Face of Russia

by James H. Billington

Book Overview

When the Soviet communist empire was overthrown by the Russians themselves in August 1991, the change was more clearly anticipated by humanistic students of creativity than by economic and political... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1575001047
• ISBN13: 9781575001043
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: TV Books
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The Rich Cultural Legacy of Russia

This book is similar in approach to the better known heaven and Hell by Bruce Lincoln. However, Billington concentartes more on the art and includes a beautiful section of plates. Unlike Lincoln's book, it is easily approached and is a reasonable 260 pages. Billington shows the connections between Russia's spiritual, historical and political traditions have played a direct role in defining its cultural and artistic production. He profiles individual artists and art forms. The painting of Rublev and the medieval stile on firewood, the architect Rastrelli, Gogol, Mussorsgki and Eisenstein primarily. the main point is that Russians learned from others, imitated and then transformed the art into a uniqe interpretation that reflected their reality that is often more ambitious and beautiful. anyone who's heard Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto or seen a painting by Repin should have no problem sahring this view.