X Staso V.

Stasov, Vladimir Vasilievich(1824–1906), Russian music and art critic. Born in St. Petersburg on January 2 (14), 1824 in the family of architect Vasily Petrovich Stasov (1769–1848); brother of V.V. Stasov - lawyer Dmitry Vasilyevich Stasov (1828-1918). In 1843 he graduated from the School of Law, studied piano with the famous teacher A. L. Genselt. He served in the Senate, in the Ministry of Justice. From 1856 he worked at the Public Library (now the Russian National Library, RNL) in St. Petersburg, from 1872 until the end of his life he was in charge of its art department. In this post, he constantly advised writers, artists, composers, collected manuscripts of Russian artists, especially composers (largely thanks to Stasov, the National Library of Russia now has the most complete archives of composers of the St. Petersburg school).

Along with the new Russian music, Stasov supported the new Russian painting in every possible way, in particular, he took part in the activities of the Artel of Artists (later the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions - “Wanderers”); created a number of monographs on Russian artists. A special layer of Stasov's activity is his historical and archaeological research - including works on folk ornament, on the origin of epics, as well as on ancient Russian singing; on all these topics, he collected extensive materials, which he often transferred for use by other scientists.

Stasov has always been a figure of "extreme", radical views, and he was often accused (and is accused) of being one-sided. For example, he highly valued the operatic work of Glinka and the entire St. Petersburg school, but he valued Tchaikovsky almost exclusively as a symphonist, and not as an opera composer (which did not prevent him from maintaining very warm personal relations with Tchaikovsky); for quite a long time he opposed the system of conservatory education, believing that it levels the national identity of Russian talents. In the work of the St. Petersburg school, beloved by him, Stasov fully accepted everything done by Mussorgsky and Borodin, but, for example, he did not immediately appreciate the evolution of Rimsky-Korsakov's art. This was due to Stasov’s main positions, to which he remained faithful throughout his life, with the concepts of “realism” (which meant, first of all, the choice of topics relevant to modernity, anti-academism) and “nationality” (Stasov considered this category absolutely mandatory when assessing works of art, and in the new Russian music, based on national material, he saw the future of all European art). His particular preference was for artistic concepts based on genuine historical material; he highly appreciated the experiments of Dargomyzhsky and Mussorgsky in conveying the intonations of live speech in music; Stasov's special "horse" was the "Eastern theme", which for him was an integral part of the new Russian art. The rigidity of Stasov's attitudes and the categoricalness of his speeches were balanced, however, by his deep devotion to the interests of science and art, the sincerity of the desire for "new shores", and the artistry of nature. Stasov was often unfair and harsh, but he was always noble and generous and devoted to his friends to the end.

Stasov is the herald of the Wanderers.

Activity V. V. Stasova as art criticism was inextricably linked with the development of Russian realistic art and music in the second half of the 19th century. He was their passionate promoter and protector. He was an outstanding representative of Russian democratic realistic art criticism. Stasov, in his criticism of works of art, evaluated them from the point of view of the fidelity of artistic reproduction and interpretation of reality. He tried to compare the images of art with the life that gave birth to them. Therefore, his criticism of works of art often expanded to criticism of the very phenomena of life. Criticism became an affirmation of the progressive and a struggle against the reactionary, anti-popular, backward and evil in public life. Art criticism was at the same time journalism. In contrast to the former art criticism - highly specialized or designed only for professional artists and connoisseurs, connoisseurs of art - the new, democratic criticism appealed to a wide range of viewers. Stasov believed that the critic is the interpreter of public opinion; it must express the tastes and demands of the public. Stasov's many years of critical activity, imbued with deep conviction, principled and passionate, really received public recognition. Stasov not only promoted the realistic art of the Wanderers, but also the very new, democratic, progressive criticism. He created her authority, social significance.Stasov was an extremely versatile and deeply educated person. He was interested not only in fine arts and music, but also in literature. He wrote studies, critical articles and reviews on archeology and art history, on architecture and music, on folk and decorative arts, read a lot, spoke most European languages, as well as classical Greek and Latin. He owed his great erudition to continuous labor and his inexhaustible curiosity. These qualities of his - the versatility of interests, erudition, high education, the habit of constant, systematic mental work, as well as the love of writing - were developed in him by his upbringing and living environment.

Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov was born in 1824. He was the last, fifth child in a large family of the outstanding architect V.P. Stasov. From childhood, his father instilled in him an interest in art and diligence. He taught the boy to systematic reading, to the habit of expressing his thoughts and impressions in literary form. So, from his youth, the foundations of that love for literary work, that hunting and ease with which Stasov wrote were laid. He left behind a huge literary legacy.

