The Golden Fleece. Silver Age. International Literary Almanac "Golden Fleece" Golden Fleece Literary Almanac

"THE GOLDEN FLEECE"

Immediately after the termination of the "World of Art", from January 1905 in Moscow began to appear "art and art-critical magazine" - "Iskusstvo". Its editor-publisher was a young artist N. Ya. Tarovaty. Although new magazine diligently tried to outwardly resemble his predecessor and develop the artistic principles laid down in the "World of Art", he did not use the support of the "senior" and evoked mostly squeamishly derogatory reviews. The idea of ​​succession seemed to the founders of the closed magazine too bold and arrogant for the Moscow artistic youth, who had not yet shown themselves to be anything serious; The predominant interest of the new magazine in folk and decorative and applied art, in the French impressionists and post-impressionists, reliance on the Moscow Association of Artists also could not but arouse a jealous and wary attitude among the World of Art. And in the writing environment, "Art" did not have reliable support. The literary (more precisely, critical and bibliographic) department of Art was, in comparison with the Libra and Questions of Life published simultaneously, very thin. He participated in the organization of the journal and at first its secretary was the young symbolist poet V. Hoffman, a student of Balmont and Bryusov, who then retired from the circle of Scorpio and Libra and managed to attract only a few novice writers to work in Art. modernists. A few articles, chronicles and reviews in the first issues of the journal were signed mainly by M.I. Pantyukhov (Mikh. Pan-v), M.I. Sizov (Mikh. S.), V.F. Hoffmann, various pseudonyms, of course, hiding the same names for the most part.

In the summer of 1905, S. A. Sokolov (literary pseudonym - Sergey Krechetov) joined the work in the editorial office of Iskusstva. In No. 5/7 of the journal it was announced that Sokolov was taking an active part in editing the literary department; in No. 8 he was already named along with Tarovaty as an equal editor. The head of the symbolist publishing house Grif, second in importance after Scorpion, the publisher of the almanacs of the same name, Sokolov was associated with all the most significant representatives of the "new" art and could provide Tarovaty's magazine with a quite representative literary department. “I thought of helping Art and I am attracting a whole number of people there, starting with Balmont,” Sokolov informed V.F. Khodasevich on May 11, 1905. employees, among whom now, by the way, are: Merezhkovsky, Balmont, Minsky, Gippius, Sologub, A. Blok and Bely.

The efforts of Sokolov gave a certain result: the 8th issue of the magazine was already presented by the names of Balmont, Bryusov, Blok. However, the activities of the magazine ceased at this point due to the then usual reason for financial insolvency. Nevertheless, the publication of "Iskusstvo" and the union of Tarovaty and Sokolov - the leaders, respectively, of its artistic and literary departments - became a kind of springboard for the activities of the new Moscow modernist publication - the magazine "Golden Fleece". “Art as such no longer exists, and the 8th issue that came out is the last,” Tarovaty Konst reported. Erberg in October 1905 - But from the "Art" a new magazine "Golden Fleece" arose, which is supposed to be published monthly starting from January 1906. Staff, with a few additions<…>the same as in Art, but I was invited to head the art department in it. Sokolov became the head of the literary department of the magazine.

Nikolai Pavlovich Ryabushinsky (1876–1951), a representative of a large family of millionaire capitalists in Moscow, a generous philanthropist, a remarkable and extravagant figure in his own way, gave money for the publication of The Golden Fleece. As M. D. Bakhrushin recalls, “he was not involved in the affairs of the family banking company (or rather, he was not allowed to them), he was married several times and only spent his money and his and his wives ... He built the Black Villa in Petrovsky Park in Moscow. Swan", where he set fantastic tricks for golden youth. However, he was a very capable and even talented person.” Sincerely devoted to the "new" art, Ryabushinsky tried own forces in painting and literature (under the pseudonym "N. Shinsky"), but in these experiments he was not able to go beyond amateurism. This is evidenced by his paintings, repeatedly reproduced in the "Golden Fleece", and poems, and with particular obviousness the story "Confession", published under the "Golden Fleece" in a separate edition in 1906 - an ultra-decadent work in the spirit of Przybyszewski and D' Annunzio, written from the point of view of the artist, and with typical epigonic zeal, develops the themes of individualism and immorality, free creativity and free passion.

From the very beginning, The Golden Fleece was conceived as a magazine close in its literary and aesthetic principles to Libra. The desire to take into account and adopt the editorial experience of Bryusov characterizes the first steps of Ryabushinsky and Sokolov on the way to organizing a new edition. Bryusov, however, reacted to Ryabushinsky's publishing venture with a certain amount of caution, cautiously taking a wait-and-see attitude, although he willingly joined the ranks of the magazine's closest collaborators. This wariness was partly dictated by the fact that S. Sokolov, the leader of the "Grifov" group of Symbolists, was in charge of the literary affairs of the "Golden Fleece", which Bryusov regarded as a hotbed of epigonism and in relation to which he cultivated "some kind of rivalry and a kind of antagonism." Welcoming the "Golden Fleece" in general as a significant symptom of the development and spread of the "new" art, Bryusov nevertheless could not but point out possible vulnerabilities, and above all, the threat of the notorious secondary nature of this enterprise, organized on a grand scale and far-reaching claims. Such fears were voiced even in Bryusov's speech prepared for the gala dinner on the occasion of the publication of the first issue of The Golden Fleece (January 31, 1906); the leader of symbolism drew attention in it to the urgent need for radically new searches and daring for the further fruitful development of the literary school he defended:

