Classicism

Classicism is one of the most important art movements of the past, art style, which is based on normative aesthetics, requiring strict adherence to a number of rules, canons, unities. The rules of classicism are of paramount importance as means to ensure the main goal - to enlighten and instruct the public, turning it to sublime examples. The aesthetics of classicism reflected the desire to idealize reality, due to the refusal to depict a complex and multifaceted reality. In theatrical art, this direction established itself in the works, first of all, of French authors: Corneille, Racine, Voltaire, Moliere. Classicism had a great influence on the Russian national theater (A.P. Sumarokov, V.A. Ozerov, D.I. Fonvizin, etc.).

Historical roots classicism

The history of classicism begins in Western Europe from the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century reaches its highest development associated with the blossoming absolute monarchy Louis XIV in France and the highest rise theatrical arts in the country. Classicism continued to exist fruitfully in the 18th and early 19th centuries, until it was replaced by sentimentalism and romanticism.

How art system classicism finally took shape in the 17th century, although the concept of classicism itself was born later, in the 19th century, when an irreconcilable war was declared on it by romance. “Classicism” (from the Latin “classicus”, i.e. “exemplary”) presupposed a stable orientation of new art towards the ancient style, which did not mean simply copying ancient models. Classicism also maintains continuity with the aesthetic concepts of the Renaissance, which were oriented towards antiquity.

Having studied the poetics of Aristotle and the practice of Greek theater, the French classics proposed rules of construction in their works, based on the foundations of rationalistic thinking of the 17th century. First of all, this is strict adherence to the laws of the genre, division into higher genres - ode, tragedy, epic and lower ones - comedy, satire.

Laws of classicism

The laws of classicism are most characteristically expressed in the rules for constructing tragedy. The author of the play was, first of all, required that the plot of the tragedy, as well as the passions of the characters, be believable. But the classicists have their own understanding of verisimilitude: not just the similarity of what is depicted on stage with reality, but the consistency of what is happening with the requirements of reason, with a certain moral and ethical norm.

The concept of a reasonable predominance of duty over human feelings and passions is the basis of the aesthetics of classicism, which differs significantly from the concept of the hero adopted in the Renaissance, when complete personal freedom was proclaimed, and man was declared the “crown of the Universe.” However, the course of historical events refuted these ideas. Overwhelmed by passions, the person could not make up his mind or find support. And only in serving society, a single state, a monarch who embodied the strength and unity of his state, could a person express himself and establish himself, even at the cost of abandoning his own feelings. The tragic collision was born on a wave of colossal tension: hot passion collided with inexorable duty (unlike Greek tragedy fatal predestination, when the will of a person turned out to be powerless). In the tragedies of classicism, reason and will were decisive and suppressed spontaneous, poorly controlled feelings.

Hero in the tragedies of classicism

The classicists saw the truthfulness of the characters' characters in strict subordination to internal logic. The unity of character of the hero - the most important condition aesthetics of classicism. Generalizing the laws of this direction, the French author N. Boileau-Depreo, in his poetic treatise Poetic Art, states: Let your hero be carefully thought out, Let him always remain himself.

The one-sidedness and internal static character of the hero does not exclude, however, the manifestation of living human feelings on his part. But in different genres these feelings manifest themselves in different ways, strictly according to the chosen scale - tragic or comic. ABOUT tragic hero N. Boileau says:

A hero in whom everything is petty is only suitable for a novel,

Let him be brave, noble,

But still, without weaknesses, no one likes him...

He cries from insults - a useful detail,

So that we believe in its credibility...

So that we crown you with enthusiastic praise,

We should be moved and moved by your hero.

Let him be free from unworthy feelings

And even in weaknesses he is powerful and noble.

To reveal human character in the understanding of the classicists means to show the nature of the action of eternal passions, unchangeable in their essence, their influence on the destinies of people. Basic rules of classicism. Both high and low genres were obliged to instruct the public, elevate its morals, and enlighten its feelings. In tragedy, the theater taught the viewer perseverance in life’s struggle, example positive hero served as a model moral behavior. The hero is usually a king or mythological character was the main character. The conflict between duty and passion or selfish desires was always resolved in favor of duty, even if the hero died in an unequal struggle. In the 17th century The idea became dominant that only in serving the state does an individual gain the opportunity for self-affirmation. The flourishing of classicism was due to the establishment of absolute power in France, and later in Russia.