After graduating from the School of Law in 1843, young Stasov serves in the Senate and at the same time independently studies music and fine arts, which especially attracted him. In 1847, his first article appeared - "Living Pictures and Other Artistic Objects of St. Petersburg". It opens the critical activity of Stasov.Stasov was greatly benefited by his work as a secretary for the Russian rich man A. N. Demidov in Italy, in the possession of his San Donato, near Florence. Living there in 1851 - 1854, Stasov is diligently working on his art education.

Karl Bryullov Portrait of A.N. Demidov 1831. Anatoly Nikolaevich Demidov (1812, Florence, Italy - 1870, Paris, France) - Russian and French philanthropist, real state councilor, Prince of San Donato. Representative of the Demidov family, the youngest son of Nikolai Nikitich Demidov from his marriage to Elizaveta Alexandrovna Stroganova. He lived most of his life in Europe, only occasionally coming to Russia.

Shortly after returning home to St. Petersburg, Stasov began working at the Public Library. He worked here all his life, heading the Art Department. The collection and study of books, manuscripts, engravings, etc. further develops Stasov's knowledge and becomes the source of his enormous erudition. He helps with advice and consultation to artists, musicians, directors, obtaining the necessary information for them, looking for historical sources for their work on paintings, sculptures, and theatrical productions. Stasov rotates in a wide circle of outstanding cultural figures, writers, artists, composers, artists, public figures. He developed especially close ties with young realist artists and musicians who were looking for new ways in art. He is keenly interested in the affairs of the Wanderers and musicians from the Mighty Handful group (by the way, the name itself belongs to Stasov), helps them both in organizational and ideological matters.

The breadth of Stasov's interests was reflected in the fact that he organically combined the work of an art historian with the work of an art critic. A lively, active participation in modern artistic life, in the struggle between democratic, progressive art and the old, backward and reactionary, helped Stasov in his work on the study of the past. Stasov owed the best, most faithful aspects of his historical and archaeological research, judgments about folk art to his critical activity. The struggle for realism and nationality in contemporary art helped him to better understand the issues of art history.

Tolstoy L.N., S.A., Alexandra Lvovna, V.V. Stasov, Ginsburg, M.A. Maklakov. From the life of L.N. Tolstoy. Pictures of the work exclusively c. S.A. Tolstoy.

Stasov's outlook on art and his artistic convictions took shape in the midst of a high democratic upsurge in the late 1850s and early 1860s. The struggle of the revolutionary democrats against serfdom, against the feudal estate system, against the autocratic-police regime for the new Russia extended to the sphere of literature and art. It was a struggle against the backward views on art that reigned in the ruling class and had official recognition. The degenerate noble aesthetics proclaimed "pure art", "art for art's sake". The sublime, cold and abstract beauty or the sugary conditional external beauty of such art was opposed to the real surrounding reality. To these reactionary and dead views of art, the democrats oppose life-related, nourishing ones. giving it realistic art and literature. N. Chernyshevsky in his famous dissertation "The Aesthetic Relations of Art to Reality" proclaims that "life is beautiful", that the field of art is "everything that is interesting for a person in life." Art should cognize the world and be a "textbook of life". In addition, it must make its own judgments about life, have "the meaning of a sentence on the phenomena of life."

These views of the revolutionary democrats formed the basis of Stasov's aesthetics. He strove in his critical activity to proceed from them, although he himself did not rise to the level of revolutionism. He considered Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, Pisarev "column-drivers of the new art" ("25 years of Russian art"). He was a democrat and a deeply progressive person who defended the ideas of freedom, progress, art connected with life and promoting advanced ideas.

In the name of such art, he begins his struggle with the Academy of Arts, with its educational system and with its art. The Academy was hostile to him both as a reactionary government institution and because of its obsolescence, isolation from life, and the pedantry of its artistic positions. In 1861, Stasov published an article "On the subject of an exhibition at the Academy of Arts." With it, he begins his struggle with obsolete academic art, in which mythological and religious subjects far from life prevailed, for a new, realistic art. This was the beginning of his long and passionate critical struggle. In the same year, his great work “On the Significance of Bryullov and Ivanov in Russian Art” was written. Stasov considers the contradictions in the work of these famous artists as a reflection of the transition period. He reveals in their works the struggle of a new, realistic beginning with an old, traditional one and seeks to prove that it was these new, realistic features and trends in their work that ensured their role in the development of Russian art."What a strong and new movement was conceived by all this art! How all views and aspirations have turned upside down! How things have changed from before! The new art also received a new physiognomy. Approaching his works—whatever the degree of their merit—one senses that what is at stake here is not at all what was going on during the last period of art that preceded our time. It is no longer about virtuosity, not about the skill of execution, not about panache, skill and brilliance, but about the very content of the paintings ..."

