History of Art in Russia  

Early Russian art reflected the conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988 A.D. Up to the end of the reign of Peter the Great (1725), art in Russia consisted chiefly of icons, derived from Byzantine art traditions. Moscow, from the 14th Century, began to grow in prominence as a cultural centre, while still strongly influenced by Greek Orthodox styles. From the 16th Century, patrons such as the Godunov and Stroganov families commissioned increasingly elaborate icons from craftsmen, but it was not until the 18th Century, with the influence from Western Europe, that secular art began to appear. As interaction with the European art world increased, Russia swiftly assimilated the Baroque, Rococo, Classical and Romantic styles. In the latter 19th and early 20th Century, Russia became an influential centre of avant-garde art in its own right. Through the Soviet era, however, art took on a more political slant of socialist realism, and it was not until the dissolution of the USSR in the late 20th Century that the art trends of Western Europe again became strongly influential.

This PathFinder serves as a guide to help you locate resources on the history of Russian art available at National Library Board libraries as well as on the Internet.

Compiled by Roberta Balagopal. For further assistance, please ask the staff at the Information Counter or email us at ref@nlb.gov.sg

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