The most important standards of classicism - the unity of action, place and time - follow from those substantive premises discussed above. In order to more accurately convey the idea to the viewer and inspire selfless feelings, the author should not have complicated anything. The main intrigue should be simple enough so as not to confuse the viewer and not deprive the picture of its integrity. The requirement for unity of time was closely related to the unity of action, and many different events did not occur in the tragedy. The unity of place has also been interpreted in different ways. This could be the space of one palace, one room, one city, and even the distance that the hero could cover within twenty-four hours. Particularly bold reformers decided to stretch the action for thirty hours. The tragedy must have five acts and be written in Alexandrian verse (iambic hexameter). The visible excites more than the story, But what the ear can tolerate, sometimes the eye cannot tolerate. (N. Boileau)

Related information.

Ethical and aesthetic program

The initial principle of the aesthetic code of classicism is imitation of beautiful nature. Objective beauty for the theorists of classicism (Boileau, Andre) is the harmony and regularity of the universe, which has as its source a spiritual principle that shapes matter and puts it in order. Beauty, therefore, as an eternal spiritual law, is the opposite of everything sensual, material, changeable. Therefore, moral beauty is higher than physical beauty; the creation of human hands is more beautiful than the rough beauty of nature.

The laws of beauty do not depend on the experience of observation; they are extracted from the analysis of internal spiritual activity.

Ideal artistic language classicism is the language of logic - accuracy, clarity, consistency. The linguistic poetics of classicism avoids, as far as possible, the objective figurativeness of the word. Her usual remedy is an abstract epithet.

The relationship between the individual elements of a work of art is built on the same principles, i.e. a composition that is usually a geometrically balanced structure based on a strict symmetrical division of the material. Thus, the laws of art are likened to the laws of formal logic.

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Classicism (from Latin classicus - first-class) is a movement in art, literature and aesthetics of the 17th-18th centuries. The aesthetics of classicism guided poets, artists, and composers to create works of art distinguished by clarity, logic, strict balance and harmony. All this, according to classicists, found its full expression in ancient artistic culture. For them, reason and antiquity are synonymous. The rationalistic nature of the aesthetics of classicism manifested itself in the abstract typification of images, strict regulation of genres and forms, in the abstract interpretation of the ancient artistic heritage, in the appeal of art to reason rather than to feelings, in the desire to subordinate the creative process to unshakable rules and canons. He formed the most holistic aesthetic system French classicism. His ideological basis was the French rationalism of Remé Descartes(1596-1650). In his programmatic work “Discourses on Method” (1637), the philosopher emphasized that the structure of the rational completely coincides with the structure of the real world, and rationalism is the idea of ​​fundamental mutual understanding. Submission to the state, fulfillment of public duty is the highest virtue of an individual. The human thinker is no longer a free being, which is characteristic of the Renaissance worldview, but subordinate to norms and rules alien to him, limited by forces beyond his control. This period is characterized not only by the consolidation of absolutist power, but also by the flourishing of manufacturing, which the Renaissance did not know. Thus, the period being characterized is distinguished by the victory of regulating manufacturing production, successes in the field of exact sciences, and the flourishing of rationalism in philosophy. Under these conditions, the theory and practice of the aesthetics of classicism takes shape.

Rationalism and normativism of the aesthetics of classicism. Classicism is one of the most important areas of art. Having established itself in the works and creativity of many generations, putting forward a brilliant galaxy of poets and writers, painters and musicians, architects, sculptors and actors, classicism left such milestones on the path of artistic development of mankind as tragedies Corneille, Racine, Milton, Voltaire, comedy Moliere, music Lully, poetry Lafontaine, park and architectural ensemble of Versailles, paintings by Poussin.

According to the codes of art, the artist was first required to have “nobility of design.” The plot of the picture must have had edifying value. Therefore, all kinds of allegories were especially highly valued, in which more or less conventionally taken images of life directly expressed general ideas. The highest genre was considered “historical,” which included ancient mythology, stories from famous literary works, from the Bible, and the like. Portraits, landscapes, and scenes of real life were considered “minor genres.” The most insignificant genre was still life.

The establishment of strict rules of creativity is one of the characteristic features of the aesthetics of classicism. The classicists understood a work of art not as a naturally occurring organism; but as an artificial work, created, created by human hands according to a plan, with a specific task and purpose.

