A sign of classicism. Literature

What is Classicism?

Classicism- This artistic direction, which developed in European literature of the 17th century, which is based on the recognition of ancient art as the highest example, ideal, and works of antiquity as the artistic norm. Aesthetics is based on the principle of rationalism and “imitation of nature.” Cult of the mind. A work of art is organized as an artificial, logically constructed whole. Strict plot and compositional organization, schematism. Human characters are depicted in a straightforward manner; positive and negative heroes are opposed. Actively addressing social and civil issues. Emphasized objectivity of the narrative. Strict hierarchy of genres. High: tragedy, epic, ode. Low: comedy, satire, fable. Mixing high and low genres is not allowed. The leading genre is tragedy.

Classicism entered the history of literature as a concept at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Its main features were determined in accordance with the dramatic theory of the 17th century and with the main ideas of the treatise by N. Boileau Poetic art(1674). Classicism was considered as a movement oriented towards ancient art. The definition of classicism emphasized, first of all, the desire for clarity and precision of expression, comparison to ancient models and strict adherence to rules. In the era of classicism, the principles of three unities were mandatory (unity of time, unity of place, unity of action), which became symbol three rules that determine the organization of artistic time, artistic space and events in drama. Classicism owes its longevity to the fact that the writers of this movement understood own creativity not as a way of personal self-expression, but as a norm of true art, addressed to the universal, unchanging, to beautiful nature as a constant category. Strict selection, harmony of composition, set certain topics, motives, material of reality that has become an object artistic reflection in words, were for classic writers an attempt to aesthetically overcome contradictions real life. The poetry of classicism strives for clarity of meaning and simplicity of stylistic expression. Although in classicism such prose genres, like aphorisms (maxims) and characters, have a special meaning in it dramatic works and the theater itself, capable of brightly and organically performing both moralizing and entertaining functions.

The collective aesthetic norm of classicism is the category good taste, developed by the so-called good society. The taste of classicism prefers brevity to verbosity, pretentiousness and complexity of expression - clarity and simplicity, extravagant - decency. The basic law of classicism is artistic verisimilitude, which depicts things and people as they should be according to moral standards, and not as they are in reality. Characters in classicism are built on the identification of one dominant trait, which should turn them into universal human types.

The requirements put forward by classicism for simplicity and clarity of style, semantic content of images, a sense of proportion and norms in the construction, plot and plot of works still retain their aesthetic relevance.

Classicism is an artistic movement that originated in the Renaissance, which, along with the Baroque, occupied an important place in the literature of the 17th century and continued to develop during the Enlightenment - until the first decades of the 19th century. The adjective “classical” is very ancient.: even before getting its main value in Latin, "classicus" meant "noble, wealthy, respected citizen." Having received the meaning of “exemplary”, the concept of “classical” began to be applied to such works and authors who became the subject school study, were intended to be read in classrooms. It was in this sense that the word was used both in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, and in the 17th century the meaning “worthy of study in classes” was enshrined in dictionaries (dictionary of S.P. Richle, 1680). The definition of “classical” was applied only to ancient, ancient authors, but not to modern writers, even if their works were recognized as artistically perfect and aroused the admiration of readers. The first to use the epithet “classical” in relation to writers of the 17th century was Voltaire (“The Age of Louis XIV”, 1751). Modern meaning the words “classical”, significantly expanding the list of authors belonging to literary classics, began to take shape in the era of romanticism. At the same time, the concept of “Classicism” appeared. Both terms among the romantics often had a negative connotation: Classicism and the “classics” were opposed to the “romantics” as outdated literature, blindly imitating antiquity - innovative literature (see: “On Germany”, 1810, J. de Stael; “Racine and Shakespeare”, 1823-25, Stendhal). On the contrary, opponents of romanticism, primarily in France, began to use these words as a designation of truly national literature, opposing foreign (English, German) influences, were defined by the word “classics” of the great authors of the past - P. Corneille, J. Racine, Moliere, F. La Rochefoucauld. High appreciation of the achievements of French literature of the 17th century, its significance for the formation of other national literatures of the New Age - German, English, etc. - contributed to the fact that this century began to be considered the “era of Classicism,” in which the leading role was played by French writers and their diligent students in other countries. Writers who clearly did not fit within the framework of classicist principles were judged to be "laggard" or "lost their way." In fact, two terms were established, the meanings of which partly overlapped: “classical”, i.e. exemplary, artistically perfect, included in the fund of world literature, and “classic” - i.e. relating to Classicism as a literary movement, embodying its artistic principles.

