Department of Russian Art History

From 1973 to 1985 academician of RAS D.V.Sarab'yanov chaired the department of Russian art history. Presently, to following staff members conduct lectures: prof. M.M. Allenov, laureate of the Lomonosov premium O.S.Evangulova, E.S.Smirnova, associate professors A.A.Karev (Dr. of art history), assistant A.P.Salienko, academic assistant S.S.Veselova. Professor, Doctor of art history V.S.Turchin is department chair.

Students majoring in the department are required to take the following courses: "Ancient Russian art" (E.S.Smirnova), "18th century Russian art" (O.S.Evangulova, A.A.Karev), "19th century Russian art" (M.M.Allenov), "Soviet art" (A.I.Morozov, A.P.Salienko), "Russian decorative and applied arts" (N.N.Mamontova), "Russian artistic criticism" (S.S.Veselova).

Students majoring in the department have the possibility of attending various special seminars: "Russian architecture in the transition from the middle ages to modern times", "modernist Russian architecture" (V.V.Kirillov), "artistic connections of Russia and Western Europe in the 18th century" (O.S.Evangulova), "monuments of fine arts in monuments of folklore" (M.M.Allenov), "contemporary Russian architecture" (G.I.Revzin), "Russian stenography" (A.G.Lupandina), "unofficial Soviet art of the 1970's and 1980's" (E.N.Romanova), "Old Russian architecture. Centers and styles" (V.V.Sedov), "furniture in Russian interiors of the 18th beginning of the 19th century" (I.K.Efremova).

Course papers and senior theses of students majoring in the department are prepared in special seminars: "the formation of a transition period in architecture", "modernist Russian architecture" (V.V.Kirillov), "problems in the development of old Russian art" (E.S.Smirnova, L.V.Nersesyan), "problems of 18th century Russian art" (O.S.Evangulova, A.A.Karev), "problems of studying 19th-early 20th century Russian art" (M.M.Allenov, A.A.Karev), "topical questions on the history and criticism of Soviet art" (A.I.Morozov).

The department has prepared the following textbooks: "The History of Russian and Soviet Art" (1979 and 1988, collective authorship), "Russian Art From the 10th to the 20th Century" (1989, collective authorship), "The History of Russian Art From the End of the 19th Beginning of the 20th Century" (1993, D.V.Sarab'yanov).

The fundamental directions of the department's work are the fundamental problems of the history of Russian art from ancient times to present day. A complex research program on the theme "the interaction of fine arts and architecture" has been worked out by V.V.Kirillov. The research activities of A.I.Morozov and A.P.Salienko are connected to the history of 20th century Russian and Soviet art. M.M.Allenov conducts research in the field of 19th and early 20th century Russian art. S.S.Veselova has worked out the theme "provincial artistic centers of Russia". O.S.Evangukova and A.A.Karev work on the theme "problems of 18th century Russian artistic culture."

Among the work published by the department's staff members are "Russian Art From the 10th to the Beginning of the 20th Century" (1989, M.M.Allenov, O.S.Evangulova, L.I.Livshits); "Russian Art of the Second Half of the 19th Century" (1989, D.V.Sarab'yanov); "Art in Russia in the First Quarter of the 18th Century" (1987, O.S.Evangulova); "Portrait Painting in Russia of the Second Half of the 18th Century" (1994, O.S.Evangulova, A.A.Karev); "V.I.Surikov" (1996, M.M.Allenov); "M.A.Vrubel'" (1996, 2000), "P.A.Fedotov" (2000, M.M.Allenov); "The End of Utopia. From the History of Art in the USSR of the 1930's" (1995, A.I.Morozov); "Architecture of Moscow on the Path to Europeanism" (2000, V.V.Kirillov).

The department's staff belongs to several professional collectives: The Union of Artists, The International Association of Art Critics, etc.

The academic activities of the department are regularly conducted in conjunction with the State Tretyakov Gallery, The State Institute of Art and the National Institute for the History and Theory of Fine Arts of the Russian Academy of Arts.

The department productively cooperates with the Humboldt University in Berlin, periodically organizes student trips, study abroad programs in Russia and abroad. Students from Japan, China, the United States and other countries are currently enrolled in the department while foreign non-degree students and postgraduate students from regularly conduct research.