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2THE AESTHETIC TRADITIONS OF EDGAR DEGAS IN THE PAINTINGS OF GENNADY ALEKHNOVICH
Abstract
The urgency of the problem is caused by the need to comprehend the aesthetic philosophy of modern impressionism as a continuation of the classical impressionism traditions, imprinted in the images of the French school famous masters. As an example, the author considers the creative parallel of Edgar Degas - Gennady Alehnovich, which allows us to reveal a common system of images, as well as the totality of subjective being sociocultural forms accessible to immediate perception and empathy in their development. The main purpose of the article is to prove the claim that impressionism still continues to reveal fully the spatiotemporal functions of the dynamic artistic image, while not drawing a sharp boundary between the temporal and plastic arts, but complementing and enriching them. Thus, in the categories of impressionistic space and time, the new for the European tradition is reflected, overcoming the positivist limitations of the era, the worldview. Despite the possibility of discovering the origins of some spatial (emptiness, flatness, openness, axonometric perspective) and temporal (fast flow, continuity) characteristics in the philosophical and artistic traditions of Western Europe, the spatio-temporal concept of the impressionistic picture is in many respects closer to a more progressive worldview and new philosophical tradition.
The main result of the study is expressed in assertion and comprehension of imagery dynamics in the art of impressionism, which over time has undergone changes only in terms of artistic technology and modern methods of imaging use, but continues to be based on the aesthetic-philosophical platform laid down a century and a half ago. The materials can be used to develop practical manuals for students studying the history of painting and fine arts, in conducting trainings on art criticism, and also in drawing up curricula for special courses in these fields of knowledge.
Keywords
artistic image, positivism, concept of unstable space, reflections of impressionism, sociocultural forms, synaesthesia, intersensory associations
AUTHOR
Gennady Anatolyevich Senkevich
PhD, Associate Professor, Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University.
72, Gagarina Avenue, Dnipropetrovsk, 49010, Ukraine.
E-mail: gen.senkevich@mail.ru
1. Introduction.
1.1. Relevance of the problem
Having formed its own philosophical and aesthetic concept, impressionism went beyond the artistic school in painting frameworks, becoming a general cultural phenomenon. And this means that the stylistic changes in the world of a man in impressionism open up new spiritual spaces, when culture becomes the style of life, and in this it is "the creation of life itself, and not unconscious, but conscious".
79 Modern European Researches No 5 / 2017 It is impossible to reproduce the emotional experience of a person adequately, his inner being, without addressing in one form or another to the totality of factors that make up the "world of a man" in a specific sociocultural situation.
Turning to indiv'dual thinking became, by the end of the nineteenth century, decisive in philosophy, history, art history, psychology of that time. Being a reflection of its epoch, impressionism opened up new possibilities for self-expression of a master, changing not only the pictorial technique, but breaking up all the frozen symbolism of cultural norms and archetypes, unambiguously prescribing the indi^dual trajectories and boundaries of his activity, turning them into mutable and flexible signs organized through individual existence in meaningful cultural worlds. By the system of its images, impressionism made accessible to immediate perception and empathy the totality of subjective being sociocultural forms in their development. Introducing in the context of such empathy the value system approved by this or that culture, art emerged as a specific "control mechanism" of culture, revealing its true moral and humanistic potential, its concrete life validity. As V.A. Malakhov writes, "the cultural background can be implied by the material structure of the work, first of all, as an infinitely expanding sphere of meanings, imprinted with the signs of the art language."
The assertion of new imagery in the art of impressionism is based on basic laws of emergence and development of artistic image in the cultural system, including its associativity, originality, self-movement, individualized generalization, communicative and sensory comprehension of the artistic image. The principle of impression, playing a key role in impressionism, defined the real world and the personality of the artist as the basis of the artistic image. The connecting link here is emotionality, in one way or another programmed in the perceived aesthetic object, encoded by the artist in the work created by him.
1.2. Research Hypothesis
The theoretical works analysis of foreign and domestic researchers and art historians, particularly those who deal with contemporary Ukrainian painting, pointed to the obvious fact that the painting of the post-Soviet era inherited in many respects the traditions of both classical impressionism and its separate directions that gave impetus to the development of up-to-date modernity and some postmodernist trends. Temporal space, as a factor of interest to impressionist artists, as well as extraordinary musicality, became the basis of new aesthetic-artistic philosophy, somewhere close to the avant-gardism of the beginning of the last century, but to a greater extent based on the foundations laid by the masters of the French impressionist school. The creativity of modern Ukrainian artist Gennady Alehnovich, according to the author of the article, originates from the philosophical creative and aesthetic source of Edgar Degas, whose paintings do not only amaze contemporaries with the sensual depth of the surrounding world perception, but also make one think about the problem of space perception in general - through movement human (in our case female) body in it.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Theoretical and empirical methods.