Concept – Classicism

Classicism is a concept that entered the history of literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries., in works written by scientists of the cultural-historical school (G. Lanson and others). The features of Classicism were primarily determined from the dramatic theory of the 17th century and from N. Boileau’s treatise “Poetic Art” (1674). It was seen as a movement oriented towards ancient art, drawing its ideas from Aristotle's Poetics, and also as embodying an absolutist monarchical ideology. A revision of this concept of Classicism in both foreign and domestic literary studies occurred in the 1950s and 60s: from now on, Classicism began to be interpreted by most scientists not as “ artistic expression absolutism", and how " literary direction, which experienced a period of bright prosperity in the 17th century, during the years of the strengthening and triumph of absolutism" (Vipper Yu.B. About the "seventeenth century" as a special era in the history of Western European literature XVII century in the world literary development.). The term “Classicism” retained its role even when scientists turned to non-classicist, baroque works of literature of the 17th century. The definition of Classicism emphasized, first of all, the desire for clarity and precision of expression, strict subordination to rules (the so-called “three unities”), and comparison to ancient models. The origin and spread of Classicism was associated not only with the strengthening of the absolute monarchy, but also with the emergence and influence of the rationalistic philosophy of R. Descartes, with the development exact sciences, primarily mathematicians. In the first half of the 20th century, Classicism was called the “school of the 1660s” - the period when French literature Great writers - Racine, Moliere, La Fontaine and Boileau - were working at the same time. Gradually its origins were revealed in Italian literature the Renaissance period: in the poetics of G. Cintio, J. Ts. Scaliger, L. Castelvetro, in the tragedies of D. Trissino and T. Tasso. The search for an “orderly manner”, the laws of “true art” was found in English (F. Sidney, B. Johnson, J. Milton, J. Dryden, A. Pope, J. Addison), in German (M. Opitz, I. H. . Gottsched, J.V. Goethe, F. Schiller), in Italian (G. Chiabrera, V. Alfieri) literature of the 17th-18th centuries. Russian Classicism of the Enlightenment took a prominent place in European literature (A.P. Sumarokov, M.V. Lomonosov, G.R. Derzhavin). All this forced researchers to consider it as one of the important components artistic life Europe for several centuries and as one of the two (along with Baroque) main movements that laid the foundations of the culture of the New Age.

Durability of Classicism

One of the reasons for the longevity of Classicism was that the writers of this movement considered their work not as a way of subjective, individual self-expression, but as the norm of “true art”, addressed to the universal, unchanging, to “beautiful nature” as a permanent category. The classicist vision of reality, formed on the threshold of the New Age, possessed, like the Baroque, internal drama, but subordinated this drama to the discipline of external manifestations. Ancient literature served for classicists as an arsenal of images and plots, but they were filled with relevant content. If early, Renaissance Classicism sought to recreate antiquity through imitation, then Classicism of the 17th century entered into competition with ancient literature, sees in her primarily an example correct use the eternal laws of art, using which one can be able to surpass the ancient authors (see the Dispute about the “ancient” and “new”). Strict selection, ordering, harmonious composition, classification of themes, motives, all material of reality, which became the object of artistic reflection in the word, were for the writers of Classicism an attempt to artistic overcome the chaos and contradictions of reality, correlated with the didactic function of works of art, with the principle of “teaching”, drawn from Horace , entertaining." A favorite conflict in the works of Classicism is the clash of duty and feelings or the struggle of reason and passion. Classicism is characterized by a stoic mood, contrasting the chaos and unreason of reality, one’s own passions and affects with a person’s ability, if not to overcome them, then to curb them, in extreme cases - to both dramatic and analytical awareness (the heroes of Racine’s tragedies). Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am” plays the role of not only a philosophical and intellectual, but also an ethical principle in the artistic worldview of the characters of Classicism. The hierarchy of ethical and aesthetic values ​​determines the predominant interest of Classicism in moral, psychological and civil themes, dictates the classification of genres, dividing them into “higher” (epic, ode, tragedy) and lower (comedy, satire, fable), the choice for each of these genres specific theme, style, character system. Classicism is characterized by the desire to analyze analytically across different works, even art worlds, tragic and comic, sublime and base, beautiful and ugly. At the same time, turning to low genres, he strives to ennoble them, for example, to remove crude burlesque from satire, and farcical features from comedy (“high comedy” by Molière). The poetry of Classicism strives for a clear expression of significant thought and meaning; it refuses sophistication, metaphorical complexity, and stylistic embellishments. Special meaning in Classicism there are dramatic works and the theater itself, which is capable of most organically performing both moralizing and entertaining functions. In the bosom of Classicism, prose genres also developed - aphorisms (maxims), characters. Although the theory of Classicism refuses to include the novel in the system of genres worthy of serious critical reflection, in practice the poetics of Classicism had a tangible impact on the concept of the novel as an “epic in prose”, popular in the 17th century, and determined the genre parameters “ little novel”, or “romantic short story” of the 1660-80s, and “The Princess of Cleves” (1678) by M.M. de Lafayette is considered by many experts to be an example of a classic novel.

