The North in the Opinion Journalism of V. Vereshchagin (On the Inter-Source Connections in the Artist’s Verbal Works)

Abstract

In the article, the problem of the visual-verbal correlation in the work of V. Vereshchagin is considered through the prism of the analysis of his texts devoted to the Russian North, including drafts of his articles for Novosti i birzhevaya gazeta found in the Manuscript Department of the State Tretyakov Gallery. It has been shown that in terms of verbal creative development, Vereshchagin represents a type of artist who eventually overcomes the narrow framework of the profession and moves on to the study of larger socially significant problems. Therefore, his taking on journalistic writing seems logical. Vereshchagin’s verbal creative work never lost its genetic connection with the visual in terms of genre specificity, style, and, in some sense, instrumentation, but in the process of development it revealed a tendency to isolation. It is characterized by the assemblage of composition and frequent interspecific and intraspecific transfer of the same structural components. Vereshchagin’s “northern” texts of the 1880s–90s, which initially served as explanations and additions to his paintings, changed places with them in importance, eventually freed from any visual accompaniment, and became full-fledged journalistic statements. Following that, regional focus also changed. Starting with individual episodes of “unveiling” the North as a background in biographical narratives, Vereshchagin moved towards its holistic perception as a vital areal and comprehension of specific topics, from preservation of ancient monuments to the provision of medical care, the fight against the schism, and the development of public education.

Keywords

• vasily vereshchagin
• north
• region
• journalism
• inter-source connections
• verbal