Karl Bryullov (1799-1852) Portrait of Princess E.P. Saltykova. 1833-1835

In 1863, 14 artists refused to complete their graduation theme, the so-called "program", defending the freedom of creativity and a realistic depiction of modernity. This "revolt" of the students of the academy was a reflection of the revolutionary upsurge and awakening of the public in the field of art. These "Protestants", as they were called, founded the Artel of Artists. It then grew into a powerful movement, the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions. These were the first non-government and not noble, but democratic public organizations of artists, in which they were their own masters. Stasov warmly welcomed the creation first of the Artel, and then of the Association of the Wanderers.

If the Artel was the first attempt in Russian art to create an artistic association independent of official guardianship, then the Partnership implemented this idea.

He rightly saw in them the beginning of a new art and then in every possible way promoted and defended the Wanderers and their art. Our collection contains some of the most interesting of Stasov's articles on the analysis of traveling exhibitions. The article “Kramskoy and Russian Artists” is indicative of its defense of the positions of advanced, realistic art and its prominent figures. In it, Stasov passionately and rightly rebels against the belittling of the importance of the remarkable artist, leader and ideologist of the Wanderers - I. N. Kramskoy.

The authorship of this painting has not yet been revealed, it is known that it was sold at an auction in Israel. The painting depicts Repin, Stasov, Levitan, Surikov, Kuindzhi, Vasnetsov and other artists. On the easel (stretcher), facing us with the "back" side, is the painting by I. Repin (1844-1930) "They Did Not Wait". This painting has a double in plot: the artist Yu.P. Tsyganov (1923-1994), he painted this picture while still a student, - "V.V. Stasov among Russian artists":

An interesting example of the defense of works of realistic art from reactionary and liberal criticism is Stasov's analysis of I. Repin's famous painting "They Did Not Expect". In it, Stasov refutes the distortion of its social meaning.

Stasov always looked for deep ideological content and life truth in art, and from this point of view he first of all evaluated works. He claimed: "Only that is art, great, necessary and sacred, which does not lie and does not fantasize, which does not amuse itself with old toys, but looks with all eyes at what is happening everywhere around us, and, having forgotten the former aristocratic division of plots into high and low, flaming breast clings to everything where there is poetry, thought and life "("Our artistic affairs"). He even inclined at times to consider the craving for the expression of great ideas that excite society as one of the characteristic national features of Russian art. In the article “25 Years of Russian Art”, Stasov, following Chernyshevsky, demands that art be a critic of social phenomena. He defends the tendentiousness of art, considering it as an open expression by the artist of his aesthetic and social views and ideals, as the active participation of art in public life, in the education of people, in the struggle for advanced ideals.

Stasov argued: "Art that does not come from the roots of folk life, if not always useless and insignificant, then at least always powerless." Stasov's great merit is that he welcomed the reflection of people's life in the paintings of the Wanderers. He encouraged this in every possible way in their work. He gave a careful analysis and high appreciation of the display of images of the people and folk life in Repin's paintings "Barge haulers on the Volga" and especially "The procession in the Kursk province."

I. Repin Barge Haulers on the Volga

He especially put forward such pictures in which the protagonist is the mass, the people. He called them "choirs". For showing the people in the war, he praises Vereshchagin, in his appeal to the people of art he sees similarities in the work of Repin and Mussorgsky.

I. Repin Procession in the Kursk province 1880—1883

Stasov here really grasped the most important and significant thing in the work of the Wanderers: the features of their nationality. Showing the people not only in its oppression and suffering, but also in its strength and greatness, in the beauty and richness of types and characters; defending the interests of the people was the most important merit and feat of life of the Wanderers. It was real patriotism and the Wanderers and their herald - criticism of Stasov.With all the passion of his nature, with all the journalistic fervor and talent, Stasov throughout his life defended the idea of ​​​​independence and originality in the development of Russian art. At the same time, the false idea of ​​the alleged isolation, or exclusivity, of the development of Russian art was alien to him. Defending its originality and originality, Stasov understood that it generally obeys the general laws of the development of new European art. Thus, in the article “25 Years of Russian Art”, speaking about the origin of Russian realistic art in the work of P.A. Fedotov (1815-1852), he compares it with similar phenomena in Western European art, establishing both the commonality of development and its national identity. Ideological, realism and nationality - these main features Stasov defended and promoted in his contemporary art.

Pavel Fedotov Major's matchmaking.

The breadth of interests and the great versatile education of Stasov allowed him to consider painting not in isolation, but in connection with literature and music. The comparison of painting with music is especially interesting. It is characteristically expressed in the article "Perov and Mussorgsky".Stasov fought against the theories of “pure art”, “art for art’s sake” in all their manifestations, whether it was a topic far from life, whether it was the “protection” of art from “rough everyday life”, whether it was the desire to “liberate” painting from literature, whether it was and, finally, contrasting the artistry of works with their practical usefulness and utility. In this regard, the letter "Introductory Lecture by Mr. Prakhov at the University" is interesting.