The largest theoretician of this movement most fully outlined the rules and norms of classicism Nicola Boileau(1636-1711) in the treatise "The Poetic Art", which was conceived on the model of Horace's "Science of Poetry" ("Epistle to the Piso") and completed in 1674.

MHC, 11th grade

Lesson #6

The art of classicism and rococo

D.Z.: Chapter 6, ?? (p.63), TV. tasks (p.63-65), tab. (p. 63) fill in notebook

© A.I. Kolmakov

LESSON OBJECTIVES

• give an idea of ​​the art of classicism, sentimentalism and rococo;
• broaden your horizons and skills in analyzing art genres;
• bring up national identity and self-identification, respect for Rococo musical creativity.

CONCEPTS, IDEAS

• O. Fragonard;
• classicism;
• G. Rigo;
• rococo;
• sentimentalism;
• hedonism;
• rocaillea;
• mascarons;
• V.L. Borovikovsky;
• Empire;
• J. J. Rousseau

Testing students' knowledge

1. What are the characteristic features of Baroque musical culture? How is it different from Renaissance music? Support your answer with specific examples.

2. Why is C. Monteverdi called the first Baroque composer? What was the reformatory character of his work? What is characteristic of the “Excited Style” of his music? How is this style reflected in the composer’s operatic works? What unites musical creativity C. Monteverdi with works of baroque architecture and painting?

3. What distinguishes the musical creativity of J. S. Bach? Why is it usually considered within the framework of Baroque musical culture? Have you ever listened to organ music J. S. Bach? Where? What are your impressions? Which works of the great composer are especially close to you? Why?

4. What are the characteristic features of Russian baroque music? What were the partes concerts of the 17th - early 18th centuries? Why is the development of Russian baroque music associated with the formation composer school in Russia? What impression does spirituality make on you? choral music M. S. Berezovsky and D. S. Bortnyansky?

Universal learning activities

•  evaluate ; identify ways and means find associative connections systematize and summarize
•  identify essential features of styles classicism and rococo, correlating them with a specific historical era;
• explore cause-and-effect relationships , patterns of change artistic models peace;
• evaluate aesthetic, spiritual and artistic cultural value historical era ;
• identify ways and means expression of social ideas and aesthetic ideals of the era in the process of analyzing works of art of classicism, rococo and sentimentalism;
• find associative connections and the differences between the artistic images of classicism, baroque and rococo presented in various types art;
• characterize the main features , images and themes of the art of classicism, rococo and sentimentalism;
• put forward hypotheses, enter into dialogue , argue your own point of view on the formulated problems;
• systematize and summarize acquired knowledge about the main styles and movements of art of the 17th-18th centuries. (working with a table)

LEARNING NEW MATERIAL

• Aesthetics of classicism.
• Rococo and sentimentalism.

Lesson assignment. What significance do the aesthetics of classicism, Rococo art and sentimentalism have for World civilization and culture?

sub-questions

• Aesthetics of classicism. Appeal to the ancient heritage and humanistic ideals of the Renaissance. Development of your own aesthetic program. The main content of the art of classicism and its creative method. Features of classicism in various types of art. The formation of the style system of classicism in France and its influence on the development of the artistic culture of Western European countries. The concept of the Empire style.
• Rococo and sentimentalism *. Origin of the term "Rococo". The origins of artistic style and its characteristics. Objectives of Rococo (on the example of masterpieces of decorative and applied art). Sentimentalism as one of the artistic movements within the framework of classicism. The aesthetics of sentimentalism and its founder J. J. Rousseau. Specifics of Russian sentimentalism in literature and painting (V. L. Borovikovsky)

Aesthetics

classicism

• New art style - classicism(lat. classicus exemplary) - followed the classical achievements of Antiquity and the humanistic ideals of the Renaissance.
• Art Ancient Greece And Ancient Rome became for classicism the main source of themes and plots: appeals to ancient mythology and history, links to authoritative scientists, philosophers and writers.
• In accordance with ancient tradition, the principle of the primacy of nature was proclaimed.

Levitsky D.G.

Portrait

Denis Diderot. 1773-1774 Museum of Art and History of the City of Geneva in Switzerland.

