DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE IN V-VII centuries. The heterogeneity and specific features of the culture of various regions of Taurica can be judged by decorations from the necropolises of Bosporus, Gorzuvit, Chersonesus and other places in the region. Antiquity left a wonderful legacy here - quite

Development of culture

Culture played a large role in the spiritual preparation of the changes called perestroika. Cultural figures with their creativity prepared public consciousness for the need for change (T. Abuladze’s film “Repentance”, A. Rybakov’s novel “Children of the Arbat”, etc.).

The whole country lived in anticipation of new issues of newspapers and magazines, television programs in which, like a fresh wind of change, a new assessment was given to historical figures, processes in society, and history itself.

Representatives of culture were actively involved in real political activities: they were elected deputies, city leaders, and became leaders of national-bourgeois revolutions in their republics. Such an active public position led the intelligentsia to split along political lines.

After the collapse of the USSR, the political split among cultural and artistic figures continued. Some were guided by Western values, declaring them universal, others adhered to traditional national values. Almost all creative connections and groups split along these lines.

Perestroika lifted bans on many types and genres of art, and returned films that had been shelved and works prohibited for publication to the screens. The return of the brilliant culture of the Silver Age also dates back to this period.

The culture of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries showed us a whole “poetic continent” of the finest lyricists (I. Annensky, N. Gumilev, V. Khodasevich, etc.), deep thinkers (N. Berdyaev, V. Solovyov, S. Bulgakov, etc.) , serious prose writers (A. Bely, D. Merezhkovsky, F. Sologub, etc.), composers (N. Stravinsky, S. Rachmaninov, etc.), artists (K. Somov, A. Benois, P. Filonov, V. Kandinsky, etc.), talented performers (F. Chaliapin, M. Fokin, A. Pavlova, etc.).

This flow of “forbidden” literature had, in addition to a positive, a negative aspect: young writers, poets, and screenwriters were deprived of the opportunity to publish in state publications. The crisis in architecture associated with cutting construction costs also continued.

The development of the material base of culture has slowed down sharply, which was reflected not only in the absence of new films and books on the freely formed market, but also in the fact that, along with the best foreign examples of culture, a wave of products of dubious quality and value poured into the country.

Without clear government support (this is also evidenced by the experience of developed Western countries), culture has little chance of surviving in market conditions. Market relations themselves cannot serve as a universal means of preserving and enhancing the spiritual and sociocultural potential of society.

The deep crisis in which our society and culture find ourselves is a consequence of long-term neglect of the objective laws of social development during the Soviet period. The construction of a new society, the creation of a new person in the Soviet state turned out to be impossible, since throughout all the years of Soviet power people were separated from true culture, from true freedom.

Man was viewed as a function of the economy, as a means, and this dehumanizes man just as much as technogenic civilization. “The world is experiencing the danger of the dehumanization of human life, the dehumanization of man himself... Only the spiritual strengthening of man can resist such a danger.”

Researchers of various cultural concepts talk about a civilizational crisis, about a change in cultural paradigms. The images of postmodern culture, the culture of the end of the millennium (Fin Millennium) have many times surpassed the naive decadence of the modernist culture of the end of the century (Fin de Sitcle).

In other words, the essence of the changes taking place (in relation to the change in the cultural paradigm) is that it is not culture that is in crisis, but man, the creator, and the crisis of culture is only a manifestation of his crisis.

Thus, attention to a person, to the development of his spirituality and spirit is overcoming the crisis. The books of Living Ethics drew attention to the need for a conscious approach to future changes in the cultural and historical evolution of man and highlighted ethical problems as the most important condition for the development of man and society.

These thoughts also resonate with the modern understanding of human life and society. Thus, P. Kostenbaum, a specialist in the education of American leadership, believes that “a society built not on ethics, not on mature hearts and minds, will not live long.”

N. Roerich argued that Culture is the cult of Light, Fire, veneration of the spirit, the highest service to the improvement of man. The establishment of true Culture in human consciousness is a necessary condition for overcoming the crisis.

Creativity is an activity that generates something qualitatively new and is distinguished by uniqueness, originality and socio-historical uniqueness. Creativity is specific to humans, since it always presupposes a creator - a subject of creative activity. Creative activity is a unique feature of the human race. It is multifaceted and manifests itself in all spheres of material and spiritual culture, each acquiring its own specificity, but nevertheless retaining a generally valid option. The meaning of creative activity lies precisely in the formation of a person as an active subject of social activity. In this aspect, creativity acts as a necessary attribute of culture.

The generic human essence is a set of such human properties that, manifested in each individual person, are preserved by representatives of the human race throughout its existence. This is the concentration of the most stable relationships into which a human person enters. By interacting with nature, a person manifests the first property of the generic essence, his natural corporeality or objectivity. The first object that a person masters in the course of his life is his body. In the process of purposeful interaction with nature - labor, a person uses certain tools to achieve his goal. The objective result of human labor is Both the improvement of man himself and the objects created by human labor. The second manifestation of the generic human essence is formed as a result of the natural human need in the society of people, and it manifests itself in human sociality, the public and the soulfulness that arises as a result of their manifestation. Being within a certain society from birth, a person cannot do without the company of people throughout his life. Finally, the third manifestation is the spirituality of a person after his humanization (this fully manifests itself after the person experiences experiences). Real human spirituality is defined as a value relationship, the main way of existence of which is experience of meaning. Value is the significance of an object, person or phenomenon revealed in the process of experiencing for the experiencing personality. Creativity should be interpreted as a source of something eternal, enduring in culture.

Creation. Concept and essence. Types of creativity.

Creativity is an activity that generates something qualitatively new and is distinguished by uniqueness, originality and socio-historical uniqueness. Creativity is specific to a person, because it always presupposes a creator - a subject of creative activity.