“Thirteen years ago, in the autumn of 1893, I worked on the publication of a thin, tiny book, which bore the impotent and impudent title “Russian Symbolists”. I called this title powerless because it is colorless, does not say anything in itself, refers to something else. But it was also audacious, because it openly presented its authors as defenders of that movement in literature, which in our country until that time had been subjected only to the most bitter attacks and ridicule, except for its very ambiguous defense in the pages of Sev.<ерного>Herald". A struggle began, at first imperceptible, then noticed only in order to also be subjected to all kinds of attacks. And it lasted 13 years, growing, capturing more and more vast areas, attracting more and more significant number of supporters. Today, at last, I am present at the launch of the newly equipped, richly decorated, luxurious ship Argo, which Jason hands over to us, politicians so different in their convictions.<еским>, philosophical<им>and religious<ым>, but united precisely under the banner of new art. And seeing before me this marvel of building art, its golden sails, its beautiful flags, I finally realize that the struggle in which I had the honor to participate with my companions was not fruitless, was not hopeless. But, as I board this ship, I ask myself the question: where will our feeder take us? What Golden Fleece are we going for. If for the one for which we set out 13 years ago in a fragile boat, then it has already been torn out in Colchis from the evil dragon, has already become property home country. Is it really the task of the new Argo only to deliver strands of evil<отого>rune and distribute it among the hands. Is it really the business of the new edition only to disseminate ideas previously expressed by others? Oh, then your Argo will not be winged<м>by ship - but by bulk<ным>crypt, marble<ым>a sarcophagus, which, like the tombs of Pergamon, will be admired in museums, but in which the new poetry will be magnificently buried. I raise my glass to<ы>this was not, I raise a glass against everyone who wants to rest, celebrating victory, and for everyone who wants a new struggle, in the name of new ideals in art, who is waiting for new failures and new ridicule.

Bryusov's characterization of the "Golden Fleece" as a "miracle of building art" was not only a tribute to the solemn and festive style. Ryabushinsky did everything to attract the best symbolist and near-symbolist literary forces to his magazine, and the art department of the magazine was organized on a grand scale, built on the example of the World of Art. Huge amounts of money were invested in the publication. The design was distinguished by the defiant high cost of execution. The orientation was initially given to the loudest, most prestigious names of their kind: the first issue opened with a whole album of reproductions from the works of M. Vrubel (subsequent issues were respectively devoted to the work of K. Somov, V. Borisov-Musatov, L. Bakst), the literary department it was represented by the names of D. Merezhkovsky, K. Balmont, V. Bryusov, A. Blok, Andrei Bely, F. Sologub. The entire text of the magazine was printed in parallel in two languages ​​- Russian and French. And at the same time, from the very beginning there were fears similar to Bryusov's, and suspicions that "the Golden Fleece" - it seems - has a lot of money and few ideas.

Having presumptuously become the editor-publisher of The Golden Fleece, Ryabushinsky placed himself in the curious position of a "philistine in the nobility" among the refined representatives of the "new" art. “... It seemed like he on purpose appears to the point of caricature as a typical merchant-dear from Ostrovsky’s plays,” Benois recalled Ryabushinsky, noting at the same time the founder of the magazine had a touching desire to “crawl out of the state that was determined for him by class, environment, upbringing, and penetrate into some“ spiritual zone “, which seemed to him incomparably more sublime and bright.” The same Benois, at the time of the publication of The Golden Fleece, concluded that Ryabushinsky was “a true boor, although“ decorated ”with brocade, gold, and maybe even flowers.” D. V. Filosofov echoed him: “Golden Fleece is a boorish magazine, but the only one where you can work,” he meant, first of all, the financial security of the publication, which he admitted with ironic frankness: “We had N. Riabouchinsky. I'm not talking about the impression. When finances are cracking, la Toison d’or is of great importance for intelligent proletarians!” Not yet very experienced in the capital's literary affairs, L. Shestov was sincerely perplexed after meeting with Ryabushinsky in the editorial office of the Golden Fleece: “He told me that he was both a publisher and an editor. But when I tried to talk to him about literature, it turned out that he had nothing to do with it. Not only has he not heard anything about me, but apart from Bryusov, Balmont and Merezhkovsky, he knows no one. Yes, and those whom he knows, he knows only by name. That's the editor! However, the editor himself was full of confidence that he was able to brilliantly establish a literary business. “A mixture of naivety and boastfulness,” E. Lanser stated in Ryabushinsky, citing some of his assurances: “Everything talented works for me,” “My magazine will be everywhere - in Japan, and in America, and in Europe.”