To achieve the goal set in the work, a combination of historical, problem-logical, typological-systemic and comparative methods was chosen. This principle is one of the bases for constructing a modern research paradigm. When analyzing the sources base, theoretical and empirical research methods were used. There are general scientific methods among them: ascent from abstract to concrete; analysis of historical and logical; method of analogies; method of historicism, based on Hegelian law of uneven development of art forms in each specific historical era; problem-logical
80 Modern European Researches No 5 / 2017 method allowed to divide this problem into a number of narrower problems, each of them is considered in a logical sequence, and to highlight the main conceptual provisions of the "artistic picture of the problem" in the context of humanitarian and art history knowledge; typologically-systemic, allowing to draw an image of the "artistic picture of the world", to show the specific features of interconnection and synthesis of the arts of a particular period.
2.2 Methodological Framework.
The concept of impressionism in art is complicated, it includes not only professional signs, but also signs of world outlook. An integral component of the methodological basis for studying this topic were the fundamental works by impressionists themselves and their contemporaries - Sh. Baudelaire, P. Valerie, V. Van Gogh, P. Verlaine, A. Vollard, E. and J. Gonkurov, E. Degas, P. Durand-Ruel, E. Zola, I. Kramskoy, K. Pissarro, J. Renoir; their predecessors - L. da Vinci, E. Delacroix, K. Corot, G. Courbet; as well as those artists whose works were influenced by impressionism - V. Kandinsky, M. Larionov, A. Matisse, J. S0r, P. Synyak, V. Petrov-Vodkin, and others.
The history of the formation and development of impressionism as an artistic trend in French fine arts is studied in the works by L. Venturi, J. Revalda, O. Reutersverd, and others. Various approaches to the problem of the reflection of impressionism as a cultural phenomenon can be found in the works by O. Walzel, R. Haman, G. Marcinsky, K. Mokler, B. Christiansen, O. Spengler, and others.
In the domestic science of the early XX century, the reflection of impressionism was represented by the works of A. Benois, E. Gollerbach, I. Grabar, S. Makovsky, V. Nikolsky, J. Tugendhold, and others. In 1930s, in the official Soviet criticism prevailed negative assessments of impressionism - V. Varshavsky, M. German, Yu. Gerchuk, A. Zotov, I. Ioffe, A. Kantor, P. Lebedev, V. Turchin, V. Fritsche adhered to this position. A new wave of interest in impressionism occurs in 60-70s - V. Kruglov, V. Lenyashin, V. Filippov. The next generation of Soviet art historians of 1970s and 1980s "rehabilitated" impressionism with regard to unjust criticism, linking it with realistic art traditions - B. Zernov, A. Izergina, V. Prokofiev, A. Chegodaev, N. Yavorskaya. The analysis of literary impressionism is devoted to the works of L. Andreev, E. Evnina, I. Koretsky, L. Usenko; impressionistic sculpture and painting - V. Lenyashin, A. Legodayev, and others.
In his article the author relies on the studies of P.A. Trusova, L.V. Kuznetsova, A.O. Yakimovich, V.N. Prokofiev, T.N. Martyshkina, referring to the concrete works of these well-known art critics.
2.3 Research base.
The study of the great impressionist Edgar Degas' creative work, in particular, his artistic and philosophical concept of movement in time and space, as well as the analysis of a series of paintings by famous Zaporozhye artist Gennady Alekhnovich, who continues the artistic traditions of French impressionist school, was the basis for the research of the given problem.
3. Results and Discussion.
As you know, impressionism developed in the era of the general cultural crisis of Western European civilization. As a part of the "anti-positivist reaction", manifested "at first in philosophical thought and then in artistic life" (Trusova, 2009), it was a kind of "response" to the dominance of positivism and the centuries-old ratio dictate (Kuznetsova, 2012). The new worldview was reflected in the impressionist painting created by it, and, first of all, in one of its main components - building of space. According to A. Yakimovich, it is the picture space that can express the fundamental
ideas of the era and culture (Yakimowch, 1989). In case of an impressionistic picture, the category of time, as well as their mutual relations, is equally important.
