its direct functioning, which makes it possible to form project conceptualism as a special methodology. Conclusions. The authors’ concepts in the costume are extrapolated in different ways: as visual quotations or metaphors; as a transformation of the art object idea into the form of the costume. Actually, they need in-depth and detailed studying.

Reflections on Forty Years of Muqarnas: The Broadened Range of Publication Venues for Islamic Art and Architectural History

Abstract On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of Muqarnas, I examine the place of this groundbreaking publication in a changing scholarly landscape. Even though the field of Islamic/Islamicate studies has burgeoned—as evidenced by the establishment in recent years of many specialized series and journals—Muqarnas continues to fulfill the enduring need for a global perspective open to all subjects and critical methods. My “Reflections” combine a historiography of the journal with an overview of more specialized new publication venues, while highlighting the reasons for the revised title: Muqarnas: An Annual on Visual, Material, and Architectural Cultures of the Islamic World.

Visualization of Fashion in European Engravings of the 16th — Early 18th Century

Images of people from different countries in their traditional costumes as a genre emerged in the second half of the 16th century and actively existed in the form of prints until the first fashion magazines appeared in the late 18th century. The article attempts to build a chronology of iconic examples of costume prints of the 16th — early 18th century on the basis of a number of sources of theoretical, historical and pictorial nature. The functions it fulfilled as a kind of graphic art in its time and artistic and technological features of its creation are defined. The study considers the works of artists and engravers from Germany, the Netherlands, England and France, since it is in these countries that the art of costume engraving was most developed. Not being for the most part highly artistic works of art, having no portrait resemblance to the depicted characters, protomod illustrations did not attract close attention of art history, which regarded them as one of many ordinary sources, as elements of applied creativity, which largely prevented their detailed analysis. However, these numerous costume prints (woodcuts and etchings) are worthy of attention as examples of graphic art that give an idea of the fashion of the time. The decline in the popularity of costume prints in the middle of the 18th century, despite the development of printing technologies and the growth of population in cities, which implies the demand for products of this kind, is connected, in our opinion, with the absence of a descriptive part — text as an explanation to the picture. For in the epoch of the formation of fashion journalism in the 18th century, costume engravings were revived as part of women’s magazines, acquiring the form of fashionable pictures-illustrations that would exist throughout the 19th — first half of the 20th century.