Everything in Ryabushinsky's journal - already starting with the title, chosen under the deliberate influence of Andrei Bely's famous poem "The Golden Fleece" and the figurative symbolism of the circle of Moscow "Argonauts" - was focused on ready samples and persistently claimed only the completeness and completeness of their expression. Adopting the experience of The World of Art and Scales, which were published at a high printing level, in an exquisite and strictly deliberate design, Ryabushinsky sought to outshine and suppress his predecessors with excessive, excessive luxury, pretentiousness, which constantly threatened to develop into triumphant bad taste. The determination to follow the aesthetic precepts of symbolism gave rise to an editorial manifesto that opened the first issue of the magazine; in it, with disarming naivety, full of almost parodic sound, it was announced that in the "mad whirlpool" modern life, in the "roar of the struggle" "it is impossible to live without Beauty", that "it is necessary to win for our descendants free, bright, sunlit creativity", and the program mottos were proclaimed:

« Art is forever for it is based on the imperishable, on what cannot be rejected.

Art is one for its only source is the soul.

Art is symbolic for it bears within itself a symbol, a reflection of the Eternal in the temporal.

Art is free for it is created by a free creative impulse” (1906, no. 1, p. 4).

Behind the eloquence and pathos of the manifesto, we can clearly distinguish the imprint of the personality of S. Sokolov (Krechetov), ​​who in the first months of the Golden Fleece's activity became its ideologist and actual leader. He himself considered The Golden Fleece to be a publication “very amazing in terms of scope and breadth of tasks”, emphasizing in every possible way his leading position in it, but he could tell the magazine nothing but a “lexicon of common truths” of symbolist aesthetics in its specifically “decadent” refraction.

To a certain extent, Ryabushinsky's money saved the situation. Thanks to this important factor, the "Golden Fleece" had the appearance of a solid, well-established monthly. In terms of volume and level of the literary department, the issues of the Golden Fleece were not inferior to the issues of Libra. K. Balmont, V. Bryusov, Andrey Bely, Vyach. Ivanov, F. Sologub, A. Blok, Z. Gippius, D. Merezhkovsky - in fact, all the symbolists "with a name" who published poetry, prose, and articles in the Golden Fleece. Extremely indicative in this regard was the first, "debut" issue of the magazine: it contained Merezhkovsky's poem "Old Octaves", Sologub's story "The Caller of the Beast", Andrey Bely's dramatic excerpt "The Mouth of the Night", poems by Balmont, Bryusov, Blok, Bely; the same Balmont, Merezhkovsky, Blok participated in the critical department. Symbolist writers of the second rank and novice writers also found a safe haven in the "Golden Fleece", although in general they were published in a smaller proportion than the "masters". The leading artists of the era, for the most part "World of Art", participated in the design - they had already gained fame (L. Bakst, E. Lansere, K. Somov, A. Benois, S. Yaremich, M. Dobuzhinsky) and were just beginning to win public recognition (N Sapunov, P. Kuznetsov, N. Feofilaktov, V. Milioti and others).

A serious impression was made by the chronicle and critical-bibliographic departments. In their charge, there was a noticeable desire to solve somewhat different tasks than those set by the editors of Libra: in Bryusov's journal much attention was paid to novelties of foreign literature and events in the cultural life of the West, in The Golden Fleece the main emphasis was placed on Russian literary and art history. The selection and evaluation of the material was carried out from aesthetic positions close to Libra. In particular, Ryabushinsky's journal fully adopted the tone of Libra in relation to realist writers. In the "Golden Fleece" disparaging reviews were published about the collections "Knowledge", about Bunin's poems (S. Solovyov - 1907. No. 1, p. 89), about the works of secondary authors of the realistic school. It should be noted, however, that, in comparison with Libra, The Golden Fleece paid little attention to the fight against realism and did not try to maintain polemical one-linearity. So, A. Kursinsky, calling M. Gorky “an artist who has already exhausted himself,” at the same time highly appreciated L. Andreev’s Savva (1906. No. 10. P. 90–91), and V. Khodasevich, who saw in the majority works of the 7th collection "Knowledge" only "a monotonous gray mass", focused all attention on Gorky's "Children of the Sun" as a "truly remarkable" drama (1906. No. 1. P. 154-155). The main interest of the "Golden Fleece" showed to the phenomena of art, directly or indirectly related to modernism. N. Tarovaty was engaged in the artistic chronicle of Moscow in the magazine, D. V. Filosofov prepared the reviews “The Artistic Life of St. Petersburg”, and then (after the departure of Filosofov with the Merezhkovskys on February 25, 1906 to France) Konst. Erberg. The “Musical Chronicle of St. Petersburg” was conducted from issue to issue by the famous music critic V. Karatygin (signing with the cryptonym V. K.), correspondence about Moscow musical life was placed by I. A. Sats, Alexander Struve, E. K. Medtner (Wolfing), B Popov (Mizgir). Reports on the events of the theatrical life in Moscow were published by N. Petrovskaya and A. Kursinsky, in St. Petersburg - by O. Dymov. Reviews by S. Makovsky, A. Rostislavov, A. Vorotnikov, Parisian correspondence by M. Voloshin, A. Benois, A. Shervashidze appeared sporadically.