I. Repin IN. IN. Stasov at his dacha in the village of Starozhilovka near Pargolov. 1889

The heyday of Stasov's critical activity dates back to 1870-1880. At this time, his best works were written, and at this time he enjoyed the greatest public recognition and influence . Stasov further, until the end of his life, defended the public service of art, argued that it should serve social progress. Stasov struggled all his life with opponents of realism at various stages of the development of Russian art. But, closely associated with the Wandering movement of 1870-1880 as a critic based on this art and its principles, Stasov was unable to go further. He was unable to truly perceive and understand the new artistic phenomena in Russian art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Being fundamentally right in the fight against decadent, decadent phenomena, he often unfairly ranked among them the works of artists who were not decadent. The aging critic, in the heat of controversy, sometimes did not understand the complexity and inconsistency of new phenomena, did not see their positive aspects, reducing everything only to fallacy or limitation.

But, of course, even in the best works of criticism, not everything is correct and acceptable to us. Stasov was the son of his time, and in his views and concepts, along with very valuable, there were also weak and limited sides. They were especially significant in his scientific historical research, where he sometimes retreated from his own positions of the independence of the development of the art of the people, identified the concepts of nationality and nationality, etc. And his critical articles are not free from errors and one-sidedness. So, for example, in the heat of the struggle against the obsolete old art, Stasov came to deny the achievements and value of Russian art of the 18th - early 19th centuries as allegedly dependent and non-national. To a certain extent, he shared here the delusions of those contemporary historians who believed that the reforms of Peter I broke off the supposedly national tradition of the development of Russian culture. In the same way, in the fight against the reactionary positions of the contemporary Academy of Arts, Stasov came to its complete and absolute denial. In both cases, we see how an outstanding critic sometimes lost his historical approach to the phenomena of art in the heat of passionate polemics. In the closest and most contemporary art to him, he sometimes underestimated individual artists, such as Surikov or Levitan. Along with a deep and correct analysis of some of Repin's paintings, he misunderstood others. The correct and deep understanding of nationality in painting is opposed by Stasov's external understanding of it in contemporary architecture. This was due to the weak development of the very architecture of his time, its low artistry.

Stasov V.V. (among artists)

It would be possible to point out other erroneous or extreme opinions of Stasov, caused by polemical enthusiasm and the circumstances of the struggle. But it is not these mistakes or misconceptions of the remarkable critic, but his strengths, the fidelity of his basic theses, that are important and valuable to us. He was strong and truly great as a democratic critic, who gave artistic criticism great social significance and weight. He was right in the main, main and decisive: in the public understanding of art, in upholding realism, in asserting that it is the realistic method, the connection of art with life, the service of this life that ensures the flourishing, height and beauty of art. This affirmation of realism in art is the historical significance, strength and dignity of Stasov. This is the enduring significance of his critical works, their value and instructiveness for us today. Stasov's works are also important for getting acquainted with the historical development and achievements of Russian realistic art.

A.M. Gorky, V.V. Stasov, I.E. Repin on "Pushkin Alley" in "Penates"

What is instructive and valuable for us in Stasov as a critic is not only his great adherence to principles, the clarity and firmness of his aesthetic positions, but also his passion, the temperament with which he defends his convictions. Until the end of his days (Stasov died in 1906) he remained a critic-fighter. Remarkable is his love of art and devotion to what he considered in it to be genuine and beautiful. This living connection with art, the feeling of it as his own work, practical and necessary, was correctly described by M. Gorky in his memoirs of Stasov. Love for art dictates both its affirmations and its denials; he always "burned the flame of great love for the beautiful."

I. Repin Portrait of Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov. 1900

In this direct experience of art, in the passionate defense of its vital meaning and importance, in the affirmation of the realistic, necessary to the people, serving them and drawing their strength and inspiration from art in their life, lies the most important and instructive, highly valued and respected by us in the works of Stasov. .

name Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov the composer and musician somehow do not turn their tongues. And at the same time, he was the ideological inspirer of the most significant Russian composer formation of the mid-nineteenth century -.

Stasov was a music and art critic, art historian, archivist, and, of course, a public figure.

The future ideologist of the great Russian five came from an intelligent St. Petersburg family. His father, the architect Vasily Petrovich Stasov, participated in the design of folk holidays during the coronation of Emperor Alexander, traveled to different countries, underwent training in France, Italy, Austria and Poland. He later entered the Cabinet of Buildings and Hydraulic Works. He designed a complex of buildings for Provisional Warehouses, the Catherine and Alexander Palaces. And he became the first master of the Russian style. Needless to say, this could not but have an impact later on his son, Vladimir Vasilyevich, who was born on January 2, old style. 1824?

