Russian Culture Test One

Front 1

The Third Rome

Back 1

The idea that Russia, specifically Moscow, was the heir to the legacy of the Roman Empire. Idea began under the rule of Ivan the Great in the 1400s. Posited that the Orthodox Church was the conserver of true Christianity.

Front 2

Sobornost

Back 2

The ideal of communalism, especially as it triumphs over Western individualism. Is closely tied to Orthodox Christianity.

Front 3

The Near Abroad

Back 3

The region around Russia which is under Russian cultural influence and often political influence as well. Includes Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, as well as Central Asia.

Front 4

russkaya dusha

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The Russian Soul. Romantic ethos, appealing to emotion over rationality; affirmation of "Russianness" against Western rationalism and secularism

Front 5

nomenklatura

Back 5

The elite, ruling class who ruled the Soviet state. They filled appointed positions and were closely tied to patronage systems.

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KGB

Back 6

The Committee for State Security under the Soviet Union. Served as an intelligence and police force, and is often perceived as an instrument of oppression operating under deep secrecy.

Front 7

Communalism

Back 7

A way of life centered on the community rather than the individual. Is apparent in Russians' social lifestyle and disregard for personal space and privacy.

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mir

Back 8

Literally, peace or world. It can also mean a collective farm, conjuring up powerful symbolic images of cooperation and peasant virtue. No money, everything shared collectively.

Front 9

egalitarianism

Back 9

Equal distribution of goods, different from equality of opportunity in the US, rooted in history of mir.

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statism

Back 10

highly concentrated state power, tolerated thru history of tsar worship

Front 11

blat

Back 11

Influence, or pull. Informal agreements, especially black market activity. Has the connotation of the criminal subculture.

Front 12

Konstantin Stanislavskii

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Actor and director in Moscow around the turn of the century. Founded Moscow Art Theatre. Believed that actors onstage should be as true to life as possible (realism).

Front 13

Marius Petipa

Back 13

Ballet choreographer from France. Worked in St. Petersburg in the late 1800s, turned ballet into an art in its own right.

Front 14

Isak Levitan

Back 14

Russian landscape painter who focused on the beauty of Russian nature. Was capable of evoking powerful moods through pastoral landscapes minimizing human presence.

Front 15

The Silver Age

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Period just after the turn of the century. **

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symbolism

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Belief that symbols were not illusions but higher forms of reality. Real world is symbol of higher, more vital realm. Associated with Soloviev.

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apocalypticism

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*

Front 18

Bloody Sunday, 1905

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Incident in St. Petersburg where protesters of Nicholas II were gunned down. Symbolized the monarchy's disregard for normal people and helped galvanize the revolution.

Front 19

The World of Art

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Russian magazine founded at turn of century which symbolized and inspired a new art movement. Was important in the intellectual struggle for self-identity. Art should have no utilitarian purpose. Had many artists contribute- with different ideas and perspectives. Thought all forms of art should intermingle to support each other.

Front 20

Vatslav Nizhinskii

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Male ballet dancer in early 1900s. Famous for his gravity-defying leaps, and revolutionized the male part in ballet.

Front 21

Lev Bakst

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Russian painter, costumer and set designer in early 1900s. Was co-founder of the World of Art. Set designs for Ballets Russes were totally awesome- helped blend dance and painting.

Front 22

rayonism

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First near-abstract art in Russia in the 1910s. Developed by spouses Mikhail Larionov and Natalia Goncharova. Influenced by dynamism, development, industrialization, bold contrasting colors. Art not ruled by form and substance.

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Natalia Goncharova

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Russian painter and costume designer in the early 1900s. Married to Mikhail Larionov- together developed Rayonism. Progenitor of avant-garde movement and Donkey's Tail exhibition.

Front 24

suprematism

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Art movement based on fundamental geometric forms that arose in the 1910s. Originated by Kasimir Malevich. Glorified simplicity.

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Aleksander Skriabin

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Russian composer and pianist. Initially attempted to follow Chopin, but followed mystical path to atonal music. Wanted to integrate all the other senses into music- light, scent, dance, etc.