On the whole, there were no fundamental, programmatic differences from Libra in the Golden Fleece at the beginning of the publication. Only one more, richer journal of a similar direction and subject appeared, relying on the same authors and practically duplicating Scales, diverting employees from Bryusov's journal and ultimately preventing it from maintaining its former monopoly position. Bryusov's fears that the "Golden Fleece" would become a "marble sarcophagus", crowning the values ​​\u200b\u200blong already won, were eloquently confirmed with each issue. The desire to partly restore the priority of the pioneers of the "new" art, partly to reveal the initial lack of independence and weakness that were hiding behind the external magnificence and prestige of Ryabushinsky's journal, his article "Links. II. Golden Fleece”, published on March 27, 1906 in the literary supplement to the Slovo newspaper. The Golden Fleece was regarded in it as a publication focused on yesterday and proclaiming elementary truths that no one cares about anymore: “This whole“ new ”magazine tells me about something old, he offers readers, obtained not by him, but by others, long before he was equipped for the journey. “What is the Golden Fleece? Bryusov asks. - These are interesting and artistically published collections that do not give anything new, but allow a group of artists to finish their speeches. This is a beautiful, lovingly executed edition, similar, however, to an alien plant, to a beautiful orchid that feeds on juices that it did not extract from the earth. This is a luxurious palace in which those of the former “decadents” who are tired of the rebellion of their youth and are ready to rest on drying laurels, rattling the strings with their usual hand and waving the brush, can peacefully calm down.

If Bryusov blamed the "Golden Fleece" primarily for the lack of search and independent initiative, then Z. Gippius's criticism was directed in a slightly different direction: she exposed Ryabushinsky's journal as an anti-cultural phenomenon. The concept of culture in general was the main weapon used by Libra employees for polemical purposes, and in the case of the Golden Fleece it turned out to be especially convenient. Hiding under the pseudonym "Comrade German", Gippius placed in "Balance" a note "Golden Fleece", in which she ridiculed the appearance of the first issue of Ryabushinsky's magazine ("pomp" of the "richest Moscow wedding"), his ideological credo ("decayed decadence") and editorial manifesto (“there is not a single reader of the Golden Fleece who has not heard that there is beauty, that there is art, that beauty is eternal, and art too”), caustically touched on the bilingualism of the magazine (“Obviously, the time has come for the French too learn that without beauty one cannot live and that it is eternal”). The accusations of bad taste and lack of culture contained in this review were imbued with arrogance towards the founders of the journal and, in contrast to Bryusov's article, were expressed in a very harsh, even insulting form. “The Golden Fleece is unreliable, but not hopeless,” Gippius concluded. - Only he would not have to teach, but to learn beauty. The Goddess-culture is incorruptible and gives the rights of teaching only to those who have really gone through her long school. "Beauty" cannot be written out like a dress from Paris. And luxury is not yet beauty.

S. Sokolov (Krechetov) made a rebuttal on the pages of the Golden Fleece. In the note “Apologetics of Culture” (1906, No. 3, pp. 131–132), he, refusing to argue on the merits (“We will not respond to abuse with abuse”), again insisted on the unshakable significance of the ideological and aesthetic slogans of the “Golden Fleece” and returned back to "Comrade Herman" accusations of lack of culture. Sokolov also pointed out the underlying reason for the dissatisfaction of the "Vyesovites": "... the note of offended monopoly sounds too unambiguously in their words."

"Scales" did not forgive this performance. Another note "Comrade Herman" - "Golden Fleece" followed; this time its author was Bryusov. The direct object of ironic criticism in this case turned out to be the pompous and pathetic style of S. Krechetov’s answer, which is especially ridiculous because it is called upon to defend undisputed truisms: a burning novelty for persons importantly informing Europe that art is eternal.

With this, the direct printed polemics between Libra and the Golden Fleece temporarily died out. Taking a pose of offended nobility, Sokolov only composed a memorandum to "Libra", which was not published:

“In No. 5 of the Scales, an article appeared again under the title “Golden Fleece” signed “Comrade Herman”. In it, the magazine again resorts to the indecent method of literary polemics - to open and rude abuse. Next to reproaching us for being "uncivilized," the new trick of the "Balance" is a suicidal spearhead.

This time article T<оварища>G<ермана>has nothing to do with the<олотому>R<уну>“like a magazine. These cries of petty irritated pride are directed at me personally.

I announce to "Libra" that, not wanting to analyze in detail the narrowly personal and base motives last article, henceforth I will consider it below my dignity not only to object to something in essence (this is very desirable for “Libra”!) To the works of pseudonymous and badly serving their purpose masks from “Libra”, but also to understand them in any way.

An embittered scolding, where the sense of decency and proportion is lost, is a sign of clearly conscious impotence, and the one who hides his face at the same time shows caution close to the quality whose name is cowardice.

Indeed, it is difficult to deny the share of Libra's bias, and Bryusov in the first place, in relation to Sokolov, Scorpio's longtime competitor. However, in both of his answers to “Libra” - both in the published and sent editions of the journal - attention is drawn to the insensitivity to the very essence of the critical speeches of Bryusov and Gippius, the readiness to explain all conceptual arguments exclusively by external, even vile personal considerations. Sokolov was clearly unable to understand the literary, ideological and aesthetic orientation of the “weight” criticism, and therefore could not listen to it and make any efforts to get rid of the stereotype in the guise of the journal he led. “The Golden Fleece, it seems to me, is hopeless,” Bryusov summed up in April 1906 in a letter to Merezhkovsky. - No brilliant guest performers will save the theater without a director, without their own troupe, without a person who would know how to evaluate plays. But it is insulting, endlessly insulting that the big, even enormous money (a year will cost over 100,000 rubles), which would enable an absolutely exceptional publication to exist and exert its influence, results in such a mediocre, banal "monthly, art magazine “” . Almost in the same terms, reproaches to the "Golden Fleece" were expressed in the anonymous "weighty" note "Questions" written by Bryusov. Bryusov sees confirmation that Ryabushinsky’s journal is not an organ of like-minded artists, but “a storage place for poems, articles and drawings”, that there are no “literary and artistically educated leaders” in it, Bryusov sees both in the outdated ideological program of the Golden Fleece, and in the colorless appearance of the chronicle-bibliographic department, and in the poor quality of reproduction of paintings, and in the artisanal nature of French translations, representing Russian writers "devoid of any individuality of style, some kind of impersonal crowd, writing invariably correct and invariably boring language."