Types of creative activity are usually distinguished in accordance with the type of thinking that underlies each of them. Scientific creativity develops on the basis of conceptual-logical thinking, artistic creativity develops on the basis of holistic-imaginative thinking, design creativity develops on the basis of constructive-figurative thinking, and technical creativity develops on the basis of constructive-logical thinking. Let's consider the features of the creative process in science, technology, art and design. Lotman calls culture and art two ways of seeing the world or “the eyes of culture.” With the help of science, culture comprehends what exists and is natural, and art is the living of the unexperienced, the exploration of what has never been, the passage of roads not taken by culture. The creative process in science is limited by the framework of logic and facts, the scientific result reflects the current state of the scientific picture of the world, and the goal of scientific creativity is the desire to achieve objective truth. In artistic creativity, the author is limited by his own talent and skill, moral responsibility and aesthetic taste. The process of artistic creation includes equally conscious and unconscious moments; a work of art becomes like an initially open system, a text that exists in a certain context and has an internal unspoken subtext. As a result of artistic creativity, a work of art is the embodiment of the artist’s inner world, recreated in a universally significant, self-valuable form. Technical creativity is determined by the current needs of civilization to achieve the greatest comfort and maximum adaptation to the environment. The result of technical creativity is a technical device, a mechanism that best meets the actual needs of a person. Design creativity arises at the intersection of technical and artistic creativity and is aimed at creating a thing that has not only a functional and expedient, but also an expressive external form. The result of design creativity is the reconstruction of the object-material environment of human habitation. Design art resurrects the forgotten thesis of ancient culture: “Man is the measure of all things.” Designers are faced with the task of creating things commensurate with a person, creating such a household and industrial object environment that would contribute to the most effective solution of production problems and would allow the maximum realization of human abilities and intentions. Creativity is an indispensable condition for the emergence of culture and the realization of the generic human essence. In creativity, a person expresses himself as a free individuality and is freed from any external restrictions, firstly, those associated with a person’s physical capabilities: physical, physiological and mental, and, secondly, those associated with a person’s social life. Creativity as a process in itself is realized when, taking place in certain socio-cultural conditions: social, economic, political, moral and religious, legal and ideological, setting a certain current cultural level, it sets itself previously unprecedented goals, is realized in a searching, selective manner and receives a result that expands the measure of freedom of the creator. It is creativity, when a person focuses on his spiritual side, that helps free a person from the interfering conventions of the world around him. Culture and creativity make a person free from the oppression of his gender and age parameters, from the oppression of communalism and from the dictates of mass character and standardization. It is creativity as a way of being of culture and self-realization of the individual that becomes a mechanism for preserving the unique human individuality and self-worth of the individual. The Creator is HOMO FABER - a human creator who rose above the natural environment, above everyday needs, above the creation of only practically necessary things. Consequently, the first of all possible manifestations of creativity is the formation of a creative personality.

A creative person, regardless of his field of activity, is usually distinguished by high intelligence, relaxed thinking, ease of association, fearless play with ideas and at the same time the ability to build logical schemes and establish interdependencies and patterns. A creative person must have independence of opinions and judgments, assessments, and the ability to correctly and reasonably prove and defend their point of view. First of all, vigilance in searching for problems and the ability to pose questions are important for a creative person. A creative person must have the ability to focus attention and hold it for a long time on any question, topic or problem, and concentrate attention in the process of searching for a heuristic solution. Creative intelligence is, as a rule, distinguished by the ability to operate with vaguely defined concepts, overcome logical inconsistencies, and have the ability to collapse mental operations and bring distant concepts together. A creative person must be demanding of himself and others and self-critical. Doubt about generally accepted truths, rebellion and rejection of tradition must be combined with internal discipline and severity towards oneself. Creative people are distinguished by their wit, sensitivity to the funny, and the ability to notice and comically comprehend a contradiction. However, psychologists note that passion for a creative task and detachment from the world leads to everyday absent-mindedness and secondary importance of relationships between people, an increased desire for self-affirmation

Alexander Shilov is a Russian painter and portrait painter. He is characterized by incredibly high performance. Hundreds of paintings created by his brush will undoubtedly remain in the “high art” category. The artist Shilov belongs to the older generation, to the masters of the Soviet era. The propaganda period forced many artists to paint canvases praising communist ideas, values, and party leaders. However, Shilov’s paintings always had a certain meaning and carried artistic value. At exhibitions of paintings of that period, it was his works that people lingered the longest.

Biography of the artist. Students

Artist Alexander Shilov was born into a family of intellectuals on October 6, 1943. When Sasha was 14 years old, he entered the art studio of the House of Pioneers, which was located in the Timiryazevsky district of the capital. The post-war years were difficult, and the young man had to help his family; he worked as a loader. Studied at evening school. His life was firmly connected with the fine arts. The boy’s abilities were immediately noticed by the artist Laktionov, who helped develop the young talent. Later Laktionov played a significant role in Shilov’s work.

Since 1968, Alexander Shilov studied at the Surikov State Art Institute. I studied painting there for five years. During his student years he painted many paintings. His works were popular at many art exhibitions of young talents. Even then, Shilov’s works stood out among others for their expressiveness.

Mature years

In 1976, Alexander Shilov was accepted into the Union of Artists of the USSR. After this, he is allocated a personal workshop, and he receives a series of orders from the country’s party. The artist Shilov begins work as a recognized master. By order of the Government, in 1997, a personal gallery of Alexander Shilov was opened in the very center of Moscow, not far from the Kremlin. In the same year, People's Artist of the USSR Shilov became a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

In 1999, Alexander Maksovich held a post on the Russian Council for Arts and Culture. Political activities began to occupy more and more time, and the master began to visit the art studio less and less. 2012 finally drew the artist into politics. Shilov becomes a confidant of President Putin and joins the Public Council under the Federal Security Service. In March 2014, Alexander Shilov signed the president’s appeal; it concerned the political position regarding the events in Ukraine.

Personal life

The artist Shilov was married several times. The first marriage was registered with the artist Svetlana Folomeeva. In 1974, the couple had a son, Alexander. He continues family traditions, and is currently listed as a corresponding member of the RAI. Alexander Alexandrovich Shilov is, of course, a hereditary artist, but his painting technique is very individual and clearly expressed.

After a break in relations occurred with his first wife, Alexander Shilov lived as a bachelor for some time. His second wife Anna Shilova was the artist’s muse, from her he received great inspiration in his work. The couple lived in marriage for twenty years (1977-1997). During this time, the artist had two daughters: Maria in 1979 and Anastasia in 1996. But after these years, another divorce followed in the master’s life.

Union with music

Alexander Shilov, a world-famous artist, could not do without inspiration from the fairer sex. For the third time, he chose a violinist as his companion. The creative union of painting and music gave rise to many new works by the master. Yulia Volchenkova is depicted in many of Shilov’s works. In 1997, daughter Ekaterina was born. The marriage with Volchenkova was not officially announced, but Katya was registered as Shilov’s legitimate daughter.