In 1836, Vasily Petrovich gave his son Vladimir to study at the newly created School of Law. There the young man became keenly interested in music. But he did not see himself as a composer. He didn’t have any special inclinations, or maybe he was just afraid to develop them in himself. And, as usual in such cases, he boldly leaned into criticism.

V.V. Stasov. Portrait of the artist I. E. Repin. 1883, Russian Museum, Leningrad.

He wrote his first article in 1842. She was dedicated to the then popular. He just came to St. Petersburg with a concert. But the article was never published.

After studying at the school, which ended in 1843, Vladimir began to serve as an assistant secretary in the boundary department of the Senate.

Five years later, he already had the position of secretary in the Department of Heraldry. Two years later, he became an assistant legal adviser in the Department of Justice. At that time, he was already fluent in six languages. In addition, Stasov began his career as a music critic and published in Otechestvennye Zapiski.

Their publisher once invited Stasov to the department of foreign literature, and the young man also began to publish notes covering the issues of painting, sculpture and architecture.

But the idyll did not last long. In 1848, Stasov was suspended from work in the magazine for his connection with the Petrashevites, and then they were completely imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Petrashevtsy was distinguished by excessive free-thinking, and that is why they began to be persecuted. This circle later went down in history, and to no small extent because the young Dostoevsky participated in it. What were only the staging of their death penalty. The convicts were fully led through all the preparations, and only at the very end did they learn about the pardon. Many of the Petrashevites were arrested only because they did not inform about the meetings, and even because of the circulation of Belinsky's letters.

1851 year. Stasov retired and went abroad. There he became the secretary of the Ural industrialist Demidov. He was a very rich man, besides sincerely loving art.

Demidov

Despite his Russian name and undoubtedly Russian origin, Anatoly Nikolaevich Demidov was born in Florence, lived and worked both in Russia and in France. In addition to being considered a Russian philanthropist, he was also the Prince of San Donato. He bought this title, which makes it possible to judge the magnitude of his wealth. He rarely appeared in Russia, since Nicholas the First did not like him, quite rightly believing that Demidov was withdrawing simply a monstrous amount of money from Russia. On the other hand, if it were not for Demidov, they still would not have gone to anyone. And so, thanks to this entrepreneur, much of what we now consider cultural heritage has become available.

I. Repin. Portrait of V.V. Stasova

Stasov worked in San Donato, where Demidov bought the princely title. He had the broadest opportunities for working in libraries, and he worked not so much as a secretary as Demidov's librarian. Vladimir had the opportunity to frequently visit various Russian artists and architects who lived in Italy. Among them, for example, were Alexander Bryullov, Sergei Ivanov and Ivan Aivazovsky.

In 1854, he managed to return to St. Petersburg. He was constantly inspired by his creative work, and therefore quickly formed the ideology of the circle, which would later become known as the Mighty Handful. A man of great erudition, Stasov simply struck with the versatility of his interests. Consistently defending the independent national paths of development of the Russian composer school, he had an invaluable influence on the formation of the aesthetic and creative principles of the great five.

In addition, Vladimir Stasov, starting from the sixties and for the rest of his life, supported the activities of the association of traveling exhibitions. He even became one of the main inspirers and historians of the movement.

“Real art looks with all eyes at what is happening around us,” said Stasov. “And around us, people live, work, and live in poverty. This means that the heroes of the paintings should not be six-winged angels, not kings, ancient and present, not counts and marquises, but peasants, workers, officials, artists, scientists. And he added: "Only there is true art, where the people feel at home." That is why the works of the Wanderers were so dear to Stasov.

In 1856-1872, Stasov worked at the Public Library, where he had a personal desk in the art department. During his work, he organized an exhibition of ancient Russian manuscripts. Then he was hired as a librarian, and until the end of his life he was in charge of the art department.

Repin Ilya Efimovich (1844-1930): Portrait of Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov. 1900

While working in this post, he could freely advise artists, writers, and, of course, composers.

In 1900 he was elected an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

During his life, he did a lot: he was a researcher and propagandist of the work of M. I. Glinka, compiled monographs about composers M. P. Mussorgsky, A. P. Borodin, artists K. P. Bryullov, A. A. Ivanov, V. V. Vereshchagin, V. G. Perov, I. E. Repin, I. H. Kramskoy, H. H. Ge, M. M. Antokolsky and others. Stasov supported the work of A. K. Glazunov, A. K. Lyadov, A. H. Scriabin, F. I. Chaliapin. One of the first Vladimir Vasilyevich began systematic work on collecting and publishing the epistolary heritage of Russian artists and composers (letters from Kramskoy, Antokolsky, A. A. Ivanov, Glinka, Dargomyzhsky, A. N. Serov, Mussorgsky). As an art historian, he asserted the importance of the great realistic traditions of the work of D. Velasquez, Rembrandt, F. Hals, F. Goya. In Russia, Stasov promoted the music of L. Beethoven, F. Liszt, G. Berlioz, F. Chopin, E. Grieg and others.