Inside the Golden Fleece, however, their own conflicts were also brewing. Sokolov and Ryabushinsky clashed in their intention to play a leading role in the journal. Sokolov complained more than once about Ryabushinsky's nit-picking, whims, and dictatorial habits, about his helpless attempts to carry out his own literary ideas. Sokolov's proposals to streamline the conduct of business (in particular, his desire to assign secretarial duties to V. Khodasevich) were met with hostility by the owner of the journal. It came to a scandalous break, to which Sokolov tried to give maximum publicity, exposing Ryabushinsky as an "impudent capitalist" and "semi-literate person", "absolutely ignorant in matters of literature." On July 4, 1906, he sent Ryabushinsky a lengthy statement announcing his departure from the Golden Fleece; in essence, it was an open letter, since Sokolov sent copies of it to many writers. ““Fleece” can have the right to further existence only on the condition,” Sokolov wrote to Ryabushinsky, “that by inviting a person with sufficient literary experience as my deputy, you will give him unlimited powers, and you yourself will become only a student, and, moreover, for a long time.

The gap between Sokolov and Ryabushinsky produced the effect of a “bomb” in the symbolist environment, in the words of the secretary of the Libra, M. F. Likiardopulo. Sokolov even counted on the fact that eminent employees would leave the Golden Fleece after him; this did not happen, but the magazine's reputation was badly damaged. Ryabushinsky announced that from now on he intended to personally edit the literary department, but in reality he was not able to do without outside help and first of all turned to Bryusov for her, the very next day after the break with Sokolov: “... I am writing to you, kindly asking you Your advice and opinion. Literature now I will conduct myself. The unrevealed direction in the journal really torments me<…>Don't Forget The Golden Fleece<…>Respond and give me, please, something of your things. Again about the "unrevealed direction" of the "Golden Fleece" was an indirect recognition of the correctness of Bryusov's criticism; the leader of the Libra had an opportunity to take control of another journal, and he did not fail to take advantage of it, especially since he regarded with satisfaction the loss of Sokolov's leading role. “In Sweden, I learned that S. A. Sokolov left the Golden Fleece,” Bryusov wrote in his diary, “and this gave me hope to enter this journal closer. Since autumn, I began to visit the editorial office often and “help with advice.”

In terms of such “advice”, it is worth considering attracting active work in the literary department of the "Golden Fleece" A. A. Kursinsky - a minor poet and prose writer from the circle of early symbolists, a friend of Bryusov from his youth. “Old comrade Bryusov helped Kursinsky get a job as an editor at the Golden Fleece,” recalled B. Sadovskoy. Kursinsky had been a member of the magazine even under Sokolov, and after his departure he became responsible for maintaining the literary department. Sokolov informed after the break with Ryabushinsky that "in fact, in some parts, acquired the influence of Kursinsky, but he has neither rights nor powers and in general is under Ryab<ушинском>almost without a voice", "on the<ении>"half lady". With the growth of Bryusov's influence, the role of Kursinsky increased accordingly. On October 8, 1906, Bryusov stated with satisfaction in a letter to Z. N. Gippius: “Our mutual friend A. A. Kursinsky occupies an increasingly decisive position in the Rune ...”.

In terms of editorial skills and talents, Kursinsky would hardly; more capable than Sokolov. A writer of more than a modest and dependent talent, relying on "decadent" examples in style and problematics, Kursinsky himself could not have a life-giving influence on the Golden Fleece and in in general terms remained quite similar to the former head of the literary department. However, through him, Bryusov opened up the prospect of influencing the Golden Fleece, without taking on his shoulders all the hardships of the editorial and publishing process. Kursinsky turned out to be a convenient intermediary between the Golden Fleece and Libra. At the end of 1906, S. Sokolov noted that these two journals are “now in the closest friendship,” and Bryusov subsequently specified the nature of this “friendship”: “We willingly attended various editorial meetings and more than once took part in editorial work, up to reading manuscripts and writing announcements.

However, this union did not give independence and novelty to the Golden Fleece. For a short time - a few months at the end of 1906 - beginning of 1907 - Ryabushinsky's journal became in fact a satellite, a branch of "Vesov". Notable and even outstanding works continued to appear in it - “Salting” by A. Remizov (1906. No. 7/9, 10), “Eleazar” by L. Andreev and “The Tale of Eleusippe” by M. Kuzmin (1906. No. 11/12) , “The Gift of the Wise Bees” by F. Sologub (1907, No. 2, 3), “The King in the Square” by A. Blok (1907. No. 4), poems by Bryusov, Andrei Bely, M. Voloshin, Vyach. Ivanov, articles by Bely and Blok, etc. But as before, the Golden Fleece on a grand scale - and sometimes even with brilliance - propagandized and crowned what had been achieved, and did not open up something new, and in this sense, Bryusov's reproaches remained effective even at that time when he himself was involved in logging. Moreover, Bryusov’s temporary “one-man management” was by no means the last reason that Ryabushinsky’s journal, actively contributing to the establishment of symbolism and the spread of the ideological and aesthetic principles of the “new” art, was unable to create a new, independent in relation to the “Scales” creative laboratory uniting literary forces.