After just three years, the violinist and the artist lost interest in each other, and mutual feelings were lost. Yulia Volchenkova was recognized as the legal official wife, so when dividing property, the couple faced litigation. The case was heard in two courts: on the housing issue and on the general state of affairs. Throughout her life, the daughter of the artist Shilov Katya did not feel the need for anything. She has a normal, civilized relationship with her father.

Gallery of artist Shilov

In 1996, Alexander Maksovich Shilov addressed the State Duma with a request that all his works be donated to the state. This idea came to the artist more than once after his exhibitions, when visitors asked to create a permanent gallery of Shilov’s works.

On March 13 of the same year, with a unanimous decision of all factions, a resolution was passed by the State Duma of the Russian Federation on the acceptance of Shilov’s collection by the state. A request was sent to the Russian Government to allocate space for the artist’s exhibition. At first they planned to allocate three halls directly on the territory of the Kremlin, but due to the security restrictions of the facility, the decision was changed. The gallery of the artist Shilov was located at Znamenka, 5. The founder of the gallery was the Moscow Government, 355 works by the artist Shilov were accepted and placed.

Gallery opening

The grand opening of the gallery took place on May 31, 1997. It was attended by the city's top officials, famous, respected people: Mayor Luzhkov, singers Kobzon, Esambaev, artists Shakurov, Nikulin and many others. Shilov, an artist whose gallery could now receive hundreds of visitors every day, promised that he would annually replenish the collection with new works. In 2003, architect Posokhin presented a project for a new gallery building, which, according to the plan, represented a single architectural complex with an old mansion (the total area of ​​the old building occupied 600 square meters). In the same year, on June 30, the opening of a new building for the gallery took place.

The area of ​​the gallery's exhibition premises is 1555 square meters, stock storage - 23 square meters. There are 19,420 items stored in the gallery, the main fund occupies 991 items. On average, 110 thousand people visit the gallery per year. In the ranking of state museums, the Shilov Gallery ranks 11th. Alexander Maksovich personally manages the creative activities of the exhibition; administrative and financial issues are decided by the director of the gallery.

Current state of the gallery

The basis of the gallery's exhibition are paintings by the artist Shilov, representing picturesque portraits of people of different categories. Here you can see the faces of war participants, doctors, scientists, musicians, clergy, and highly social images.

Female images have a special place in the artist’s work; he knew how to see the beauty in every face of the fairer sex, and emphasize the peculiarities of gaze, facial expressions, and gestures. The gallery also presents works of landscape genres, still lifes, and nudes. Two halls are dedicated to graphics. Soft music constantly plays within the walls of the gallery. Excursions are constantly held here, lectures are given, and competitive programs for orphans and disabled people are held on a charitable basis. “Starry Evenings” are held in the gallery halls; Kobzon, Gaft, Bashmet, Zeldin, Sotkilava, Pakhmutova, Kazakov, Dobronravov, Obraztsova performed here. Portrait Meetings events provide an opportunity to meet the person depicted on the canvas. Some of the gallery's paintings are exhibited from time to time in Russian cities. The exhibition “They Fought for the Motherland” traveled to dozens of cities and was a huge success.

Shilov is an artist. Paintings. Creation

Shilov's creativity is a whole world. Still lifes, landscapes, graphics, genre paintings - all this can be seen at the exhibition, but, of course, his main masterpieces are portraits. An entire section is dedicated to people of the older generation by Shilov the artist. The paintings of the old people are very touching; many people linger near them for a long time. These include the following canvases:

• 1971 - “The Old Tailor.”
• 1977 - “My Grandmother.”
• 1980 - “The wild rosemary has bloomed.”
• 1985 - “Soldiers’ Mothers.”
• 1985 - Forgotten."

Portraits of prominent figures, diplomats, famous artists, and writers occupy a large part of the master’s work.

• Ballet "Spartacus" 1976 - "People's Artist of the USSR Maurice Liepa."
• Ballet “Giselle” 1980 - “Ballerina Lyudmila Semenyaka”.
• 1984 - “Portrait of the writer Sergei Mikhalkov.”
• 1996 - “Moscow Mayor Luzhkov.”
• 2005 - “People’s Artist of the USSR Etush.”

The artist created many portraits of clergy.

• 1988 - “In the cell” Pyukhtitsa Monastery.
• 1989 - “Archimandrite Tikhon.”
• 1997 - “Monk Joachim.”

Shilov's still lifes depict many everyday objects. It’s amazing how the master created masterpieces from images of simple things (books, dishes, wild flowers).

• 1980 - “gifts of the East”.
• 1974 - “Violets”.
• 1982 - “Pansies”.

• 1983 - “Silence.”
• 1986 - “Thaw”.
• 1987 - “The last snow in Peredelkino.”
• 1987 - “Nikolina Mountain”.
• 1999 - “Golden Autumn.
• 2000 - Autumn in Ubory.”

Other works of Alexander Shilov that should be noted are:

• 1981 - “On Arisha’s birthday.”
• 1981 - “Portrait of Olenka.”
• 1988 - “Portrait of a Mother.”
• 1993 - “Bum.”
• 1995 - “Young Muscovite”.
• 1996 - “Self-portrait”.
• 1998 - “The Fate of a Violinist.”

Alexander Shilov is an artist whom some call the exponent of the “Luga style”. Sharp critics associate it with bad taste in fine art and vulgarity. Supporters and guardians of historical architecture criticize Shilov for the fact that in 2002 two monuments dating back to the 19th century were demolished on Volkhonka. The artist’s lifetime gallery was erected on this site. The construction of a new building caused mixed reactions among officials. It was not connected with the gallery building, but with the construction of a business center on the territory adjacent to the gallery. Shvydkoy, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, personally opposed such development.