Theory of Classicism

The theory of Classicism is not limited only to Boileau’s poetic treatise “Poetic Art”: although its author is rightly considered the legislator of Classicism, he was only one of many creators of literary treatises of this direction, along with Opitz and Dryden, F. Chaplin and F. d’Aubignac. It develops gradually, experiences its formation in disputes between writers and critics, and changes over time. National versions of Classicism also have their differences: French - develops into the most powerful and consistent artistic system, has its influence on the Baroque; German - on the contrary, having emerged as a conscious cultural effort to create a “correct” and “perfect” poetic school worthy of other European literatures (Opitz), as it were, “chokes” in the stormy waves of the bloody events of the Thirty Years' War and is drowned out and covered by the Baroque. Although rules are a way to keep creative imagination, freedom within the boundaries of reason, Classicism understands how important intuitive insight is for a writer, poet, and forgives talent for deviation from the rules if it is appropriate and artistically effective (“The least that should be looked for in a poet is the ability to subordinate words and syllables to certain laws and write poetry. A poet must be...a person with a rich imagination, with an inventive fantasy" - Opitz M. A book about German poetry. Literary manifestos). A constant subject of discussion in the theory of Classicism, especially in the second half of the 17th century, is the category of “good taste,” which was interpreted not as an individual preference, but as a collective aesthetic norm developed by a “good society.” The taste of Classicism prefers simplicity and clarity to verbosity, laconicism, vagueness and complexity of expression, and decency to striking, extravagant. Its main law is artistic verisimilitude, which is fundamentally different from an artlessly truthful reflection of life, from historical or private truth. Plausibility depicts things and people as they should be, and is associated with the concept of moral norm, psychological probability, decency. Characters in Classicism are built on the identification of one dominant trait, which contributes to their transformation into universal human types. His poetics in its original principles is opposed to the Baroque, which does not exclude the interaction of both literary movements not only within the framework of one national literature, but also in the work of the same writer (J. Milton).

In the Age of Enlightenment, the civil and intellectual nature of the conflict in the works of Classicism, its didactic-moralistic pathos, received special significance. Enlightenment Classicism comes into contact even more actively with other literary movements of its era, is no longer based on “rules”, but on the “enlightened taste” of the public, and gives rise to various options Classicism (“Weimar classicism” by J.W. Goethe and F. Schiller). Developing the ideas of “true art,” Classicism of the 18th century, more than other literary movements, lays the foundations of aesthetics as a science of beauty, which received both its development and its very terminological designation precisely in the Age of Enlightenment. The demands put forward by Classicism for clarity of style, semantic content of images, a sense of proportion and norms in the structure and plot of works retain their aesthetic relevance today.

The word classicism comes from Latin classicus, which means exemplary, first-class.

