Symbols in life and art The central symbols-images of any culture are the sun, the tree, the road. Symbols in life and art The central symbols-images of any culture are the sun, tree, road
Symbols in life and art
The central symbols and images of any culture are the sun, the tree, the road. People believed that they were endowed with sacred powers and revered them. The sun gives light and warmth and is a symbol of life. The tree grows, and when it loses foliage, it gains it again and again, i.e., as if it dies and is resurrected. Therefore, according to ancient religious beliefs, the tree is a symbol of the Universe.
For a Russian person, the symbolic image of the road is of particular importance. A person's life was like a road that everyone had to go through. Folk rituals that marked the main milestones of a person’s life - from birth, baptism, wedding, right up to death - reflected his ideas about the values of life and at the same time educated and taught, forming a culture of perception of space and time. The road has long captivated and attracted Russian people with new opportunities, fresh impressions, and tempting changes.
The image of the road has become widespread in art, and especially in folklore. Many plots of folk tales are associated with the passage of a path-road in the literal and figurative sense. Domestic art knows many musical, pictorial, and graphic works that are dedicated to the image of the road. It is enough to name the names of composers: M. Glinka, P. Tchaikovsky, S. Taneyev, S. Rachmaninov, G. Sviridov; artists: I. Bilibin, V. Vasnetsov, I. Levitan, N. Roerich; poets and writers: A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, N. Gogol and many, many others.
The image of Rus', rushing madly along an unknown road, is not as optimistically serene as it might seem at first glance.
In such folk songs as “Isn’t there only one path in the field”, “Oh, you are my field”, etc., the road evokes in a person’s soul experiences associated with a feeling of love for nature, one’s native land, and a loved one. As a rule, songs of this kind are distinguished by their melodiousness, breadth of breathing, and developed melody. The intonations of these songs are intertwined with the poetry of folk speech. An extremely colorful and expressive, downright visible image is created that captures the person entirely.
A special layer of folk culture consists of coachman, barge hauler songs, songs of rebellious freemen, hard labor and exile, in which the image of the road was intertwined with civil, protest motives and associated with freedom and will. Examples include the songs “Oh, you, wide steppe,” “Steppe and steppe all around,” “Kolodniki,” “Coachman, don’t drive the horses,” etc. Here the creative aspirations of various circles of society were refracted: the urban population, the intelligentsia, and student youth.
The primordial Russian theme of an endless and joyless road - not just a broken and undeveloped country road, but a symbol of suffering and tears - is reflected in I. Levitan’s painting “Vladimirka”. This is the notorious Vladimir highway, along which exiled convicts were driven to Siberia. The road inexorably stretches beyond the horizon, the lead clouds hanging above it have tightly covered the sun: there is no light, no ray, no hope. The monotonous, flat landscape breathes hopelessness and melancholy. Someone's lonely grave at a crossroads and a lonely wanderer making the sign of the cross.
There are musical compositions that directly convey experiences from the path, the road, or fast driving, for example: “A Passing Song” by M. Glinka, “On Troika” by P. Tchaikovsky (from the cycle “Seasons”) or “Troika” and “Winter Road” by G. Sviridov (from Musical illustrations to A. Pushkin’s story “The Snowstorm”). There are also those in which the image of the road is revealed in a philosophical, religious key, for example, in
S. Rachmaninov (Prelude) or in S. Taneyev’s cantata “John of Damascus”.
Many romances and songs are devoted to road themes, many of which have become folk songs, for example: “My fire”, “Why are you greedily looking at the road”, “I go out alone onto the road”, etc.
The theme of the road was also picked up in the works of 20th century songwriters. Perhaps the symbol of this direction was An, written after the Great Patriotic War (1946). Novikov to the words of L. Oshanin the song “Oh, roads.” It concisely and succinctly reflects with philosophical depth the idea of experiences during the years of trials, losses and hardships along the difficult path that a person went through during the war. No wonder, according to contemporaries, this memory song became the favorite song of Marshal G. Zhukov. Just as A. Alexandrov’s “Holy War” became a symbol of its time and at the same time marked the beginning of a whole layer of songs of the war years, the song “Oh, roads” summed up those terrible and victorious years of the war.
We can say that, continuing the traditions of the past, this song grew out of them and became an artistic symbol of its era.
In the second half of the 20th century. the image of the road was associated with the romance of the development of new lands, the work of geologists, the construction of new cities, hydroelectric power stations, etc. A. Pakhmutova’s song “Geologists” is indicative in this regard. The theme of the road was often used, which became widespread in the 60s and 70s. of the last century, an original song that sounded at tourist gatherings and around campfires.
Remember the songs, fairy tales, and literary works you know, in which the symbolic images of the sun, road, or tree are embodied.
Find excerpts from literary works (poetry, prose) that embody the image of the road, and write down in a creative notebook your understanding of their artistic idea and moral and aesthetic meaning.
Listen to “Troika” (1st part) from Musical illustrations for A. Pushkin’s story “Blizzard”. Pay attention to the stylistic features of G. Sviridov's music. Why is his work compared to a song about Russia?
How does a composer introduce a “vocal” element into an instrumental piece? What significance is attached to the change from “vocal” intonations to “instrumental” ones?
What musical form can the composition “Troika” be compared to?
Watch a fragment of the movie "Blizzard". What role does G. Sviridov’s music play in it? By what means did the composer manage to rhythmize the action?
Artistic and creative task
Create a computer presentation on the topic “The image of the road in the works of Russian and foreign artists.”
Since ancient times, the sun has been revered by various peoples of the world.
Our Slavic ancestors considered the Sun to be God, and called him Ra. They still worship the sun, treating it with admiration and fear of its power. The sun is a source of heat and light, life and fertility. Therefore, each nation has its own specific symbols of the Sun.