Turgenev once wrote about Stasov. Read these lines, and you will see more clearly the inner world of this wonderful person:

Argue with a man smarter than you: he will defeat you ... but from your very defeat you can benefit for yourself. Argue with a man of equal mind: whoever wins, at least you will experience the pleasure of fighting. Argue with a man of the weakest mind: argue not out of a desire to win, but you can be useful to him. Argue even with a fool! You won't get any fame or profit... But why not have some fun sometimes! Do not argue only with Vladimir Stasov!

A powerful old man of a heroic physique, with an open, bold expression, an intelligent, penetrating gaze, looks at the viewer from portraits in which the great artist captured Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov. The inspired face of Stasov speaks of the beauty and complexity of his spiritual appearance, of the effervescence and passion of his character.

With remarkable power, the artist expressed not only the external appearance, but also the inner essence of this outstanding figure of Russian artistic culture. Stasov really was a man of great talent, inner strength, inexhaustible energy and captivating directness.

He was widely educated and multi-talented, acting simultaneously as a music critic, as an ethnographer, as an archaeologist, and as an art critic. In this versatile activity, he was guided by one thing - boundless and passionate love for his native people and the desire to help the growth and prosperity of Russian artistic culture. A.M. Gorky said of Stasov that "art was his element, religion and god, he always seemed drunk with love for it."

V.V. Stasov was born in 1824 in St. Petersburg, in the family of the famous Russian architect V.P. Stasov. Under the influence of his father, the boy had an early interest in art. With enthusiasm, he got acquainted with numerous albums, engravings and art books stored in the home library, listened to serious music, painted, traveled with his father to the buildings and there he was interested in the work of sculptors and artists. In 1836, he entered a closed educational institution - the School of Law, from which he graduated in 1843. The atmosphere at the school was favorable for the development of the boy's interest in art. Particular attention was paid to music lessons. Stasov learned to play the piano from two well-known teachers at once - Tenzelt and Gercke and began to play this instrument well. Among the friends of Vladimir Vasilyevich during this period of time was A.N. Serov, who later became a famous composer. Young people gathered around Stasov and Serov, passionately discussing issues of artistic life.

After graduating from college, Stasov's interest in art manifested itself even more. He became even more zealous in reading books on art, attending concerts, exhibitions and museums.

His acquaintance with the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Diderot, Lessing and Belinsky was of great importance for him.

Later, Stasov became acquainted with the works of Herzen and Chernyshevsky. Stasov's deep respect for Herzen was further strengthened as a result of their personal acquaintance. Chernyshevsky had a particularly great influence on the views of the art critic. Belinsky and Chernyshevsky Stasov always later called his "educators" and "leaders."

The time of the initial formation of the socio-political and artistic views, as well as the moral qualities of Stasov, coincided with the period preceding the reform of 1861. All the advanced, honest, democratically minded Russian intelligentsia of that time waged a decisive struggle against the foundations and remnants of serfdom. Stasov, as a leading figure of his time, was a man of democratic convictions, republican views, a passionate opponent of the autocratic-feudal system, an ardent patriot who suffered and rooted for his native people, their destinies and interests. Great Russian artist, painter, master of genre and historical painting, portrait painter. A teacher, professor, led a workshop, was a rector at the Academy of Arts. Author of the book of memoirs "Far Close". Among his students..., in his memoirs about Stasov, characterized the political views of the critic as follows: “V.V. Stasov was a true republican at heart, he was waiting for her (that is, the republic) to be realized. Stasov was an atheist, a fighter against narrow nationalism and anti-Semitism, an ardent defender of women's equality and a champion of women's education.

Belinsky, and then Chernyshevsky, put forward before literature and art the demand for realism, nationality, and active participation in the liberation democratic movement. Stasov became a staunch supporter and popularizer of these advanced ideas.

While still a student of the School of Law, Stasov wrote his first musical-critical work. However, for the first time he managed to print an article in a journal only at the end of the 40s. Since that time, throughout his life, Stasov has been systematically publishing his critical works on fine arts and music, as well as letters, memoirs and articles by contemporary artists and composers - , , , , Glinka, Borodina and others, trying to leave to posterity the most complete picture of their life and work.

Entering the St. Petersburg Public Library in 1857, Vladimir Vasilievich worked there for about fifty years, doing a lot for the prosperity of its art department.