Alexander Marsovich SH I L O V

Born on October 6, 1943 in Moscow.
From time immemorial, Great Russia has given birth to talents of which all humanity is rightfully proud. They entered the history of world culture. Their names are immortal. Among our contemporaries creating Russian culture today, Alexander Shilov certainly stands out. He is one of the outstanding artists of the past twentieth century and the beginning of the new, a living legend, the pride and glory of Russia.
In 1957-1962 A.M. Shilov studied at the art studio of the House of Pioneers in the Timiryazevsky district of Moscow, then at the Moscow Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov (1968-1973). He took part in exhibitions of young artists. In 1976 he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He held numerous personal exhibitions in the best halls not only in Russia, but also abroad. His paintings were exhibited with great success in France (Gallery on Boulevard Raspail, Paris, 1981), West Germany (Willibodsen, Wiesbaden, 1983), Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, 1984), Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, 1987), Japan (Tokyo , Kyoto, 1988), Kuwait (1990), United Arab Emirates (1990), other countries.
Alexander Shilov chose the most difficult direction in art - realism and remained faithful to his chosen path throughout his life. Absorbing all the highest achievements of world art, continuing the traditions of Russian realistic painting of the 18th-19th centuries, he purposefully and inspiredly followed his own path, enriching and improving his own artistic language. He avoided the influence of destructive trends in the artistic culture of the twentieth century, did not lose the wonderful properties of his talent and the artist’s most expensive instrument - his heart.

Among his large number of works are landscapes, still lifes, genre paintings, and graphics. But the main genre of creativity of A.M. Shilova - portrait. It is man, his individuality, uniqueness that is the focus of the artist’s creativity. The heroes of his works are people of very different social status, age, appearance, intelligence, character. These are politicians and church ministers, outstanding figures of science and culture, doctors and war heroes, workers and rural workers, old people and young people, businessmen and homeless people. Among them are portraits of pilot-cosmonauts P.I. Klimuk (1976), V.I. Sevastyanova (1976), V.A. Shatalov (1978), “Son of the Motherland” (Yu.A. Gagarin, 1980), “Academician N.N. Semenov” (1982), “On Victory Day. Machine gunner P.P. Shorin” (1987), “Metropolitan Filaret " (1987), "Metropolitan Methodius" (1990), "Archbishop Pimen" (1990), "Hegumen Zinovy" (1991), "Film director S. Bondarchuk" (1994), "Playwright V. Rozov" (1997), " People's Artist of the USSR Evgeny Matveev" (1997), "Portrait of A. Yakulov" (1997), "Portrait of Tamara Kozyreva" (1997), "Portrait of Bishop Vasily (Rodzianko)" (1998), "Writer Arkady Weiner" (1999), “Portrait of a Mother”, “G.Kh. Popov” (1999), “After the Ball” (Natalia Bogdanova)” (2000).
As a portrait artist, Alexander Shilov is a kind of mediator between man and time. He sensitively captures the psychological life of the image and creates not just a painting, but, penetrating into the recesses of the soul, reveals the fate of a person, captures the moment in which our real contemporary lives. A. Shilov is interested in man in all manifestations of individual existence: his heroes are in joy and sadness, in calm reflection and in anxious anticipation. On his canvases there are many images of children and women: pure, charming, soulful, beautiful. Respect and sympathy are imbued with portraits of elderly people who have lived a long, difficult life, but have retained kindness and love for others: “My Grandmother” (1977), “Master of the Earth” (1979), “Ledum Blossomed” (1980), “On Arisha’s Birthday " (1981), "Together" (1981), "Getting Cold" (1983), "Grandfather Gavrila" (1984), "Soldiers' Mothers" (1985), "Portrait of a Mother" (1988), "Mother Macaria" (1989) , "Bum" (1993), "Abandoned" (1998). The special softness and sincerity of the images makes A. Shilov’s works deeply national.
Everything in A. Shilov’s paintings carries a deep meaning. There is nothing random about them for the sake of external effect. The expression of a person’s face, his posture, gesture, clothing, interior items in the picture, its coloring serve to create an image, characterize the hero, and convey his inner state.
No lofty words can convey the great mastery that Alexander Shilov achieved. The artist simply creates miracles. With his magic brush, he makes the eyes speak, transforms colors into silk, velvet, fur, wood, gold, pearls... His portraits live.
In addition to oil works, the artist’s collection includes paintings made using the pastel technique. This is an ancient technique in which the artist writes with special colored crayons, rubbing them with his fingers. Having mastered this most complex technique to perfection, Alexander Shilov became an unsurpassed pastel master. Nobody since Zh.E. Lyotard did not achieve such virtuosity.
The portrait of Mashenka Shilova (1983), made in this technique, captivates, enchants, and cannot leave anyone indifferent. How beautiful Mashenka is! Mashenka has such long hair! What an elegant, luxurious dress Mashenka has! The baby is already aware of her attractiveness. Pride, joy and happiness illuminate her smart, sweet, gentle face. Mashenka’s posture, the position of her head, her hands - everything is full of natural grace and nobility. Childishly plump hands affectionately and carefully hug the beloved bear. The girl animates him, does not part with him for a second - this child has a compassionate, kind, pure soul.