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Since ancient times, the sun has been revered by various peoples of the world. Our Slavic ancestors considered the Sun to be God, and called him Ra. They still worship the sun, treating it with admiration and fear of its power. The sun is a source of heat and light, life and fertility. Therefore, each nation has its own specific symbols of the Sun. Symbols of the Sun in fine arts
Swastika - Kolovrat is a symbol of the rising Yarila Sun, a symbol of eternal victory; a circle surrounded by rays; straight and wavy rays, symbolizing the light and heat of the Sun. The constant movement of Yarila the sun across the sky.
In Greece and China, the main symbol of the sun is a proud bird - an eagle. This is a symbol of true courage and the ability to overcome any difficulties. The life of this bird is sanctified by the sun, and besides, our ancestors firmly believed that the eagle was able to fly all the way to the sun. He could look at it without blinking and even connect with it.
But in Egypt, the symbol of the Sun has always been the scarab beetle. From time immemorial, the scarab personified one of the most ancient Egyptian gods, Khepri, symbolizing the rising morning sun. The ancient sun god Khepri was depicted as a huge scarab rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab was of particular interest to the Egyptians because on sunny days it made balls of dung and rolled them across the sand into its hole. The Egyptians saw in the life cycle of the scarab beetle a kind of embodiment of the over and over again repeated birth of the sun.
The ancient Slavs had many different gods in which they ardently believed, but one of the most honorable places was occupied by the sun god - Dazhdbog. Dazhdbog is the eldest son of the main Deity of the ancient Slavs - Svarog. He is the god of the Sun and the giver of heat and light.
On the topic: methodological developments, presentations and notes
Extracurricular activity 3rd grade - “Maslenitsa. Symbols of the sun in fine arts"
Since ancient times, the sun has been revered by various peoples of the world. After all, a wheel, a circle is a symbol of the sun, which was depicted by ancient people on household items, clothes, towels as a symbol of protection from everything...
Symbols in life and art The central symbols-images of any culture are the sun, tree, road. We all know that the sun is the main celestial body that gives warmth, light and life. Since ancient times, various gods have been represented in his image. In ancient Mesopotamia, the gods Ashur, Baal, and Shamash were represented in the image of a winged solar disk. The symbol of the earth was a square, the symbol of the sky was a circle. Therefore, a circle with a dot in the middle meant not only the sky or the Sun, but also day, clarity, truth, masculine strength.
The sun was considered: one of the incarnations of the triple god: god the father and creator, whose symbols were the sun's rays as a single god, whose symbols: the luminary itself, a halo, rotating figures, tonsure, solar crosses, a disk (with wings, rays or an eye) and his derivatives rosette, chrysanthemum, lotus, order star, ball.
In most cultures, the main symbol of creative energy. The sun was often perceived as the supreme deity himself or as the embodiment of his all-pervading power. In some cultures, there were several divine personifications of the sun... On the other hand, the sun was often represented as the son of the supreme god, and sometimes symbolized his gaze or his radiant love.
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Symbols in life and art The central symbols-images of any culture are the sun, the tree, the road. People believed that they were endowed with sacred powers and revered them. The tree grows, and when it loses its foliage, it gains it again, that is, as if it dies and is resurrected. Therefore, according to ancient religious beliefs, the tree is a symbol of the Universe. The sun gives light and warmth and is a symbol of life.
Slide 2
For Russian people, the image-symbol of the road is of particular importance. A person’s life was like a road that everyone had to go through.
Slide 3
The image of the road has become widespread in art, and above all in folklore. Many plots of folk tales are associated with the passage of a path-road in the literal and figurative sense. Remember fairy tales where the image of a road appears?
Slide 4
The image of the road is embodied in the works of composers: M. Glinka, P. Tchaikovsky, S. Taneyev, S. Rachmaninov, G. Sviridov; artists: I. Bilibin, V. Vasnetsov, I. Levitan, N. Roerich; poets and writers: A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, N. Gogol and many, many others. Along the winter, boring road, Three greyhounds are running, The monotonous bell is rattling tiresomely. A. Pushkin
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And Levitan. Vladimirka, 1892
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The road stretches inexorably beyond the horizon, the lead clouds hanging above it have tightly covered the sun: there is no light, no ray, no hope. The monotonous, flat landscape breathes hopelessness and melancholy. Someone's lonely grave at a crossroads and a lonely wanderer making the sign of the cross. This is the notorious Vladimir highway, along which exiled convicts were driven to Siberia.
Slide 7
Vasiliev. After the rain. Country road.1867-1869
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K. Kryzhitsky. The road after the rain.
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A. Savrasov. Rasputitsa.
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V. Perov. The last tavern at the outpost.
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S.Ivanov. Death of a migrant.
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The road evokes in a person’s soul experiences associated with a feeling of love for nature, native land, and loved one. Often the image of a road is associated with civil, protest motives, with freedom, will, choice. The original Russian theme is the theme of an endless and joyless road: not just broken and unsettled, but a symbol of suffering and tears.
Slide 13
I. Levitan. Railroad track. 1898-1899, On the railway Under an embankment, in an unmown ditch, Lies and looks as if alive, In a colored scarf thrown on her braids, Beautiful and young. Don’t approach her with questions, you don’t care, but she’s satisfied: Love, dirt or wheels She’s crushed - everything hurts. A Block
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A. Samokhvalov. The appearance of V.I. Lenin at the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets
Slide 16
K. Malevich. Red Cavalry
Slide 17
Petrov-Vodkin. Fantasy
Slide 18
The symbol of the war era was A. Novikov’s song to the words of L. Oshanin “Oh, roads.” It concisely and succinctly reflects with philosophical depth the idea of experiences during the years of trials, losses and hardships along the difficult path that a person went through during the war.
