The Two Faces of Russia
IN May, members of The Arts Society Wokingham were treated to a fascinating talk about Russian history and art by Rosamund Bartlett.
Rosamund used the architecture of the two cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, to illustrate how Russia through the centuries has been influenced by both the east and the west.
Before the invasion of Russia by the Mongols in the 13th century Kyiv had been the capital of Russia.
At the end of the 15th century when the Mongols were eventually forced out, Moscow emerged as its capital. Although drawn to the Byzantine Empire and its Orthodox Christianity, Tsar Ivan III commissioned two Italian Renaissance architects to build the Kremlin.
Within this ‘fortress in a city’ they created three cathedrals, all with golden domes.
The iconic St Basil’s Cathedral built 50 years later just outside the Kremlin has a more oriental feel but originally had the gold ‘onion domes’ that we associate with Russian Orthodox churches.
Two centuries later the young Tsar, Peter the Great, was greatly influenced by his European travels especially to Amsterdam and Paris and undertook to create a new capital city; St Petersburg.
He employed Jean-Baptiste Le Blond as chief architect. The Frenchman also designed the magnificent classical summer palace and gardens, Peterhof. Russia had turned its head to the west.
Successive Romanov Empresses were also drawn to western culture. Elizabeth loved European music and introduced concerts, ballet and opera into St Petersburg society.
She was also inspired by the Baroque style of architecture and commissioned the building of the Winter Palace (The Hermitage).
Catherine the Great was influenced by The Enlightenment movement in Europe and built up her art collection in the Hermitage, buying the Walpole collection of more than 200 works in 1779.
But in the 19th century, the reactionary Tsars Nicholas I and Alexander III turned away from Europe and became more insular and nationalistic. Before he moved back to Moscow, Alexander commissioned the Russian architect, Alfred Parland, to build the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood in St Petersburg with its characteristic Russian domes.
Rosamund had a wealth of knowledge to impart during this fast paced talk and gave members a fascinating insight into Russian history and art which provided a context to the current conflict in Ukraine.
At the end of the evening there was an opportunity for members to donate to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Appeal for Ukraine.
In contrast, the Society’s June lecture is entitled The Art of the Cartoonist. Harry Venning, who was awarded the UK Strip Cartoonist of The Year for his Guardian strip Clare In The Community will be drawing live at Newbold Church, on Monday, June 20.
Guests in person or online are most welcome. Please contact memsectheartssocietywham@gmail.com for more details.
■ Details of future talks are available at www.TheArtsSocietyWokingham.org.uk