The Golden Fleece initiatives were carried out only in the direction where generous funding could support them, and often had an advertising, propaganda character. It was decided to supplement the parade of major literary names with a gallery of portraits painted by the order of the Golden Fleece by the best artists; this is how famous portraits were born - Bryusov by M. Vrubel (1906. No. 7/9), Andrei Bely by L. Bakst (1907. No. 1), Vyach. Ivanov by K. Somov (1907. No. 3), A. Remizov (1907. No. 7/9) and F. Sologub (1907. No. 11/12) by B. Kustodiev, A. Blok by K. Somov (1908. No. 1). As if in compensation for the magazine program, it was decided to hold Golden Fleece competitions on a given topic. The first competition was announced on the topic "The Devil" in literature and fine arts, for its holding in December 1906 a representative jury was assembled (for the literary department A. Blok, V. Bryusov, Vyach. Ivanov, A. Kursinsky, N. Ryabushinsky ); the works awarded in the competition were published in the first issue of the Golden Fleece for 1907. Bryusov summed up the ironic result of the competition: “It turned out that neither the authors nor their judges (including myself) have any idea about the devil.” The second of the announced competitions (on the topic "Life and Art of the Future") did not take place at all. Following the example of Libra, which was published under the symbolist publishing house Scorpio, Ryabushinsky also tried to establish book publishing under the Golden Fleece, but this enterprise did not reach a solid scale: only a few books were published in the Golden Fleece.

The work of the art department of the "Golden Fleece" was carried out with greater originality. Its head N. Ya. Tarovaty died on October 6, 1906, and was replaced by the artist Vasily Milioti. Under the leadership of Milioti, the Golden Fleece has already decisively completed the reorientation from the masters of the World of Art to the latest artistic trends. With the support of Ryabushinsky, the Blue Rose exhibition was organized, its review with many reproductions appeared in The Golden Fleece (1907. No. 5). The artists of the "Blue Rose" (P. Kuznetsov, N. Milioti, N. Sapunov, S. Sudeikin, M. Saryan, A. Arapov, N. Krymov and others) then made up the assets of the exhibitions of the "Golden Fleece" in 1908 and 1909. , from issue to issue participated in the design of the magazine. The "Golden Fleece" also has the merit of familiarizing the Russian public with the latest aspirations of French painting: 94 pictures from the works of French artists were placed in No. 7/9 for 1908, a significant number of reproductions - in No. 2/3 for 1909, separate the issues of the magazine were specially devoted to the sculpture of P. Gauguin (1909. No. 1) and the painting of A. Matisse (1909. No. 6). All these publications were accompanied by articles interpreting the work of selected masters and the nature of the search for new art schools.

Already at the beginning of 1907, the fragility of the alliance between the Bryusov group and the Golden Fleece was revealed. Ryabushinsky's cooperation with Kursinsky developed in the same direction as earlier with Sokolov. In mid-March 1907, Kursinsky complained to S.A. Polyakov about "a very strange and hardly motivated relationship" with Ryabushinsky, about the insulting behavior of the magazine owner. Not wanting, according to Bryusov, to be "a submissive performer<…>absurd whims", Kursinsky brought the conflict to the press, announcing his break with the "Golden Fleece", and demanded from the editorial board of "Libra" an arbitration tribunal between him and Ryabushinsky. Formally, Ryabushinsky was forced to apologize, but then, with insulting frankness and cynicism, he spoke about both Kursinsky and Libra’s guardianship: “Can’t I refuse his cook, without Libra intervening in this matter?" - and: "I am quite convinced that writers are the same as prostitutes: they give themselves to the one who pays, and if you pay more, they allow you to do whatever you want with them." Andrey Bely (who was offered to edit the literary department of the Golden Fleece after Kursinsky) reports on what happened next: “... I wrote to Ryabushinsky with a challenge: it is enough honor for him to subsidize the magazine; he, a tyrant and mediocrity, should not participate in the magazine; consequence - my way out<…>". “Boris Nikolaevich “officially” left the Golden Fleece,” wrote Bryusov Z. N. Gippius in mid-April 1907. “After a rather bad“ story ”with Kursinsky, I would willingly do the same<…>But it seems to me that it is shameful to refuse when the abolition of the literary department has already been decided. Heroism is too cheap, they will say.

Rumors about the termination of the literary department in the "Golden Fleece" in the spring of 1907 were quite persistent. In fact, only some internal reorganization of the journal took place; it was decided to abandon the voluminous critical and bibliographic department, which required methodical and laborious organizational and editorial work; “Instead of the bibliographic department, which was abolished from No. 3, the editors of The Golden Fleece, from the next No., introduces critical reviews that give a systematic assessment of literary phenomena. The editors obtained the consent of their employee A. Blok to conduct these reviews.<…>"("From the editors" // 1907. No. 4. P. 74). Along with this report, Blok's statement was placed, outlining a thematic program for future "critical reviews of current literature."