Throughout his life, Stasov repeatedly traveled abroad to study monuments of art and culture. He visited England, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Spain. For the same purpose, he traveled extensively in Russia. Great Russian artist, painter, master of genre and historical painting, portrait painter. A teacher, professor, led a workshop, was a rector at the Academy of Arts. Author of the book of memoirs "Far Close". Among his students... wrote about Stasov: “I was lucky to make in his company a great trip to the museums of Europe: Paris - the Louvre, Antwerp, Brussels, Dresden, Amsterdam, The Hague, Nuremberg, Madrid, Seville, Grenada, Alhambra, Cordoba, Toledo, etc. etc. All summer, from city to city, where there were only wonderful collections of artistic masterpieces. Vladimir Vasilyevich knew all this perfectly and did not miss anything. Repeatedly I was surprised how, not a specialist, not an artist, he often drew my attention to things that I did not suddenly reveal. Indeed, only a person who deeply knows and passionately loves the arts could appreciate such subtlety.

Stasov personally communicated and corresponded with many prominent people of his time, among whom were writers - A. Tolstoy, Herzen, Turgenev, Goncharov, Shevchenko, Zola, Hugo, Gorky; musicians - Liszt, Berlioz, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dargomyzhsky, Rubinstein, Serov, Cui, Glazunov; artists - The largest artist of the second half of the twentieth century, a representative of critical realism. A wonderful portraitist, author of paintings on historical and biblical themes...., Great Russian painter and draftsman, master of genre, historical and portrait painting. In 1871, Kramskoy, together with the artist Myasoedov, created the Association of Traveling Exhibitions. The first exhibition takes place in St. Petersburg, after which it is transported..., Great Russian artist, painter, master of genre and historical painting, portrait painter. A teacher, professor, led a workshop, was a rector at the Academy of Arts. Author of the book of memoirs "Far Close". Among his students..., The great Russian artist, painter, the greatest master of historical painting. He studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. He was a member of the Association of Wanderers from 1881 to 1907, then moved to the Union of Russian Artists. Since 1895 has been..., Famous Russian artist, master of battle painting. In 1860 he entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but left it in 1863, dissatisfied with the teaching system. He attended the workshop of Jean Leon Gerome at the Parisian School of Fine Arts (1864)...., Outstanding Russian historical painter and portrait painter. One of the founders of the Association of Wanderers. A master of psychological portraiture, he painted a beautiful portrait of Leo Tolstoy...., The most prominent sculptor of the second half of the 19th century. For the statue "" the artist was awarded the title of academician. Corresponding member of the Paris Academy. Awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. Honorary member of many Western European...; scientists - Mendeleev, Botkin, Sechenov, Buslaev; artists - Petrov, Samoilov, Savina, Chaliapin, etc.

Even this simple list of names and facts speaks of the enormous ideological and spiritual wealth of the environment surrounding Vladimir Vasilyevich and shows that he was at the center of the events of artistic life, on the high road of the development of contemporary art.

The importance of the musical-critical activity of Stasov, whom A.A. Zhdanov called "a great musicologist." Almost the first among the music critics of that era, he appreciated and vigorously popularized the work of the great Russian composer M. I. Glinka, the author of the operas Ivan Susanin and Ruslan and Lyudmila, then misunderstood and unappreciated.

Stasov became close friends with a circle of Russian composers, which he called the "Mighty Handful", which included Mussorgsky, Balakirev, Cui, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov. With advice, attentive and sensitive criticism, and popularization of achievements, Vladimir Vasilyevich literally nurtured and nurtured the "Mighty Handful". Stasov in a number of cases even acted as a peculiar co-author of composers, creating opera scripts, developing and looking for plots, images for musical works. Thus, the operas "Prince Igor" by Borodin and "Sadko" by Rimsky-Korsakov were written according to the script developed by Stasov himself on the basis of the folk epic. He helped Mussorgsky a lot in his work on the operas Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina, and Rimsky-Korsakov in creating The Tale of Tsar Saltam, Pskoshityaiki, Scheherazade. According to the program compiled by Stasov, P.I. wrote his work "The Tempest". Chaikovsky. Offering the composer a theme, plot or image, Stasov strictly took into account the individuality of the musician's talent. In his memoirs, the critic said, for example, how he looked at the peculiar talent of Borodin, indicating to him the theme for "Prince Igor": "It seemed to me that here were all the tasks that were necessary for Borodin's talent and artistic nature: broad, epic motifs, nationality , diverse characters, passion, drama.

Stasov demanded that Russian composers create ideological, realistic works that are understandable to the people and respond to their requests. He developed in them love and interest in folk music, which should be the richest source of their creative inspiration. Stasov instilled in Russian musicians a sense of protest against slavish servility to foreign culture and achieved great success in this. At a meeting of figures of Soviet music in the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks in 1948, A.A. Zhdanov said: “Very well about the attitude of Russian music to Western European music, Stasov once said in his article “Brakes of New Russian Art”, where he wrote: “It is ridiculous to deny science, knowledge in any matter, including in musical, but only the new Russian musicians, without behind them, in the form of a historical backing inherited from previous centuries, a long chain of scholastic periods in Europe, boldly look science in the eye: they respect it, use its benefits, but without exaggeration and servility. They deny the need for its land and pedantic excesses, deny its gymnastic fun, to which thousands of people in Europe attach so much importance, and do not believe that it is necessary to humbly vegetate for many years over its sacred sacraments.