Mashenka’s childhood happiness coincided with the artist’s own happiness. One cannot help but feel that the picture was created in a single impulse of love and happy inspiration. Everything in her is depicted so lovingly, painted with such great and amazing art: a sweet face (the sparkle of the eyes, delicate velvet skin, silky hair), a chic dress (the shimmer of satin, the luxury of lace and ribbons), a shaggy bear. In terms of thoroughness and credibility, only the talent and love of A. Shilov could do this.
The images on A. Shilov’s canvases “breathe” with such authenticity that viewers in front of the paintings cry and laugh, are sad and happy, admired and horrified. Such portraits are the fruit not of skill alone, but of the artist’s heart, mind, and soul. Only a person with a vulnerable, impressionable, nervous soul, who feels in his own heart the pain, suffering, joy of each hero, can write like this; a wise man, deeply knowledgeable about life, who knows the value of everything: love, happiness, and grief. Only a patriot who loves his people, his city, his country with all his soul can write like this.
Russia for Alexander Shilov is beautiful and loved. The master’s landscape painting is a reverent declaration of love to the Motherland. He is inspired by the image of modest, sad, intimate Central Russian nature: “The Thaw” (1986), “February. Peredelkino” (1987), “October. Nikolina Mountain” (1996). He knows how to see beauty in the most ordinary things. The artist is interested in various states of nature, which give rise to various emotions in the soul. By means of landscape, he expresses the subtlest range of feelings: joy, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, confusion, enlightenment, hope.
In still lifes, the artist depicts objects that are inseparable from our life and decorate it: books, indoor and wildflowers, elegant dishes. Among the most famous are such works as “Gifts of the East” (1980), “Violets” (1974), “Pansies” (1982) and others. And yet it is the portrait that occupies a central place in the artist’s work.
In 1996, Alexander Maksovich Shilov donated a collection of 355 paintings and graphic works to the Fatherland. This noble act was appreciated by the public, the leadership of the country and its capital. By resolutions of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of March 13, 1996 and the Moscow Government of January 14, 1997, the Moscow State Art Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov was established.
To house the collection, a mansion was allocated in the historical center of Moscow near the Kremlin, built at the beginning of the 19th century according to the design of the famous Russian architect E.D. Tyurin. The grand opening of the gallery took place on May 31, 1997. Created in accordance with the highest spiritual needs of the viewer, with respect and love for him, from the first days of its life it became extremely popular and extremely visited. Over the 4 years of its existence, it was visited by over half a million people.
The museum collection of A. Shilov is constantly replenished with new works by the artist, which confirms the promise he made: to donate each new work written to his hometown. On May 31, 2001, the Moscow State Art Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov celebrated the fourth anniversary of its opening. The presentation of the gift of new works by A. Shilov to Moscow was timed to coincide with this day. Three new portraits - “Professor E.B. Mazo”, “Darling”, “Olya”, created in 2001, added to the permanent exhibition of the Gallery, the collection of which today includes 695 paintings.
By donating his best new works, A. Shilov thereby continues the best spiritual traditions of the Russian intelligentsia, the tradition of philanthropy and service to the Fatherland.
The work of Alexander Shilov received well-deserved recognition: in 1977 he became a laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize, in 1981 - People's Artist of the RSFSR, in 1985 - People's Artist of the USSR. In 1992, the International Planetary Center in New York named one of the planets "Shilov". In 1997, the artist was elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts, an academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, and in 2001 he was elected a full member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Since 1999, he has been a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art.
September 6, 1997 for services to the state and for his great personal contribution to the development of fine arts A.M. Shilov was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. But his most precious, priceless reward is the love of the viewer.
Creativity of A.M. The films "Reaching the Hearts of People" (1984), "The Art of A. Shilov" (1990), "Alexander Shilov - People's Artist" (1999), as well as albums of his paintings and graphics are dedicated to Shilov.
A.M. Shilov loves classical music. His favorite Russian artists are O.A. Kiprensky, D.G. Levitsky, K.P. Bryullov, A.A. Ivanov, V.G. Perov, I.I. Levitan, F.A. Vasiliev.
Lives and works in Moscow

If you want to admire portraits of famous and ordinary people, pay attention to the paintings of Alexander Shilov. When creating his next work, he conveys in it the individuality, character, and mood of a person.

About the artist

Alexander Maksovich Shilov was born in Moscow in 1943. He received his first professional artistic skills in the House of Pioneers, which was located in the Timiryazevsky district of the capital. Here Alexander studied in the art studio.

From 1968 to 1973 he was a student at MGAHI named after. V. I. Surikova. Since 1976, Shilov has been a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. In 1997, he was given premises near the Kremlin to open a personal gallery. There you can see paintings by Alexander Shilov.

He is a full member of the Russian Academy of Arts, a member of the Council for Culture and Art under the President of the Russian Federation. Alexander Maksovich was awarded many orders, badges, medals, and diplomas for his high merits. He is also the recipient of several awards.

Portrait of Mashenka

This is the name of one of the works created by the artist Alexander Shilov. His paintings allow the characters in the paintings to come to life in front of the audience. They inspire other creative people too. Thus, the poet Ivan Yesaulkin, inspired by the work of a talented artist, wrote five quatrains dedicated to the painting, which was created in 1983.

The canvas is written using pastel technique. The poet calls it fabulous. He says that Shilov achieved his goal - he shed light on our souls. This feeling arises when you look at the paintings of Alexander Shilov.

The description of this portrait can begin with the fact that Mashenka is 3 years old. This is the artist’s daughter from his second marriage. Unfortunately, she died early - at the age of sixteen.

The artist was able to convey his love for his daughter through paints and brushes. The girl is holding her favorite toy, looking at the viewer with a clean look. The corners of her mouth are slightly raised in a half-smile. It is clear that the child is happy. Other paintings by Alexander Shilov also convey the mood of the hero of the canvas.

In this work, the artist was able to show even the smallest details of the garment; folds and frills of a beautiful dress are visible. The curves on the sleeve were able to convey the movement of the hand.

The girl is sitting on a chair. The decor and clothing help us understand that this is a real princess. All this was conveyed to the artist, who loved his daughter very much.

"One"

Alexander Shilov's paintings show not only happy, but also sad people who evoke a feeling of compassion.

The painting “Alone” was painted in 1980. It depicts an elderly woman. She drinks tea from an iron mug, with two sweets lying next to her. But the meal does not bring joy to the old woman. She looks sadly in front of her, because she is sad and lonely. These are the details and mood of the characters that Alexander Maksovich Shilov can convey, whose paintings you can look at for hours.

The woman was once married, this can be seen from the ring on her hand. Previously, villagers did not have the opportunity to purchase gold jewelry, so the ring could be iron, or, at best, silver.

If a woman has children, then they most likely moved to live in the city. In those days, young people sought to leave the countryside. Granny sits and is sad near the wooden table. Perhaps she remembered her difficult life? Or is she thinking about when the children and grandchildren will finally arrive? The viewer wants this to happen as soon as possible. Then the elderly woman’s house will be filled with noisy conversations, cheerful children’s laughter, and she will be happy.

These are the thoughts and desires that Alexander Shilov’s paintings evoke.

"Summer in the Country"

The canvas “Summer in the Village” was created by the artist in 1980. It depicts a real Russian beauty against the backdrop of picturesque nature. The cut makes the outfit look like the attire of young ladies of past centuries. Just like this girl, they loved to spend the summer months in the village. In those days, the head and hands were covered, but on this canvas the artist Alexander Shilov depicted a modern girl. His paintings like this one convey a cheerful mood.

The colorful flowers of the meadow set off the girls in white. She has voluminous hair and a long braid.

The sky is reflected in the heroine's large eyes. The artist has it blue, with purple tints. The horizon line is clearly shown. There the blue sky turns into a field with emerald grass. In the foreground you can see tall ones mixed with pink, yellow, and white.

The girl humbly folded her hands, genuine modesty was frozen in her eyes. All this helps to feel the character of the heroine, who was drawn by Alexander Maksovich Shilov. Paintings like this show the charm and irresistibility of nature.