The planned reform was definitely a consequence of the fact that his secretary Heinrich Edmundovich Tasteven, a “Moscow Frenchman”, a philologist by education, and an author of articles on philosophical and aesthetic issues, joined the direct management of the Golden Fleece. During the first months of the magazine's publication, Tastevin's duties were mainly to provide French translations of prose material. In 1907, his actual powers go beyond secretarial work, and editorial activity is essentially concentrated in the hands of Tasteven. G. I. Chulkov, who knew Tasteven well school years, characterized him: “An amateur in the good sense of the word, Tasteven responded with extraordinary sensitivity to all the cultural phenomena of our time: he knew Kant well and German philosophy in general, and this allowed him to freely navigate in all the latest ideological currents; he could also be a competent judge in the field of plastic arts and devoted a lot of time to organizing exhibitions of the "Golden Fleece"<…>". The influence of Tasteven largely explains the changes in the ideological and aesthetic position of the Golden Fleece, which were clearly marked by the middle of 1907: “The magazine, until then eclectic, takes on a certain face. A number of significant articles appear on its pages on issues of general aesthetics and the theory of symbolism, as well as a decisive and firm polemic against decadence.<…>» .

The "anti-decadent" pathos manifested itself already in the first major article by Tasteven, which appeared in the "Golden Fleece" - "philosophical study" "Nichsche and the modern crisis." It pointed out the futility of "modern abstract individualism", which "turned the symbol from a living force, from the focus of our mental energies, into a dead mummy, a hieratic sign gravitating over life", and affirmed the need to overcome individualism, to establish a connection "between the" I " and “space”, the great element of life” (1907, no. 7/9, p. 115). The idea of ​​“overcoming individualism” was for Tasteven, according to G. Chulkov, “not only a literary formula, but also a matter of life”, he sought to find internally united aspirations to translate it into reality in the most dissimilar cultural phenomena of our time and sought to change in the corresponding direction the former "decadent"-individualistic course of the "Golden Fleece". It is natural at the same time that in their new ideological inclinations, the editors of the Golden Fleece - in the person of Tasteven in the first place - approached "mystical anarchism" - a philosophical and aesthetic theory put forward in 1906 by Chulkov and supported by Vyach. Ivanov, who put at the forefront the striving for "catholicity" and overcoming the former, individualistic symbolism. Having received a resonance primarily in the circle of the St. Petersburg symbolists, "mystical anarchism" was sharply criticized by the "Balances", who defended the precepts of "classical" symbolism.

It is characteristic that earlier in his criticism of the activities of the "Golden Fleece" Bryusov called for new searches precisely along anti-individualistic paths. However, the path of the “mystical-anarchist” revision of symbolism and the direction of “overcoming individualism” associated with it, which the Golden Fleece chose, were considered unacceptable by the “Vesovites”. This rejection was not long in affecting the renewed printed controversy between the two journals, as a result of which their ideological and tactical demarcation was actually sanctioned.

The first polemical attacks were resumed by "Scales" immediately after the termination of Kursinsky's editorial activity. In two notes published in the March 1907 issue, Bryusov pointed to the editorial negligence and undemanding nature of The Golden Fleece, and even to an irrefutable example of plagiarism, noting that Ryabushinsky's journal "is again turning into some kind of barn for random materials." In response, the April issue of The Golden Fleece (which came out belatedly at the beginning of the summer) was followed by an article entitled "The Causes of a Literary Metamorphosis", in which the tactics were already used not of defense, but of attack. Its author was hidden behind the signature "Empiric", but in the critical arguments cited, the handwriting of Tasteven, who by that time had taken a leading position in the journal, was fully recognizable. The article stated that “the ideological physiognomy of Libra has become very dull”, that the journal has lost its former militant character and is becoming a conservative organ, “entrenched in the stronghold of aesthetic individualism”, that “now, when the moment comes to give an organic synthesis of the elements of a new world outlook, it is impossible engage in endless summing up” (1907, no. 4, pp. 79–80). The arguments with which the "Scales" had previously condemned the "Golden Fleece" were now directed to their own address. Bryusov, in a reply to The Golden Fleece, rejected the accusations that Libra supposedly “feeds on something else,” as obviously false.

The attacks were continued in Empiric's next article, "On Cultural Criticism," in which Libra's rejection of the latest ideological and literary trends was regarded as "monstrous self-satisfaction, ideological narrowness, a spirit of heaviness, and a desire to strengthen one's positions" (1907, no. 5, p. 75). Finally, a change in the ideological guidelines of the "Golden Fleece" was announced in a special notification "From the Editor" (1907. No. 6. P. 68). Following the recognition that “‘decadentism’, which was an integral and artistically complete worldview, has already been experienced by modern consciousness,” a new direction in the journal’s activity was announced: parties, - revision of theoretical and practical issues aesthetic worldview, on the other hand, it is possible objective analysis art of recent years and new phenomena in painting and literature in order to find out the prospects for the future. special meaning The editors give consideration to the issues of the national element in art and the "new realism". It was also reported about the planned change in the staff, caused by the "gradual involvement of a number of writers associated with new young searches in art."