Classicism (from Latin classicus - exemplary) - artistic style European art XVII–XIX centuries, one of the most important features of which was the appeal to ancient art as the highest example and reliance on tradition high Renaissance. The art of classicism reflected the ideas of the harmonious structure of society, but in many ways lost them in comparison with the culture of the Renaissance. Conflicts between personality and society, ideal and reality, feelings and reason testify to the complexity of the art of classicism. The artistic forms of classicism are characterized by strict organization, balance, clarity and harmony of images.

Classicism is associated with the Enlightenment and was based on the ideas of philosophical rationalism, on ideas about the rational laws of the world. According to lofty ethical ideas, educational program art, the aesthetics of classicism established a hierarchy of genres - “high” (tragedy, epic, ode, history, mythology, religious painting, etc.) and “low” (comedy, satire, fable, conversation piece etc.). In literature (tragedies by P. Corneille, J. Racine, Voltaire, comedies by Molière, the poem “The Art of Poetry” and satires by N. Boileau, fables by J. Lafontaine, prose by F. La Rochefoucauld, J. Labruyère in France, works of the Weimar period by I.V. Goethe and F. Schiller in Germany, odes by M.V. Lomonosov and G.R. Derzhavin, tragedies by A.P. Sumarokov and Ya.B. Knyazhnin in Russia) the leading role is played by significant ethical conflicts and normative typified images. For theatrical arts(Mondori, Duparc, M. Chanmele, A.L. Lequen, F.J. Talma, Rachel in France, F.C. Neuber in Germany, F.G. Volkov, I.A. Dmitrevsky in Russia) are characteristically solemn, static structure of performances, measured reading of poetry.

The main features of Russian classicism: appeal to the images and forms of ancient art; characters are clearly divided into positive and negative; the plot is based, as a rule, on love triangle: heroine – hero-lover, second lover; at the end classic comedy vice is always punished, and good triumphs; the principle of three unities: time (the action lasts no more than a day), place, action. For example, we can cite Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor.” In this comedy, Fonvizin tries to implement main idea classicism - to re-educate the world with rational words. Positive heroes They talk a lot about morality, life at court, and the duty of a nobleman. Negative characters become an illustration of inappropriate behavior. Behind the clash of personal interests one can see public positions heroes.

Classicism is based on the ideas of rationalism coming from the philosophy of Descartes. A work of art, from the point of view of classicism, should be built on the basis of strict canons, thereby revealing the harmony and logic of the universe itself. Of interest to classicism is only the eternal, the unchangeable - in each phenomenon it strives to recognize only essential, typological features, discarding random individual characteristics. The aesthetics of classicism attaches great importance to the social and educational function of art. Classicism takes many rules and canons from ancient art (Aristotle, Horace).

Classicism(from Latin classicus - exemplary) - artistic style of European art XVII-XIX centuries, one of the most important features of which was the appeal to ancient art as the highest example and reliance on the traditions of the High Renaissance. The art of classicism reflected the ideas of the harmonious structure of society, but in many ways lost them in comparison with the culture of the Renaissance. Conflicts between personality and society, ideal and reality, feelings and reason testify to the complexity of the art of classicism. The artistic forms of classicism are characterized by strict organization, balance, clarity and harmony of images.

A work of art, from the point of view of classicism, should be built on the basis of strict canons, thereby revealing the harmony and logic of the universe itself. Of interest to classicism is only the eternal, the unchangeable - in each phenomenon it strives to recognize only essential, typological features, discarding random individual characteristics. The aesthetics of classicism attaches great importance to the social and educational function of art.

The direction is headed by the Parisian Academy of Arts, which created a set of artificial dogmatic rules and supposedly unshakable laws of drawing composition. This Academy also established rationalistic principles for the depiction of emotions (“passions”) and the division of genres into “high” and “low”. The “high” genres included historical, religious and mythological genres, to “low” - portrait, landscape, everyday genre, still life.

How certain direction formed in France in the 17th century. French classicism freed a person from religious and church influence, affirming the individual as highest value being. Russian classicism not only adopted Western European theory, but also enriched it with national characteristics.