“...to study Antiquity in order to learn to see Nature”

(Denis Diderot)

Aesthetics

classicism

Aesthetic principles of classicism:

1. Idealization of ancient Greek culture and art, focus on moral principles and ideas of citizenship

2. Priority educational value art, recognition of the leading role of reason in the knowledge of beauty.

3. Proportionality, rigor, clarity in classicism are combined with completeness, completeness artistic images, universalism and normativity.

• The main content of the art of classicism was the understanding of the world as a rationally arranged mechanism, where man was assigned a significant organizing role.

O. Fragonap. Portrait

Denis Diderot. 1765-1769 Louvre, Paris

Aesthetics

classicism

Creative method of classicism:

• the desire for reasonable clarity, harmony and strict simplicity;
• approaching an objective reflection of the surrounding world;
• maintaining correctness and order;
• subordination of the particular to the main;
• high aesthetic taste;
• restraint and calmness;
• rationalism and logic in actions.

Claude Lorrain. Departure of the Queen of Sheba (1648). London National Art Gallery

Aesthetics

classicism

Each of the art forms was

has its own special features:

1. The basis of architectural language

classicism becomes order ( type

architectural composition using

certain elements and

subject to a certain architectural

style processing ) , much more

similar in shape and proportions to

architecture of Antiquity.

2. Works of architecture are distinguished

strict organization

proportionality and balance

volumes, geometric

correctness of lines, regularity

layouts.

3. Characteristic of painting : clear

demarcation of plans, rigor

drawing, carefully executed

cut-off volume modeling.

4. Special role in the decision

educational task played

literature and especially theater ,

which has become the most widespread species

art of this time.

C. Percier, P.F.L. Foppep.

Arc de Triomphe at Place Carrousel in Paris. 1806 (style - Empire style)

Aesthetics

classicism

• During the reign of the “Sun King” Louis XIV (1643-1715), a certain ideal model of classicism was developed, which was imitated in Spain, Germany, England and other countries of Eastern Europe, North and South America.
• At first, the art of classicism was inseparable from the idea of ​​absolute monarchy and was the embodiment of integrity, grandeur and order.

G. Rigo. Portrait of Louis XIV.

1701 Louvre, Paris

Aesthetics

classicism

• Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg (1801-1811) Arch. A.N. Voronikhin.

• Art in the form of so-called revolutionary classicism served the ideals of the struggle against tyranny, for the establishment of civil rights of the individual, consonant with the French Revolution.
• At the last stage of its development, classicism actively

expressed the ideals of the Napoleonic Empire.

• He found his artistic continuation in the style empire style (from the French style Empire - “imperial style”) - late (high) style

classicism in architecture and applied arts. Originated in

France during the reign of Emperor Napoleon I.

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

• Characteristic feature XVIII V. V Western European art became the indisputable fact of the simultaneous existence of baroque, rococo and sentimentalism with classicism.
• Recognizing only harmony and order, classicism “straightened out” bizarre forms baroque art, stopped taking it tragically spiritual world person, and transferred the main conflict to the sphere of relations between the individual and the state. Baroque, having outlived its usefulness and came to its logical conclusion, gave way to classicism and rococo.

O. Fragonard. Happy

swing possibilities. 1766

Wallace Collection, London

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

In the 20s XVIII century in France

has developed a new style art -

rococo (French rocaille - sink). Already

the name itself revealed

main, characteristic feature this

style - passion for refined

and complex forms, bizarre

lines that in many ways resembled

shell outline.

The shell then turned into

complex curl with some

strange slits, then in

decoration in the form of a shield or

half-unfolded scroll with

image of a coat of arms or emblem.

In France, interest in style

Rococo weakened by the end of the 1760s

years, but in the countries of Central

Europe his influence was

noticeably until the end of the 18th century

centuries.

Rinaldi Rococo:

interiors of Gatchina Castle.

Gatchina

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

home purpose of rococo art - deliver sensual

pleasure ( hedonism ). Art should have

to please, touch and entertain, turning life into a sophisticated masquerade and “gardens of love.”

Complex love affairs, fleeting hobbies, daring, risky actions of heroes that challenge society, adventures and fantasies, gallant entertainment and celebrations determined the content of works of Rococo art.

Allegory of fine arts,

1764 - Oil on canvas; 103 x 130 cm. Rococo. France. Washington, Nat. gallery.