The rejection of a straightforward perspective with a fixed point of view led the impressionist artists to a non-traditional at the time multiplicity of points of view, and scrapping of the Renaissance concept of "a stable front space with a person in the center" (Prokofiev, 1984) - to the formation of an impressionistic concept of unstable space. Impressionistic painting loses traditional for Western European art depth, or rather its depth, as if changing its direction, tips over flatness, creating an effect of "picture orientation from inside outwards" close to medieval European art (Prokofiev, 1984). The direct perspective is deformed, "as though reversing its forces -to the front plane of canvas further into the real space that belongs to the picture, that is, not from a viewer, but to a viewer" (Prokofiev, 1985). One of the favorite effects used by impressionists for these purposes was "uplifted" and "twisted out of the depths spase space" (Martyshkina, 2008). Features of impressionist artists creative concept are presented in the form of the following scheme:
If we talk about the features of impressionist painting surrounding space, then, perhaps, Edgar Degas' pictures can serve as a vivid example of this painting. There is an opinion, that a serious imprint on his work was imposed by photographic art, which was the basis of the world perception for the artist. Stop-frame, Faust's "stop, moment, you are fine" can be called the technical foundation of many of his paintings, where the main thing is dynamics. It is precisely the "technique of snatching the moment" that makes his images similar to photography. Some researchers say even about a specific competition.
"Another small effort, and you can compete with photography", these ironic words were addressed to Degas, who was part of the circle of artists who vividly debated the "collision of painting and photography," when the latter gained certain freedom
Features of impressionists' painting language
82 Modern European Researches No 5 / 2017 in choosing survey points, began to give stereoscopic images and instantly capture the phenomena of life.
Degas was interested in studying pictures of people and animals in motion, produced by O. Muebridge. After all, none of the artists captured the moment in painting as con^ncingly as Degas. Well-known French poet and essayist Paul Valerie wrote about him: "... He loved and appreciated photography already at the time when other artists neglected it or did not dare to admit that they were using it" (Mironov, 1971).
Edgar Degas painted (and, in the long run, arranged) his pictures, working indoors. Meanwhile, the pictures convey the fluency of the first impression, the spontaneity of the moment, as if quickly seized and transferred to the canvas by an artist's skillful hand. Some of Degas's paintings seem to be framed: the part is visible instead of whole. And for this part, according to the fragments, a viewer creates an idea of the whole scene from life.
Such technique is used by modern impressionists, including Ukrainian ones, in particular, belonging to the most famous schools - to Kiev and to Crimean. By combining the experience and heritage of these illustrious painting schools masters, they open up new and new talents among new artists. More than 150 artists represented in the online gallery of paintings "Art Online Ukraine" can be confidently referred to the style of impressionism. Most often these are landscapes and still lifes painted with oil, but among the oil paintings of modern Impressionists you can find other subjects, such as seascapes, portraits and genre compositions.
The paintings of contemporary artists, connoisseurs and followers of impressionism traditions, such as Alexei Chebotaru, Viktoria Chaus, Boris Serdyuk, Vladimir Sjarov, Maria Naidenova, Zakhar Shevchuk, Vitaliy Bondarenko continue to delight art connoisseurs with their sensuality, imagery, variety of colors. If we talk directly about the traditions of Edgar Degas as one of the most famous and original impressionist artists, we can not help but recall the work of famous Zaporozhye artist Gennady Alekhnovich, for whom the main thing is orientation of images in time and space. If you carefully analyze the series of his paintings devoted to underwater dances, dives of young girls, then there is an amazing plot similarity to the paintings of Degas. A momentary "freeze frame", incredible plasticity of the body, sensual perception of surrounding world images - all this change the space, turning it as if inside out. Only in contrast to Degas, Alehnovich somewhat sharpens the plot by immersing his characters under the water - in an aggressive, alien environment, which makes an impression even stronger (this can be seen on the photos below). No, we do not see drowning, doomed girls, but a beautiful dance - graceful and inimitable in beauty.
Bather by Degas Underwater dance by Alekhnovich
What most emphasizes the plasticity and grace of both masters? Undoubtedly, such elements as long hair, right bending of hands and head inclinations, giving the story smoothness, wavy form. In many respects, this is facilitated by second-rate items, in our cases - hanging clothes, sea grass, etc.
What emotions cause such pictures? Certainly, the effect of presence. The viewer becomes a participant of the action conceived by an artist: he does not only empathize, but also feels the events displayed on canvas. And he also feels extraordinary musicality as a manifestation of intersensory associations. Movement is sound, gesture music is transformed into auditory signals, immersing the viewer into a symphony of beauty.
If we talk about the continuity of painting technique, then it also takes place. For example, a technique that is characterized by bold, broad strokes. With a series of long, wavy lines alternating colours one by one, Degas gave vibrations and energies even to the most common objects. Another favorite technique of Degas is cross shading, where the line-strokes are intersected by a series of perpendicular lines. Shading, and cross shading are most often found in pastel works by Degas. He also worked in the technique of "impasto", when the paint is applied by thick layer, shock strokes. Degas often combined pastel or oil with binders, resulting in a thick, pasty paint. A very similar technique is used by Gennady Alekhnovich, imposing a thick layer of paint
84 Modern European Researches No 5 / 2017 on canvas, and then he does not always level it, making the picture bumpy and creating a perspective of its correct perception. This technique is also akin to photo art, when a photo artist defines the focus for his work.