Classicism was formed as an antagonistic movement in relation to the magnificent and virtuosic art of the Baroque. But, when in the second half of the 17th century classicism became official art absolutist monarchy, it incorporated elements of the Baroque. This was manifested in the architecture of Versailles, in the work of the painter C. Le Brun, the sculptures of F. Girardon, and A. Coyzevox.

In the mid-18th century, against the backdrop of the educational movement, on the eve of the French Revolution, a new direction of classicism arose, opposing itself to the art of Rococo and the work of its epigones - academicians. A feature of this direction was the manifestation of features of realism, the desire for clarity and simplicity, reflection educational ideal"natural humanity".

The period of late classicism - Empire - falls on the first third of the 19th century. It is distinguished by its pomp and splendor, expressed in architecture and applied art. This period is distinguished as independent.

IN painting classicism, the logical development of the plot, a clear balanced composition, a clear transfer of volume, with the help of chiaroscuro the subordinate role of color, the use of local colors (N. Poussin, C. Lorrain) acquired the main importance.

The demarcation of plans in landscapes was also revealed with the help of color: foreground it had to be brown, the middle one was green, and the far one was blue.

At the beginning of the 17th century, young foreigners flocked to Rome to get acquainted with the heritage of antiquity and the Renaissance. The most prominent place among them was occupied by the Frenchman Nicolas Poussin, in his paintings, mainly on the themes of ancient antiquity and mythology, which provided unsurpassed examples of geometrically precise composition and thoughtful relationships between color groups. The themes of Poussin's paintings are varied: mythology, history, New and Old Testaments. Poussin's heroes are people strong characters and majestic actions, a high sense of duty to society and the state. The social purpose of art was very important to Poussin. All these features are included in the emerging program of classicism. Another Frenchman, Claude Lorrain, in his antique landscapes of the environs of the “eternal city”, organized the pictures of nature by harmonizing them with the light of the setting sun and introducing peculiar architectural scenes.

Discovery of the "genuine" antique painting During the excavations of Pompeii, the deification of antiquity by the German art historian Winckelmann and the cult of Raphael, preached by the artist Mengs, who was close to him in views, breathed new breath into classicism in the second half of the 18th century (in Western literature this stage is called neoclassicism). The largest representative of the “new classicism” was Jacques-Louis David; its extremely laconic and dramatic artistic language served equally well to promote the ideals French Revolution(“Death of Marat”) and the First Empire (“Dedication of Emperor Napoleon I”).

In the 19th century, classicist painting entered a period of crisis and became a force holding back the development of art, not only in France, but also in other countries. artistic line David was successfully continued by Ingres, who, while maintaining the language of classicism in his works, often turned to romantic subjects with oriental flavor; his portrait works are marked by a subtle idealization of the model. Artists in other countries (like, for example, Karl Bryullov) also filled works that were classic in form with the spirit of reckless romanticism; this combination was called academicism. Numerous art academies served as its breeding grounds.

Sculpture The era of classicism is distinguished by severity and restraint, coherence of forms, calmness of poses, when even movement does not violate the formal closure (E. Falconet, J. Houdon).

The impetus for the development of classicist sculpture in mid-18th century centuries served as the works of Winckelmann and archaeological excavations ancient cities, which expanded the knowledge of contemporaries about ancient sculpture. In France, such sculptors as Pigalle and Houdon vacillated on the verge of Baroque and Classicism. Classicism reached its highest embodiment in the field of plastic art in the heroic and idyllic works of Antonio Canova, who drew inspiration mainly from the statues of the Hellenistic era (Praxiteles). In Russia, Fedot Shubin, Mikhail Kozlovsky, Boris Orlovsky, and Ivan Martos gravitated towards the aesthetics of classicism.

Public monuments, which became widespread in the era of classicism, gave sculptors the opportunity to idealize military valor and the wisdom of statesmen. Loyalty antique model demanded that sculptors depict models naked, which conflicted with accepted standards

Morals. To resolve this contradiction, modern figures were initially depicted by classical sculptors as nudes. ancient gods: Under Napoleon, the issue was resolved by moving to the depiction of modern figures in ancient togas (these are the figures of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly in front of the Kazan Cathedral).

