E-mail: sorokinasp@mail.ru
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25a, Povarskaya str., Moscow, 121069, Russian Federation
PhD (Philology), senior researcher, Folklore department, Institute of World Literature named after A. M. Gor’kiy, Russian Academy of Sciences
Reflection of folk puppet theatre, especially of performance named “Petrushka”, in Russian painting is discussed as the main problem in this article. Since the 17th century Petrushka the puppet or a personage similar to it became an object of painting. During every period artists pursued different aims while painting scenes with Petrushka. Diversity of transformations of this image was caused historically and ideologically. It is relevant to start studying Petrushka puppet theatre as depicted in painted scenes with masterpieces, created by artists, who belonged to so called “peredvizniki” (the Itinerants) trend. Artists of this association, who arranged travelling art exhibitions, strove to produce precise and objective pictorial reflection of typical events of life. Due to realistic principles their canvases present authentic visual sources, which let us to supplement our notions about the theatre performance type, that does not exist more nowadays. Paintings by V. G. Perov and K. E. Makovskiy are considered in this article.
Perov painted his oil canvas named “Petrushka” soon after his return from a trip to Western Europe. Street theatre performance of vagrant puppeteers was depicted as a part of usual everyday life of the common people. “Petrushka” entertainment purposed to make people happy and because of that its naturalistic depiction emphasized contrast between puppet theatre’s purpose and hard social conditions of poor people, who figured both as actors and as their audience in the painting. Petrushka is not the main hero of the masterpiece of Makovskiy named “Popular festival during fat week at Admiralteyskaya the square in Petersburg”. Puppetry is one of the elements of fair amusing. Petrushka appears as a recognizable image in an advertisement, which seems to be chosen by “rayok” — show booth’s owner due to its popularity to evoke associations with laugh. Masterpieces of Perov and Makovskiy are important evidences of active existence of puppet theatre “Petrushka” in Russia in 1860s.
Key words: popular puppet show, Petrushka, folklore and oil painting, peredvizniki trend.
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