Front 26

The Moscow Art Theater

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Founded by Stanislavski in 1897. Was the unofficial home of naturalistic theater, and flourished through bourgois wealth.

Front 27

Balletomania

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*

Front 28

Karl Faberge

Back 28

Russian jeweler and maker of eggs from 1880s until 1917. His work was emblematic of the over-the-top wealth of the royal family.

Front 29

Vladimir Soloviev

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Russian philosopher and poet at end of 19th century; spiritual godfather of Silver Age and first Russian with a comprehensive philosophical system. Patron saint of avant-garde. Was basis for Karamazov brothers. Tried to reconcile all thought, especially religion and science (sobornost)

Front 30

The House of Maruza

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Salon established for influential writers, painters, and critics to gather. Gippius (androgynous woman) and Merezhkovski (lurking husband). Intellectual narcissism, abstract conversations. St. Petersburg.

Front 31

Ivanov's Tower

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Avant-garde hangout during war with Japan; place to escape turmoil of world and live outside time. St. Petersburg. Home to apocalypticism.

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tryn-travizm

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Devil-may-care attitude, especially as regards to sex. Developed post-1905. Artistic interest in sexuality degenerated into debauchery. Life fragile, important to experience all sensations (apocalyptic?).

Front 33

Sergei Diaghilev

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Influential art critic and balletophile. Co-founded World of Art magazine. Heart and soul of magazine. Launched the Ballets Russes.

Front 34

Mikhail Fokine

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Ballet dancer and choreographer in early 1900s. Emphasized the expressive aspect of dance. Worked with Diaghilev on the Ballets Russes.

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Primitivism

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Launched by Goncharova and Larionov. Looked to East and art of common people; tried to free art from ivory tower and reunite it with the people.

Front 36

Sergei Shchukin

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Russian art collector in early 1900s. Collected enormous amounts of paintings by Matisse, Money, Cezanne, van Gogh, Picasso etc. in his Moscow home. His collection introduced Russian modern artists to European post-Impressionism.

Front 37

Mikhail Larionov

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Painter around turn of century. Husband of Natalya Goncharova and co-founder of Rayonism. Later worked with Sergei Diaghilev in the Ballets Russes.

Front 38

Kazimir Malevich

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Painter in 1910s. Created supremacism- abstract geometric art.

Front 39

Igor Stravinskii

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Composer, Rite of Spring, revolutionary use of rhythm and dissonance caused an audience uproar. Was commissioned by Dighelev. Moved Russian music into the modern age.

Front 40

The Chechen Wars

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Front 41

oligarchs

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Front 42

muzhik

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Originally, a Russian peasant; can also mean "guy" with an emphasis on his low social level. Associated with traits of passivity, haplessness.

Front 43

tsar-worship

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Tendency to revere leaders

Front 44

War with Japan

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Reawakened fear of Orient latent in Russian soul since Mongol occupation.

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Revolution of 1905

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*

Front 46

Holy Foolishness

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Important category of sainthood- 36 canonized saints in Orthodox church. Wandering, homeless clairvoyants, with prophetic and healing powers.

Front 47

Felix Yusupov

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Russian prince in 1900s. Helped murder Rasputin then escaped into exile.

Front 48

the "author's song"

Back 48

Musical genre of a singer with acoustic guitar. Emphasis is on lyrics. Is prominent as a non-governmental means of expression.

Front 49

Boris Berezovsky

Back 49

Russian oligarch and politician who reached the zenith of his power under Yeltsin's presidency in the 1990s. Accused of embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, and perhaps election racketeering.

Front 50

The Table of Ranks

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Military-church-service. Contributed to centrality of state.

Front 51

Khodynka

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Site of a tragedy following the coronation of Nicholas II. A free meal in the field turned into a mob and hundred of people were trampled to death. Nicholas did not leave a ball, creating a PR problem.

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Nicholas II

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Front 53

The Duma

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Front 54

Grigorii Rasputin

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