Private customers of the classic era preferred to perpetuate their names in tombstones. The popularity of this sculptural form was facilitated by the arrangement of public cemeteries in the main cities of Europe. In accordance with the classicist ideal, figures on tombstones are usually in a state of deep repose. The sculpture of classicism is generally alien sudden movements, external manifestations of emotions such as anger.

Late, Empire classicism, represented primarily by the prolific Danish sculptor Thorvaldsen, is imbued with a dryish pathos. Purity of lines, restraint of gestures, and dispassionate expressions are especially valued. In choosing role models, the emphasis shifts from Hellenism to the archaic period. Come into fashion religious images, which, in Thorvaldsen’s interpretation, produce a somewhat chilling impression on the viewer. Tombstone sculpture of late classicism often bears a slight touch of sentimentality.

The main feature architecture classicism was an appeal to the forms of ancient architecture as a standard of harmony, simplicity, rigor, logical clarity and monumentality. The architecture of classicism as a whole is characterized by regularity of layout and clarity of volumetric form. The basis of the architectural language of classicism was the order, in proportions and forms close to antiquity. Classicism is characterized by symmetrical axial compositions, restraint of decorative decoration, and a regular system of city planning.

The architectural language of classicism was formulated at the end of the Renaissance by the great Venetian master Palladio and his follower Scamozzi.

The most significant interiors in the classicist style were designed by the Scot Robert Adam, who returned to his homeland from Rome in 1758. He was greatly impressed by both the archaeological research of Italian scientists and the architectural fantasies of Piranesi. In Adam’s interpretation, classicism was a style hardly inferior to rococo in the sophistication of its interiors, which gained it popularity not only among democratically minded circles of society, but also among the aristocracy. Like his French colleagues, Adam preached a complete rejection of details devoid of constructive function.

The architects of Napoleonic France drew inspiration from majestic images military glory left behind by imperial Rome, such as the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus and Trajan's Column. By order of Napoleon, these images were transferred to Paris in the form triumphal arch Carrousel and Vendôme Column. In relation to monuments of military greatness of the era Napoleonic wars The term “imperial style” is used - Empire style. In Russia, Carl Rossi, Andrei Voronikhin and Andreyan Zakharov proved themselves to be outstanding masters of the Empire style. In Britain, the empire style corresponds to the so-called. "Regency style" ( largest representative- John Nash).

The aesthetics of classicism favored large-scale urban planning projects and led to the streamlining of urban development on the scale of entire cities. In Russia, almost all provincial and many county towns were redeveloped into

In accordance with the principles of classic rationalism. To authentic museums of classicism under open air cities such as St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Warsaw, Dublin, Edinburgh and a number of others have become. A single architectural language, dating back to Palladio, dominated throughout the entire space from Minusinsk to Philadelphia. Ordinary development was carried out in accordance with albums of standard projects.

Literature. The founder of the poetics of classicism is the Frenchman Francois Malherbe (1555-1628), who carried out a reform of the French language and verse and developed poetic canons. The leading representatives of classicism in drama were the tragedians Corneille and Racine (1639-1699), whose main subject of creativity was the conflict between public duty and personal passions. “Low” genres also achieved high development - fable (J. Lafontaine), satire (Boileau), comedy (Molière 1622-1673).

Classicism of the 18th century developed under the influence of the ideas of the Enlightenment. The work of Voltaire (1694-1778) is directed against religious fanaticism, absolutist oppression, and is filled with the pathos of freedom. The goal of creativity is to change the world in better side, construction in accordance with the laws of classicism of society itself. From the standpoint of classicism, the Englishman Samuel Johnson reviewed contemporary literature, around whom a brilliant circle of like-minded people formed.

In Russia, classicism originated in the 18th century, after the reforms of Peter I. Lomonosov carried out a reform of Russian verse, developed the theory of “three calms,” which was essentially an adaptation of French classical rules to the Russian language. Images in classicism are deprived individual traits, since they are intended primarily to capture stable generic characteristics that do not pass over time, acting as the embodiment of any social or spiritual forces.

