HISTORY OF RUSSIAN ART

The course is scheduled among the fundamental courses in the degree course in Conservation and Management of the Artistic Heritage. Its main objective is to provide students with basic methodological tools in the art field.
Those objectives will provide students with basic knowledge in view of further specializations in the field of Russian art history.

The main course objective is to provide the basic tools to study the history of Russian painting, possibly in view of further specializations.
1.Knowledge
The main stages of the history of Russian painting will be addressed in chronological order, from the icons to 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century art, up to the avant-garde movements. The final part of the course will focus on the work of V. Kandinsky, M. Chagall, and K. Malevich.
2.Communicative skills
Each student will be able to clearly communicate and substantiate the contents of the course.
3.Critical skills
Each student will be able to critically evaluate the historical evolution of Russian painting through the centuries and the artistic movements under study and to identify the work of artists from different centuries not only in terms of the historical period but also of characteristic features.

Basic knowledge of Russian history and culture is advisable but not compulsory.

HISTORY OF RUSSIAN PAINTING FROM THE ORIGINS TO THE AVANT-GARDE

The module will chronologically debate about the history of Russian painting, from its origins to the Avant-garde and to the October Revolution, focusing on artistic trends and their major representatives, as well as on the most significant paintings. The course will also highlight the works of three fundamental figures of modern Russian painting: V. Kandinsky, M. Chagall, and K. Malevich.

1. Origins and characteristics of the Russian Icon.
2. The painting in the Petrine era.
3. Russian painting of the 18th century. Figures and movements.
4. Russian painting of the 19th century. Figures and movements.
5. Artistic Avant-garde in Russia.
6. V. Kandinsky, M. Chagall, and K. Malevich.

Notes from the lessons
Powerpoint with notes projected during the lessons available on Moodle
PDF available on the e-learning Moodle platform
S. Burini, La verità della bellezza: il sacro e l'arte russa , Kandinskij, Gončarova, Chagall. Sacro e bellezza nell'arte russa, Milano, Skira, pp. 25-41.
S. Burini, Marc Chagall:"il paradigma della provincia in pittura", in Contaminazioni e spigolature turcologiche, Vicenza, Terra Ferma, 2010, pp. 95-114.
S. Burini, "Quadri da un'esposizione": il percorso della mostra, in Avanguardia Russa. Esperienze di un mondo nuovo, a cura di G. Barbieri e S. Burini, Milano, Silvana Editoriale, 2011, pp. 43-57.
S. Burini, In viaggio con Kandinskij , in Kandinskij. Il cavaliere errante in viaggio verso l'astrazione, Milano, 24 ORE cultura, 2017, pp. 17-37.
S. Burini, Esplosioni e cesure: le Rivoluzioni Russe da Djagilev all'URSS , in La Rivoluzione Russa. L'arte da Djagilev all'Astrattismo 1898-1922, Crocetta del Montello, Terra Ferma, 2017, pp. 15-44.

Reference texts and insights
D. Sarab'janov, Arte Russa, Milano, Rizzoli, 1990.
W. Kandinsky, Lo spirituale nell'arte, Milano, SE, 1989.
M. Chagall, La mia vita, Milano, SE, 1998.

Non-attending students may sit the exam based on the following bibliographical integrations:
H. Duching, Wassily Kandinsky 1866-1944. La rivoluzione della pittura, Köln, Taschen, 1994.
F. Walther, R. Metzger, Marc Chagall 1887-1985. Pittura come poesia, Köln, Taschen, 1994.
AA.VV., Malevič, artista e teorico, Mosca-Parigi-Verona, Avangard, 1991, i saggi inclusi.

ATTENTION!!
It is possible that the exam may change and be totally online due to the emergency situation


The learning outcomes will be assessed by a written exam of three hours.
The exam consists of three open questions and the identification of three artworks, selected among the slides presented during the lessons. One incomplete answer will result in a fail grade.
The use of books, notes, and electronic media is not allowed during the test.
Non-attending students may sit the exam based on the bibliographical integrations enlisted in the dedicated section.

Lectures with projected images from Powerpoint-presentation.
In order to bring the students closer to the topics, the seminar includes screenings and lessons held by guest scholars.
It is possible that the lectures will be integrated with visits to exhibitions.
The material shown during the lessons will be available on the University's Moodle e-learning platform together with additional bibliographical material.

Italian

The slides commented during the lessons are available in the Moodle section in the Professor’s website.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development