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

Characteristic features of the Rococo style in works of art:

gracefulness and lightness, intricacy, decorative sophistication

and improvisation, pastoralism (shepherd idyll), craving for the exotic;

Ornament in the form of stylized shells and curls, arabesques, flower garlands, figurines of cupids, torn cartouches, masks;

a combination of pastel light and delicate colors with a lot of white details and gold;

the cult of beautiful nudity, dating back to the ancient tradition, sophisticated sensuality, eroticism;

The cult of small forms, intimacy, miniatureness (especially in sculpture and architecture), love for little things and trinkets (“Lovely trifles”) that filled the life of a gallant person;

aesthetics of nuances and hints, intriguing duality

images conveyed with the help of light gestures, half-turns,

barely noticeable facial movements, half-smile, hazy

glance or wet shine in the eyes.

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

The Rococo style reached its greatest flowering in the works of

decorative and applied arts of France (interiors of palaces

and costumes of the aristocracy). In Russia, it manifested itself primarily in architectural decoration - in the form of scrolls, shields and intricate shells - rocaille (decorative ornaments imitating

a combination of fancy shells and strange plants), as well as maekaranov (molded or carved masks in the form

a human face or the head of an animal placed above windows, doors, arches, on fountains, vases and furniture).

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

Sentimentalism (French sentiment - feeling). In terms of worldview, he, like classicism, was based on the ideas of the Enlightenment.

An important place in the aesthetics of sentimentalism was occupied by the depiction of the world of human feelings and experiences (hence its name).

Feelings were perceived as a manifestation of the natural principle in a person, his natural state, possible only through close contact with nature.

Achievements of civilization with many

temptations that corrupted the soul

“natural man”, acquired

clearly hostile in nature.

A kind of ideal

sentimentalism has become the image of rural

citizen who followed the laws

pristine nature and living in

absolute harmony with her.

Court Joseph-Desire (Jose-Desery Cours). painting. France

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

The founder of sentimentalism is considered to be the French enlightener J.J. Rousseau, who proclaimed the cult

natural, natural feelings and

human needs, simplicity and

cordiality.

His ideal was the sensitive,

sentimental dreamer,

obsessed with the ideas of humanism,

"natural man" with " beautiful soul", not corrupted by bourgeois civilization.

The main task of Rousseau's art

saw it as teaching people

virtues, call them to the best

life.

The main pathos of his works

constitutes a praise of human feelings, high passions that come into conflict with social, class prejudices.

French philosopher, writer, thinker of the Enlightenment. Also a musicologist, composer and botanist. Born: June 28, 1712, Geneva. Died: July 2, 1778 (66 years old), Ermenonville, near Paris.

Rococo and

With e n T And m e n T A l And h m

It is most legitimate to consider sentimentalism as one of the artistic movements that operated within the framework of classicism.

If Rococo emphasizes the external manifestation of feelings and emotions, then sentimentalism

emphasizes the inner

the spiritual side of human existence.

In Russia, sentimentalism found its most vivid embodiment in literature and painting, for example in the work of V. L. Borovikovsky.

V.L. Borovikovsky. Lizynka and Dasha. 1794 State

Tretyakovaya Gallery, Moscow

Control questions

1 . What is the aesthetic program of the art of classicism? What are the connections and differences between the art of classicism and baroque?

2. What examples of Antiquity and the Renaissance did the art of classicism follow? What ideals of the past and why did he have to give up?

3. Why is Rococo considered the style of the aristocracy? What features of it corresponded to the tastes and moods of its time? Why was there no place in it for the expression of civic ideals? Why do you think the Rococo style reached its peak in the decorative and applied arts?

4. Compare the basic principles of Baroque and Rococo. Is it possible

5*. On what ideas of the Enlightenment was sentimentalism based? What are its main focuses? Is it right to consider sentimentalism within the framework big style classicism?

Topics of presentations, projects

• "The role of France in the development of European artistic culture."
• "Man, nature, society in aesthetic program classicism."
• "Samples of Antiquity and the Renaissance in the art of classicism."
• "The crisis of baroque ideals and the art of classicism."
• "Rococo and sentimentalism are accompanying styles and movements of classicism."
• “Features of the development of classicism in the art of France (Russia, etc.).”
• "AND. J. Rousseau as the founder of sentimentalism.”
• "The cult of natural feeling in the art of sentimentalism."
• "The further fate of classicism in the history of world art."