Classicism in Russia developed under the great influence of the Enlightenment - the ideas of equality and justice have always been the focus of attention of Russian classic writers. Therefore, in Russian classicism, genres that require obligatory author’s assessment have developed greatly. historical reality: comedy (D. I. Fonvizin), satire (A. D. Kantemir), fable (A. P. Sumarokov, I. I. Khemnitser), ode (Lomonosov, G. R. Derzhavin).

Among artistic styles, classicism, which became widespread in the advanced countries of the world in the period from the 17th to the beginning of the 19th century, is of no small importance. He became the heir to the ideas of the Enlightenment and manifested himself in almost all types of European and Russian art. He often came into conflict with the Baroque, especially at the stage of its formation in France.

Each country has its own age of classicism. It first developed in France - back in the 17th century, and a little later - in England and Holland. In Germany and Russia, the direction was established closer to the middle of the 18th century, when the time of neoclassicism had already begun in other countries. But this is not so significant. Another thing is more important: this direction became the first serious system in the field of culture, which laid the foundations for its further development.

What is classicism as a movement?

The name comes from the Latin word classicus, which means “exemplary”. Main principle manifested itself in an appeal to the traditions of antiquity. They were perceived as the norm to which one should strive. The authors of the works were attracted by such qualities as simplicity and clarity of form, conciseness, rigor and harmony in everything. This applied to any works created during the period of classicism: literary, musical, pictorial, architectural. Each creator sought to find his place for everything, clear and strictly defined.

Main features of classicism

All types of art were characterized by the following features that help to understand what classicism is:

• a rational approach to the image and the exclusion of everything related to sensuality;
• the main purpose of a person is to serve the state;
• strict canons in everything;
• an established hierarchy of genres, the mixing of which is unacceptable.

Concretization of artistic features

Analysis individual species art helps to understand how the style of “classicism” was embodied in each of them.

How classicism was realized in literature

In this type of art, classicism was defined as a special direction in which the desire to re-educate with words was clearly expressed. The authors of works of art believed in a happy future where justice, freedom of all citizens, and equality would prevail. It meant, first of all, liberation from all types of oppression, including religious and monarchical. Classicism in literature certainly required compliance with three unities: action (no more than one storyline), time (all events fit within a day), place (there was no movement in space). More recognition in this style was given to J. Molière, Voltaire (France), L. Gibbon (England), M. Twain, D. Fonvizin, M. Lomonosov (Russia).

Development of classicism in Russia

The new artistic direction established itself in Russian art later than in other countries - closer to the middle of the 18th century - and occupied a leading position until the first third of the 19th century. Russian classicism, in contrast to Western European, relied more on national traditions. This is where his originality manifested itself.

Initially it came to architecture, where it reached its greatest heights. This was due to construction new capital and the growth of Russian cities. The achievement of the architects was the creation of majestic palaces, comfortable residential buildings, country houses noble estates. The creation deserves special attention architectural ensembles in the city center, which fully make it clear what classicism is. These are, for example, the buildings of Tsarskoe Selo (A. Rinaldi), the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (I. Starov), the Spit of Vasilievsky Island (J. de Thomon) in St. Petersburg and many others.

The pinnacle of architects' activities can be called construction Marble Palace according to the project of A. Rinaldi, in the decoration of which natural stone was used for the first time.

No less famous is Petrodvorets (A. Schlüter, V. Rastrelli), which is an example of landscape art. Numerous buildings, fountains, sculptures, the layout itself - everything amazes with its proportionality and cleanliness of execution.

Literary direction in Russia

The development of classicism in Russian literature deserves special attention. Its founders were V. Trediakovsky, A. Kantemir, A. Sumarokov.

However, the greatest contribution to the development of the concept of what classicism is was made by the poet and scientist M. Lomonosov. He developed a system of three styles, which determined the requirements for writing works of art, and created a model of a solemn message - an ode, which was most popular in the literature of the second half of the 18th century.

The traditions of classicism were fully manifested in the plays of D. Fonvizin, especially in the comedy “The Minor.” In addition to the mandatory observance of the three unities and the cult of reason, the features of Russian comedy include the following points:

• a clear division of heroes into negative and positive and the presence of a reasoner expressing the position of the author;
• the presence of a love triangle;
• the punishment of vice and the triumph of good in the finale.

Works of the era of classicism in general became the most important component in the development of world art.