Paintings

In the paintings “The Haystack”, “Indian Summer”, “Behind the Outskirts”, “The Holy Spring near the Village of Ivankovo” the artist depicted nature on one of the warm summer days.

The “Haystack” canvas is multifaceted. We see a haystack. The peasants mowed the grass and dried it for days. Now they stacked the finished hay in a stack. To prevent the blades of grass from being blown away by the wind, they placed them lightly on both sides.

The haystack is located on a high, sloping bank. If you go down, you can find yourself near the river. The sky is reflected in its deep waters. Lush bushes and trees fit in very well. The dark greenery perfectly sets off the light greenery that covers the banks of the river.

Paintings with titles

Here is a list of just some of the paintings that the artist created:

• "Russian beauty".
• "Son of the Motherland."
• "Singer E.V. Obraztsova."
• "Where sounds reign."
• "Portrait of Nikolai Slichenko."
• "Metropolitan Filaret".
• "Diplomat".
• "Shepherd.

The artist has many other works. Check them out and a new wonderful world will open up before you!

Alexander Maksovich Shilov is a realist artist, author of portraits in the traditional romantic style. People's Artist of the USSR.
Born in 1943 in Moscow. Graduated from Moscow State Academy of Arts named after V.I. Surikov. He participated in exhibitions of young artists, and in 1976 became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR.
In 1997, the State Art Gallery of People's Artist of the USSR Alexander Shilov was opened in Moscow.
Since 1997 - corresponding member (since 2001 - full member) of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Since 1999 - member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art.

“It was with great pleasure and admiration that I got acquainted with the works in this wonderful gallery. Unsurpassed portraits, of course, are part of the history of Russia and its people,” “I am glad and happy that we have such a wonderful museum of a talented, recognized, beloved master. It’s a real pleasure to view the exhibition; it leaves an indelible impression on the artist’s skill - high, spiritual, philosophical!” - such enthusiastic words are left in the guest book by visitors to the Alexander Shilov gallery.

We have long been accustomed to the fact that in the center of Moscow - opposite the Kremlin - there is the State Art Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR, portrait painter Alexander Shilov. This year she turned 15 years old. Is it a lot or a little? It is up to visitors, admirers of the painter’s talent, and those who first step into the high exhibition halls to judge. Many have already forgotten how this museum was created, with a constantly updated exhibition. Unfortunately, there are more and more people with short memories and no respect for their past. These are the realities of our life. But at the same time, interest in realistic art and the genre of portraiture remains. We met with the founder of the gallery and the brightest representative of this genre, Alexander Maksovich Shilov, and asked him a few questions.

Correspondent. Alexander Maksovich, tell us how it all began?

Alexander Shilov. In 1996, I approached the State Duma with a proposal to donate my works to the country, people, and state free of charge. I had a moral right to do this. After each exhibition in the 80-90s - and they were held in Manege, and on Kuznetsky Most, and on Tverskaya - people in their reviews and in appeals to the heads of various departments asked to make my exhibition permanent. After listening to my proposal, the Chairman of the State Duma, and then he was Gennady Seleznev, raised this issue at a plenary meeting. What I am proud of is that all factions, although I never belonged to any of them, voted unanimously to create a state gallery, deciding to give it my name. After this, they turned to the Kremlin with a request to allocate premises in the city center. Not for me personally, as the unscrupulous media write, which is the most despicable lie, but for the gallery. At first they offered three halls in the Kremlin Palace, which had just been restored at that time, but this room was sensitive (not open every day), and my work would not fit there. Therefore, this option was eliminated. Then the Moscow government allocated a mansion designed by the architect Tyurin, built in 1830, at the address: Znamenka Street, building 5. A small cosmetic renovation was carried out here, and the gallery opened on May 31, 1997. On that solemn day, I said that I would give away works that were not made to order by me - and this is almost 95 percent of what I write. This has been happening for 15 years now. The best in my work - 15-20 paintings and graphics - I give to Moscow every year on City Day.

Corr. How many works are in the collection today?

A.Sh. The collection consists of 935 works of painting and graphics.

Corr. You have interesting portraits using pastel technique.

A.Sh. Yes, this is a very complex technique. I rub my fingers so that they bleed because I work with fine sandpaper so that the pastel doesn’t fall off...

Corr. Your gallery has gained fame as one of the most famous concert venues in Moscow.

A.Sh. Again, by decision of the Moscow Government, we are holding concerts of classical art stars “Visiting the Shilov Gallery”. Over the years, world-class masters have performed with us - Obraztsova, Matorin, Sotkilava, Pakhmutova and others. We are always sold out. In addition, we often invite people to our concerts who cannot afford to buy tickets.

We also organize free evenings for children with disabilities. I would like to give more attention to those who are deprived of this from birth. We organize drawing competitions, I select children's works for exhibitions. I hope that the children find a good home here and feel complete.

In addition, there are meetings with the heroes of my paintings. I made a number of portraits of military personnel, intelligence officers, and border guards. We invite children who are preparing to become defenders of the Fatherland to such meetings. I must say that these evenings are warm and cordial.

Corr. Your creative credo...

A.Sh. The most important thing is to grow as an artist. From work to work, try to increase the level of skill and achieve depth of content. I write what I feel in my heart. An artist must be a Samoyed, and in this state he must work. Only fools are complacent. If a person is satisfied with himself, he dies in creativity. And in order to feel shortcomings, Repin said, you need to look only at the great.

Corr. How do you choose subjects for portraits?

A.Sh. I paint portraits of a variety of people. And doctors, and artists, monks and nuns, homeless people and abandoned old people. “History in faces”, “an absolute cross-section of society” - this is how they write about the gallery’s collection. An artist is, first of all, a state of mind. First of all, I must be ready to work. For my last heroine, I spent 9 hours driving along our roads, but I couldn’t live without it. They told me about her, showed her photograph, and I wanted to meet her.

Corr. Has anything rocked you lately?