• Today I found out...
• It was interesting…
• It was difficult…
• I learned…
• I was able...
• I was surprised...
• I wanted…

Literature:

• Programs for general education institutions. Danilova G. I. Mirovaya art culture. – M.: Bustard, 2011
• Danilova, G.I. Art / MHC. 11th grade Basic level: textbook / G.I. Danilova. M.: Bustard, 2014.
• Kobyakov Ruslan. Saint Petersburg

Lecture: It originates in Italy, but reaches its highest peak in France. Latin - classicus - sample. Classicism is based on the philosophy of Rene Descartes, rationalism. Rationalism is the ability of thinking based on reason. Sensory knowledge is denied or viewed as imperfect. In the works of classicism, everything is subject to the judgment of reason. The main conflict of Classicism is the conflict of reason and feelings. Aesthetics of Classicism: the idea of ​​eternity and immutability of the laws of reason =) the laws by which works of art are created are eternal and immutable. Sources of stories: ancient literature or mythology. Laws of art: 1. High (ode, tragedy) and low genres(comedy, epigram, fable). Mixing is impossible. The heroes of tragedies are people from the upper class. Heroes of low genres are commoners; 2. The rule of trinity (time, place, action). The storyline is completed within a day. The location of the action should not change. One main story line without side effects (the function of art is educational = the viewer does not need to be distracted from the most important thoughts in the play).

Theory and practice of Baroque in the 17th century. The classicist doctrine was resolutely opposed. The aesthetics of classicism (the term goes back to the Latin classicus; the original meaning is a citizen of the highest property class; a later figurative meaning is exemplary, including in the field of art), like the aesthetic concept of the Baroque, developed gradually.

Interpreters of classicism usually declare that the most important feature of classicist poetics is its normative character. The normativity of this poetics is completely obvious. And although the most complete and authoritative set of classicist laws that received pan-European significance - “Poetic Art” by Nicolas Boileau - was published only in 1674, long before that, often ahead of artistic practice, the theoretical thought of classicism gradually formed a strict set of laws and rules mandatory for all artists. And yet, in the creative practice of many supporters of classicism, one can observe that these rules are not always strictly observed. It does not follow from this, however, that outstanding artists classicism (in particular, Moliere) in its literary activity“went beyond” classicism. Even violating some of the particular requirements of classicist poetics, the writers remained faithful to its basic, fundamental principles. The artistic potential of classicism was undoubtedly broader than a set of strict rules and was capable of providing an in-depth understanding of some essential aspects of reality, in comparison with previous literature, and their truthful and artistically complete recreation.

It follows from this that, for all the importance of normativity for the art of classicism, it is not its most important feature. Moreover, normativity is only the result of the fundamental anti-historicism inherent in classicism. The classicists declared “good taste”, conditioned by the “eternal and unchanging” laws of reason, to be the supreme “judge” of beauty. The classicists recognized ancient art as a model and ideal for the embodiment of the laws of reason and, therefore, “good taste,” and the poetics of Aristotle and Horace were interpreted as an exposition of these laws.

Recognition of the existence of eternal and objective laws of art, that is, independent of the artist’s consciousness, entailed the requirement of strict discipline of creativity, the denial of “unorganized” inspiration and willful imagination. For classicists, of course, the baroque exaltation of the imagination as the most important source of creative impulses is completely unacceptable. Supporters of classicism return to the Renaissance principle of “imitation of nature,” but interpret it more narrowly. Considering the harmony of the Universe, conditioned by the underlying spiritual principle, to be the source of beauty, the aesthetics of classicism set the artist the task of bringing this harmony into the depiction of reality. The principle of “imitation of nature,” thus, as interpreted by the classicists, did not imply the truthfulness of the reproduction of reality, but verisimilitude, by which they meant the depiction of things not as they are in reality, but as they should be according to reason. Hence the most important conclusion: the subject of art is not all of nature, but only a part of it, identified after careful selection and essentially reduced to human nature, taken only in its conscious manifestations. Life, its ugly sides should appear in art as ennobled, aesthetically beautiful, nature - as “beautiful nature”, delivering aesthetic pleasure. But this aesthetic pleasure is not an end in itself, it is only a path to improvement human nature, and therefore society.

In practice, the principle of “imitation of beautiful nature” was often declared equivalent to a call to imitate ancient works as ideal examples of the embodiment of the laws of reason in art.