The choice of model is very important for both artists, especially when we speak about the artist's mood transfer, the elements that seem to be details at first glance, but in fact, they are an essential addition to the main storyline. Beauty and femininity for both Degas and Alekhnovich are not always determined solely by external signs -a pretty face, a well-behaved figure, a graceful bearing, etc. The inner world of a person, his character, behavior and even habits become especially important. Either the artist singles out some physical virtues of the female image, making them foremost in the picture. A bulging belly does not seem ugly if graceful and plastic movements of the hands become the focus of the viewer's attention, and luxurious hair compensates for some excessive roundness of the waist.
4. Discussions
Increased emotionality of perception contributes, according to the author, to the engaging of synaesthesia mechanism, that is intersensory associations. Impressionism strives to make full use of the artistic image space-time functions, while not conducting a sharp boundary between temporal and plastic arts, but complementing and enriching them. One can speak about the "musicality" of impressionist painting, when the moment, fixed by an artist, is synaesthetically conceived and perceived by tactile properties, movement, sound.
The reasons that make artists appeal to the musicality of painting are in the nature of the phenomenon itself. V.V. Vanslov spoke of the wave physical nature of color and sound, the confirmation of this we find by I. Newton, who determined that "for each color there is a length to which the thickness of the air wedge changes when one color ring is replaced by another of the same color. These waves, propelling the particles of a refracting (or reflecting) body, spread like a sound in this environment "(Belonuchkin, 1990). Therefore, according to A. Besant and Ch. Leadbeater, sound is always associated with color, and when, for example, a musical note sounds, those whose subtle feelings are already somewhat developed, observe a flash of the color corresponding to it (Uspensky). D. Dewey, argues that "music is the most emotional, the most powerful in its impact from all arts. Because, in contrast to, for example, the fine arts, it is perceived by us intuitively, directly, appealing to our senses, bypassing our apparatus of intellectual comprehension "(Bychkov, 1999). Researcher S.Kh. Rappoport, confirming this position, says that "the main feature of music seems to be in its being the " purest "model of art as a special system, operating in the personal plane of public practice and not suitable for anything else "(Rappoport, 1980). Delacroix wrote that in painting, "impressions are created by a certain arrangement of colors, by the play of light and shadow, in a word, by what could be called the music of a picture ... Sometimes this impression is generated only by the harmony of lines." (Asoyan, 1960). About "musical trend" in painting, he says that "it is worth of praise no less than any other." Kramskoy wrote that in the paintings of impressionists "you see and feel everything shimmering and mo^ng and living. There are no contours, you do not notice light and shadow, but there is something caressing and warm, like music "(Goldstein, 1965). "Coloring," Repin wrote, "should gain and capture the viewer as a chord in music does" (Repin, 1982). Henri Matisse said: "When all the ratios of the tones are found, the result should be a living chord of colors - harmony similar to musical harmony" (Alpatov, 1958).
In the author's opinion, it is sensuality and musicality (through the prism of time and space) that are the key factors that unite the works of Gennady Alekhnovich and the painting of Edgar Degas. The works of both artists are surprisingly colorful,
85 Modern European Researches No 5 / 2017 decorative, which speaks of the painting desire to go beyond material art and come closer to music, to the field of spirituality.
5. Conclusion
Modern art develops always in interaction with the artistic heritage. Artistic heritage - all historical enduringness in culture, created in previous eras, artistic values of the past, having national or universal significance. A tradition is formed from artistic heritage. The culture of each new epoch "remembers" the past not in an unchanged, but in a transformed, adapted to the present form. Essentially, tradition is an actualized culture of the past. It is a way of mobilizing the experience of the past in the interests of the present. Traditions absorb the main achievements of culture, which are enduring and do not depend on whether a large or small nation created this tradition.
The brothers E. and G. Goncourt in their Diaries, which became a model of impressionistic criticism, declared: "... art is a perpetuation in the highest, absolute, final form of some moment, some fleeting human characteristic ..."; "... painting is not a drawing. Painting is colours ... ". They also pronounced the famous phrase, which became the formula of impressionism: "To see, to feel, to express - this is all art." In this connection, it is absolutely absurd to claim that impressionistic art has died out, has lost its relevance and somehow miraculously degenerated. Of course, this is not so. First of all, because a person has not lost the ability to "see, feel, express," as the Goncourts clearly noted. The creative parallel of Degas - Alekhnovich - is a vivid confirmation of this. Traditions laid by impressionists, deserve immortality and will endlessly excite, and at the same time please the person with their colors, cheerfulness and originality in reality reflecting.
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