A.Sh. Yes. That's exactly what shocked her. I recently returned from the Saratov region. I went to the village to paint a portrait of an amazing woman - Lyubov Ivanovna Klyueva, a participant in the Great Patriotic War. Her portrait will be included in the exhibition “They Fought for the Motherland.” She is 90 years old and has been at the front since she was 19. If you could see her hands! These are neither women's nor men's hands. They are all in knots. This woman had no days off. She worked all her life and raised six children. I have already buried my husband. When I talked to her, my throat began to spasm, tears welled up. It was some kind of mental cleansing. Lyubov Ivanovna is intelligent, modest and pleasant to talk to. God, what subtle manners she has! When we said goodbye to her, she gave me a rose. This is so touching... It's sad that such beautiful people leave. For six months I dreamed of breaking out to her. The work, however, was very difficult. It is very difficult to write in a cramped hut with small windows, where you can’t really place an easel. But this path to a portrait is dear to me.

Corr. How often does your gallery travel with exhibitions to other cities?

A.Sh. About once a year. Organizing exhibitions is not an easy task. The gallery does everything itself, for its own money. Recently, the exhibition “They Fought for the Motherland” was held in Volgograd. The exhibition included more than 40 of my works. These are portraits of participants in the Great Patriotic War. Here are ordinary soldiers, clergy, and famous cultural figures - Bondarchuk, Etush, Viktor Rozov... There was great interest - the exhibition was extended twice. Front-line soldiers came, not those who were holed up in convoys, but, you know, real warriors. If I had the opportunity and time, I would definitely paint their portraits. After all, these are the last witnesses to the terrible events of the twentieth century, in their eyes - war. There were a lot of young people. In general, our exhibition has great educational value. Soon, at the invitation of Aman Tuleyev, we will go to Kemerovo. Of course, I would dream of traveling with this exhibition to all the hero cities! But the gallery alone cannot achieve this...

Corr. How long have you exhibited abroad?

A.Sh. For a long time. True, now there is no such special need. Firstly, there is a gallery. Now people come to us from different parts of Russia and abroad. Both ordinary people leave reviews and distinguished guests. The President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and recently Vladimir Putin were there. Everyone highly appreciated my work, which I am very proud of. For example, I had an exhibition in Paris. A lot of people came. I remember Louis Aragon’s comment: “It’s amazing that under such pressure from ideology and all sorts of “isms” you have preserved the traditions of classicism.” Secondly, I repeat, organizing a visiting exhibition, especially abroad, is a big risk. Now, if someone made such an exhibition for me, I would be happy!

Corr. How can young artists make their way, since realistic art is not in honor today? For example, the organizers of the award named after. Kandinsky is not even considered the work of realist artists?

A.Sh. Chekhov also said: “Talent needs help, but mediocrity will break through on its own.” I want to assure you that it is always difficult to break through in my country and abroad, but this is a test of one’s vocation. If a person draws and cannot live without it, like without air, and if he has a gift, then such a person cannot be stopped. Talent cannot be stifled. It wasn’t easy for me either, but I worked hard, and even today I write every day for 4-5 hours. Then, of course, I feel like a dead lemon. But until I finish the portrait, I can’t calm down, I feel inadequate, I can’t be completely happy. Not for the sake of a beautiful word I will say: “Without work, I will die.”

Of course, some people today paint just to get rich. That's what PR is for. But, unfortunately, the criterion of mastery is trampled underfoot. The level of skill, I believe, is deliberately lowered to the level of vestments. And this happens in all areas. In literature, painting, music... Everything is deliberately mixed. Now everyone is a genius, everyone can sing, draw, etc.

Corr. Is it possible to change this situation?

A.Sh. Yes, sure. There must be a state program. Art must be taught from kindergarten in order to develop people's souls. High art saturates with thoughts and feelings.

I remember how my mother took me to the Tretyakov Gallery for the first time. I was shocked. Portraits by Levitsky, Borovikovsky, Bryullov are something divine. I was constantly haunted by the question: “Can a person really paint a portrait in such a way that I see the face of a real person with whom I can talk?” I enjoyed the way it was done. Craftsmanship brought to perfection! I was surprised that I didn’t see the artist’s kitchen, and in my work I also strive not to see it.

But returning to the topic of education, I repeat: there must be a state program. If a child learns to draw and sees masterpieces in front of him, he will never be interested in cheap and vulgar fakes in the future. Look at how they painted before the revolution in noble families and military families. We studied music a lot and seriously. What a waltz Griboyedov composed - a miracle! And if people do not come into contact with art, purify themselves, and grow, they will quickly turn into a herd. Well, there will always be a shepherd.

Corr. What if you are offered to create some kind of educational program? Do you agree?

A.Sh. Yes, I will be happy to do this.

Corr. Do you often visit provincial art galleries?

A.Sh. Yes. Just recently I was in the same Saratov. The gallery is in terrible condition. Although there are paintings by Shishkin, Polenov... Who should support this? Probably the Ministry of Culture. Let's remember the story. The elderly Pope supervised how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel. Russian emperors constantly visited the Academy of Arts and were interested in what was happening in Russian art. After all, the state of artistic values ​​and achievements in art determine the level of development of a country.

Corr. What museums do you prefer to visit abroad?

A.Sh. I love Italy, I love the amazing Louvre Museum. Of course, everything came from Italy. It is no coincidence that our boarders - graduates and medal winners of the Russian Academy of Arts - were sent to Italy at public expense. Kiprensky, Bryullov, Ivanov, and many other outstanding artists improved their skills there.

Corr. Do you have students?

A.Sh. No. Firstly, you need to have time, but I don’t have it. Secondly, you need to have patience, I don’t have it either. Apparently this is not my calling. I am an artist. I put a lot of effort into my work. I invite everyone to the exhibition “They Fought for the Motherland.” I believe that people who fought and laid down their lives on the altar of the Fatherland should be rewarded much more than is being done now. I want to be heard through these portraits. The exhibition has a very beneficial effect on the viewer, it makes you think about a lot, remember the concepts of honesty, honor and decency... I want a sense of pride in our people, in our art to take root.

Corr. What qualities do you value in women and men?

A.Sh. Whatever the relationship, I value loyalty in a woman, even blind. Any relationship should be based on this. A woman should be loving, caring, feminine. Previously, in villages it was believed that if a woman loves a man, she will take care of him. A man is obliged to take care of a woman while maintaining her dignity. But in general, by and large, I love people with a delicate mental structure. After all, I am an artist after all.

The conversation was conducted by Oksana Lipina.

Culture contains both stable, conservative and dynamic, innovative sides. The sustainable side of culture is cultural tradition, due to which the accumulation and transmission from generation to generation of elements of cultural heritage occurs: ideas, values, moral standards, customs, rituals, skills. The system of traditions reflects the integrity and stability of the social organism. The history of culture would seem absurd if each generation completely rejected the cultural achievements of the previous one.