The composers of The Mighty Handful are many contemporaries, including such prominent ones as, for example, I.S. Turgenev, were underestimated, not understanding their great importance for Russian culture.

Contrary to this opinion, Stasov ardently defended them, explaining to the public the national character of the work of the new composers, the great ideological significance of their works.

Mussorgsky correctly expressed the opinion of some prominent Russian musicians when he wrote to Stasov:

“And you are so dear to me that you are much to push the All-Russian marmots, sleeping at the wrong time and awake at the wrong time ... Without you, I disappeared for 3/4 of the test. Better than you, no one sees where I'm wandering ...

No one hotter than you warmed me in all respects, no one looked easier and, therefore, deeper into my insides, no one showed me the path-path.

Stasov's activity as an art critic was especially fruitful. With his critical activity, he had a progressive influence on the fate of Russian art, on the entire artistic life of the country.

Russian bibliographer, art historian, music and art critic, archaeologist.

He served in the Senate, in the Ministry of Justice. In 1851 he retired from public service.

Since 1856 V.V. Stasov worked in a public library in St. Petersburg (now the Russian National Library named after M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin), where from 1872 until the end of his life he was in charge of its art department.

« Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov rendered great services to Russian art in all its fields, especially the field of music. The rule of his life was "to be useful to others, if he himself was not born a creator."
And in fact, having great knowledge and serving in the Public Library, he provided invaluable services to many artists and the entire Russian culture.
Counting Glinka genius, he wrote about him 48 articles, explaining the greatness of his work. Being carried away by the Russian national style of music, he called "mighty bunch" group of composers Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin- and rendered them great services. He gave Mussorgsky the plots of "Khovanshchina" and "Boris Godunov", Borodin- the plot of "Prince Igor".
At the same time, he pointed out to the composer the historical sources necessary to get acquainted with the corresponding era. Thus, he also participated in the work Rimsky-Korsakov over "Sadko" and "Pskovityanka". His efficiency and love for work were extraordinary.
Even on Sundays he came to the Public Library to his office and worked there. He refused orders and titles. When Minister Bogolepov offered him the post of director of the Public Library, he Not accepted this position for the sake of preserving freedom.
He valued freedom as a principle , and therefore defended the Poles and Jews, appreciating the national identity of each people. Lev Tolstoy he called Leo the Great and wrote these words only in capital letters, but he appreciated only the artist in him and reproached Tolstoy for not overcoming two barriers - “deity” and “Christianity”. He was outraged by the order of the world and "blasphemously cursed the world order", finding death everywhere. For forty years he was preparing a work to which he wanted to give the title "The Rout" or "Carnage generab" or "Massacre generab". In it, he was going to prove himself an anarchist and a pessimist "in this, in all parts, and not at all in one political one." In all of humanity, he thought, there are only a few dozen or hundreds of worthy people, and the rest deserve a garbage pit.
He resented the fact that liberal editors of magazines and newspapers behave in the same way as government censors. In his book, he was also going to make a rout of many generally recognized geniuses: Raphael he did not consider a great artist, spoke of false greatness Michelangelo.
In his relations with people, in defending his opinions, Stasov showed extreme passion.
He loved the argument - furious, but, always carried away by the essence of the matter, he forgot personal insults. The nicknames given to him express his passionate nature.
He was called: "Frantic Stasov", "Pipe of Jericho", "Critic of Gromoglazov".

Lossky N.O., The search for absolute good, characteristic of the Russian people, leads to the recognition of the high value of any personality (Excerpts from the book "The Character of the Russian People"), in Sat: Russian individualism. Collection of works of Russian philosophers of the XIX-XX centuries, M., "Algorithm", 2007, p. 44-46.

"Was a wonderful person Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov. He knew how to accurately determine the most characteristic talent of all his many friends - composers and artists.
Possessing vast knowledge in the field of literature, art, history, for several decades he was in charge of the manuscript department of the St. Petersburg Public Library (now the State Public Library named after M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin), he not only prompted his friends with interesting themes and plots of new works, but also helped with well-aimed instructions, advice, selection of documentary material, etc.
He lived by the needs and interests of his talented friends, widely propagated in his critical articles all their bold undertakings. Brought up in the spirit of the ideas of the great Russian revolutionary democrats, Stasov did not recognize art divorced from life. “For me, reality in art is everything,” he said.

Ratskaya Ts.S., N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, M., "Music", 1977, p. 82-83.