The rationalism of the aesthetics of classicism is fundamentally different from the rationalistic tendencies of the aesthetics of the Renaissance and, even more so, from the rationalism of the Baroque. In Renaissance art, recognition of the special role of reason did not violate ideas about the harmony of the material and ideal, reason and feeling, duty and passion. The contrast between reason and feeling, duty and drive, public and personal reflects a certain real historical moment, the isolation characteristic of modern times public relations into an independent, abstract force for the individual. If the Baroque figures opposed reason to the abstraction of the state as a force that gives the individual the opportunity to resist the chaos of life, then classicism, delimiting the private and the state, puts reason at the service of the abstraction of the state. At the same time, as the Soviet researcher S. Bocharov rightly wrote, “the great works of classicism were not court art; they did not contain a figurative design of state policy, but a reflection and knowledge of the collisions of a historical era. The concept of Corneille’s tragedies was therefore not the simple subordination of the personal to the general, passion, and duty (which would have fully satisfied the official requirements), but the irreconcilable antagonism of these principles, as a result of which the internal struggle in the souls of the heroes became the nerve of the tragedy and the main source of drama.”

The preference for reason over feeling, the rational over the emotional, the general over the particular, their constant opposition largely explains both the strengths and weaknesses of classicism. On the one hand, this determines the great attention of classicism to the inner world of man, to psychology: the world of passions and experiences, the logic of mental movements and the development of thought are at the center of both classicist tragedy and classicist prose. On the other hand, among classic writers, the general and the individual are in complete rupture, and the heroes embody the contradiction of human essence as abstract, devoid of individuality, containing only the general. Moreover, the distinction between public and personal life is recognized as an eternal contradiction of human nature.

This misunderstanding of the dialectic of the general and the individual also determines the way of constructing character in classicism. The rationalistic method of “dividing difficulties”, formulated by the greatest rationalist philosopher of the 17th century. Rene Descartes, when applied to art, meant the identification of, as a rule, one leading character in human character, main feature. Thus, the way of typing characters here is deeply rationalistic. One can, using Lessing’s expression, say that the classicists’ heroes are more “personified characters” than “characterized personalities.” It does not follow from this, however, that characters in classicism are abstract entities, formal-logical categories of the universal mind; they, according to the fair remark of the Soviet researcher E. N. Kupreyanova, are “images of universal human, natural characters, created on the model of historical ones, but cleared of everything random, external that is contained in historical biographies.”

The classicist method of typifying characters by highlighting the main, defining trait in them undoubtedly contributed to the improvement of art psychological analysis, satirical sharpening of the theme in comedies. At the same time, the requirement of “reasonable” integrity, unity and logical consistency of character interferes with its development. Exclusive interest in "conscious" inner life A person is often forced to ignore the external environment and material living conditions. In general, the characters in classicist works, especially tragedies, lack historical specificity. Mythological and ancient heroes in them feel, think and act like nobles of the 17th century. A greater connection between character and circumstances, although within the limits of classicist typification, is found in comedy, the action of which usually takes place in modern times, and the images acquire, for all their generality, life-like authenticity.

From the general aesthetic principles of classicism flow the specific requirements of its poetics, most fully formulated in Boileau’s “Poetic Art”: harmony and proportionality of parts, logical harmony and laconicism of composition, simplicity of plot, clarity and clarity of language. The consistent rationalism of the aesthetics of classicism leads to the denial of fantasy (except for ancient mythology, interpreted as “reasonable”).

One of the fundamental and stable theoretical principles of classicism is the principle of dividing each art into genres and their hierarchical correlation. The hierarchy of genres in classicist poetics is taken to its logical end and concerns all aspects of art.

Genres are divided into “high” and “low”, and mixing them is considered unacceptable. “High” genres - epic, tragedy, ode - are intended to embody state or historical events, i.e. the life of monarchs, generals, mythological heroes; “low” - satire, fable, comedy - should depict private, daily life“mere mortals”, people of the middle classes. The style and language must strictly correspond to the chosen genre. In matters of language, the classicists were purists: they limited the vocabulary allowed in poetry, trying to avoid ordinary “low” words, and sometimes even specific names of everyday objects. Hence the use of allegories, descriptive expressions, and a predilection for conventional poetic cliches. On the other hand, classicism fought against excessive ornamentation and pretentiousness poetic language, against far-fetched, sophisticated metaphors and comparisons, puns and the like stylistic devices, obscuring the meaning.

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