No culture can exist without traditions. Moreover, cultural tradition is an indispensable condition not only for the existence, but also for the development of culture, even in the conditions of the creation of a qualitatively new culture. To reveal the mechanism of cultural development, the dialectical law of the negation of negation is of particular importance, which, not limiting itself to just asserting the invincibility of the new, reveals the cyclical nature of development, characterizes the unity of progression and continuity inherent in any type of development, including the development of culture.

Continuity, as a general pattern in the development of culture, manifests itself in various specific forms, such as: 1) genetic connection of the old culture with the new; 2) the emergence of individual elements of a new culture in the still existing old one; 3) preservation of certain elements of the old one in the new culture; 4) return to the original stage of development. In the latter case, continuity involves not simply the preservation of certain features of the directly denied old culture within the framework of the new, but the restoration of certain elements of the old that once existed, then were denied and ceased to exist, but were again revived by development. This is, for example, the revival of ancient culture during the Renaissance.

Denial of continuity in the development of culture results in a nihilistic attitude towards the greatest cultural values ​​created in the past. Within the framework of such ideas, the development of culture is possible only with the complete and categorical destruction of the old culture, a typical example of which can be the vulgarizing theories of the Proletcultists. Proletkult (an association of proletarian cultural and educational organizations) arose in 1917 and advocated a nihilistic, anarchist attitude towards the past, towards its culture, towards the greatest spiritual values ​​accumulated in previous history. Having adopted the slogan: “The proletariat is not the heir of the past, but the creator of the future,” the Proletkultists seriously believed that a new proletarian culture could and should be built outside of any traditions. This approach echoed the calls emanating from futurism, which arose even earlier, whose representatives considered it necessary to destroy all previous culture:

We are in the grip of a rebellious, passionate intoxication;

Let them shout to us: “You are the executioners of beauty.”

In the name of our tomorrow, we will burn Raphael.

Let's destroy museums, trample flowers of art.

It was proposed to carry out a complete destruction of “bourgeois science”, to create new programs in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, in which everything would be the other way around. The nihilistic calls of the proletcultists and futurists echo the slogans of the cultural revolution in China, during which the Chinese press classified Dante's Divine Comedy, Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, Roland's Jean Christophe and other treasures of world literature and art as “poisonous herbs.” . During the Cultural Revolution, priceless works of Chinese classical art were destroyed, and Chinese culture suffered irreparable losses.

Of course, both in the preservation and transmission of culture from generation to generation there must be a certain stability, there must be a tradition. The development of culture is not only the replacement of some of its qualitative states by others, but also the inheritance of certain content, the inclusion of this content in a higher synthesis. It is the peculiar inheritance by subsequent generations of everything viable from the culture of previous generations that determines the progression and progressiveness of development. Otherwise, cultural progress would be impossible.

What has been said, however, should not be understood in the sense that the development of culture is a simple return to the old, its complete restoration, the literal preservation or repetition of the features of the old in a new culture. If this were really the case, then the development of culture would turn into marking time, into a meaningless repetition of the same thing, into a monotonous series of monotonous variations on the same theme.

Tradition is memory, and selective memory at that. Culture always remembers and updates only what is needed by modern times. Consequently, cultural tradition is a way of mobilizing the experience of the past, but not in an unchanged form, but in a transformed form, adapted to the present.

The repetition of certain features of the old in a new culture is neither literal nor absolute: firstly, not all features of the old are repeated in the new, and secondly, those that are repeated in the new culture are melted and take on a different form. As for truly obsolete forms of culture, they disappear once and for all, completely and irrevocably.

Culture is not the passive storage of material and spiritual values ​​created by previous generations, but the active creative use of them for social progress. And not just use, but also update. Society reproduces and improves itself only by inheriting and creatively processing the accumulated wealth of culture. And blind admiration for tradition, its hypertrophy gives rise to conservatism and stagnation in culture.

In the creativity of culture, the universal is organically fused with the unique. Each cultural value is unique, whether we are talking about a work of art, a scientific discovery, a technical invention or a human behavioral act.

Thus, tradition and creativity– these are two inextricably linked sides of culture, two sides of the same coin. The unity of tradition and innovation, their mutual correlation is a universal characteristic of any culture.

At the same time, the description of the real diversity of the history of human society and its culture shows that the relationship between tradition and creativity is not a constant given once and for all, it changes in space and time. Its different ratio serves as the basis for dividing societies into traditional and technogenic.

Western civilization, the basis of which was laid by the ancient Greeks, as well as modern Europeans, is called “technogenic” (V.S. Stepin). Its characteristic features are: intellectualism, knowledge in the forms of theoretical concepts, systematic application in the production of scientific knowledge, rapid changes in technology and technology, concepts of equality of people, equal opportunities, developed ethics and democracy. As technogenic civilization develops, there is an accelerating renewal of the artificially created human-made environment (“second nature”). The German philosopher M. Weber considers the main values ​​of Western culture to be: 1) dynamism, orientation towards novelty; 2) affirmation of dignity and respect for the human person; 3) individualism, orientation towards personal autonomy; 4) rationality; 5) ideals of freedom; 6) tolerance, tolerance for other people's opinions, other people's faith; 7) respect for private property.

Unlike Western culture, Eastern culture is focused on emotional, intuitive perception of the world. The scientific rationality of Western culture is contrasted here with a moral-volitional attitude toward contemplation, serenity, and intuitive-mystical fusion with existence. Time in such civilizations is perceived as something finite, as a closed cycle, which includes both nature and the history of society. In the ideological aspect, in Eastern cultures there is no division of the world into natural and supernatural, into the natural world and the world of society. Therefore, here the highest good is not the conquest of nature, but merging with it.

This type of culture creates non-technical civilizations with their descriptive sciences and impressionistic art. It is focused, first of all, on the reproduction of existing social structures, the stabilization of an established way of life, and the reproduction of its stable stereotypes. Its highest value is the traditional way of life, accumulating the experience of ancestors.

It is clear that these characteristics of Western and Eastern cultures are just speculative models that cannot be fully equated with the real state of world culture. There is even less reason to literally transfer them to the modern world, to a world where once disparate nations and nationalities inhabiting all continents are united into an integral social entity - humanity.