It would seem that the "Golden Fleece" finally heeded the constant advice of the "Libra" to self-determine in relation to other symbolist associations. However, according to the planned program, such self-determination turned out to be emphatically “anti-Western”, including all specific points: “Libra” united for the most part the luminaries of symbolism - the “Golden Fleece” decided to rely on young forces, “Libra” defended the “classical”, “autonomous” symbolism - the "Golden Fleece" announced its inclination towards "new realism" and towards "synthetic" tendencies in general; finally, attention to the "national element" in art was to a large extent a counterargument to the Europeanism, the cosmopolitanism of Libra, which was even threatened by the reputation of the Franco-Russ magazine. But the main "anti-Western" point of the new program of the "Golden Fleece" was, of course, in solidarity with the ideas of renewal of symbolism on a "mystical-anarchist" basis. In a mocking polemical remark to the announcement of new program magazine - “We got together. New coup d’tat in the Golden Fleece” - Z. Gippius (“Comrade Herman”) noticed behind this installation one more eloquent evidence of the accessibility of the Golden Fleece “for all kinds of ignorance”. “... However, I cannot but rejoice,” Gippius concludes, “that the reproaches of the Golden Fleece are just, that the advice of the Empiricist is futile and that the Scales still adhere to its calm general cultural direction: they do not notice a bias towards catholicity ".

From the book "For some reason I have to tell about that ...": Selected author Gerschelman Karl Karlovich

“It was not in vain that the gold caught fire ...” It was not in vain that the golden caught fire, the Golden that we call life: These pines, refreshed by the dawn, This is a cloud with a pink edge. These buckets at the well, with a slight splash, Spilling water with a soft splash, The rumble of a tram behind the next

From the book Russian Symbolists: Studies and Researches author Lavrov Alexander Vasilievich

"GOLDEN Fleece" Immediately after the termination of the "World of Art", from January 1905 in Moscow began to appear "magazine art and art-critical" - "Iskusstvo". Its editor-publisher was a young artist N. Ya. Tarovaty. Although the new magazine diligently tried

From the book Universal reader. 3rd grade author Team of authors

Autumn promised the golden word: "I will make it golden." And Winter said: "As I want." And Spring said: "Well, well, Winter." And Spring has come. Everywhere is a mess. The sun is golden. Buttercup is golden. The river is silvery and naughty with water. Born in the wild, flooded the meadows, Flooded the field, erased the banks. There,

In we talked about the literary and journalistic "thick magazines" of the 19th century presented at the exhibition in ours. And today's post we will devote to such an interesting phenomenon as magazines about the art of the early XX century, which are also stored in the collections of the library. Krupskaya.


The beginning of the 20th century is usually called the Silver Age of Russian culture. Residents of the entire vast country, including the Orenburg province, learned about the novelties of poetry and prose, painting and graphics, music and theater from numerous magazines. Often, magazines had not only a thematic (musical, poetic, theatrical), but also a stylistic orientation, representing one of the many areas of art in those years, be it symbolism, acmeism or futurism. Therefore, readers of that time had the opportunity to choose an edition to their liking, or to read several at once, in order to create for themselves a complete picture of cultural life.

The magazine "Golden Fleece" attracts attention with its artsy cover, which betrays its belonging to the symbolist direction. The Golden Fleece published the works of K. Balmont, F. Sologub, L. Andreev, M. Voloshin and many other poets, who mainly belonged to the Symbolists and considered creativity as a religious and mystical action.

The forerunner and sometimes opponent of The Golden Fleece was another Symbolist magazine called Scales. Bryusov was its actual leader, and among the authors we can see the names of A. Blok, D. Merezhkovsky, Z. Gippius, V. Rozanov.

The magazine "World of Art" consisted of two "departments" - artistic and literary. The art department presented the works of the best Russian artists, including I. Repin, V. Vasnetsov, I. Levitan and many others. The literary department of the World of Art was the domain of the Symbolists. All the same V. Balmont, D. Merezhkovsky, V. Rozanov and other representatives of this direction were published in it.

Fine art in all its manifestations was devoted to the monthly illustrated magazine Art and Art Industry, published in St. Petersburg from 1898 to 1902.

The magazine "Artist", despite the quite unambiguous name, was not only theatrical - it also published stories, articles on music and visual arts. At the moment, it is the magazine "Artist" that is the main source for studying theatrical art of Russia at the end of the 19th century.

From 1892 to 1915, the directorate of the imperial theaters published the Yearbook, which was a kind of theatrical reference book in which all art lovers could find out the list of plays going on in the imperial theaters, complete information about the productions and the actors involved in them. Due to the incomparable role played then in the life of society by the art of the theater, theater magazines were very popular.

Musical Contemporary, headed by Rimsky-Korsakov, was one of the leading music magazines of the early 20th century. He gave paramount importance to the work of domestic composers. Separate issues of the magazine were published entirely dedicated to Scriabin, Taneyev, Mussorgsky and other famous composers.

Of course, at the beginning of the 20th century, not everyone was a refined aesthete and read only poetry, theater and music magazines. There were publications designed for a wider audience. Among such publications, the Niva magazine is especially noteworthy.

Niva is the most popular magazine of the beginning of the 20th century among the philistine and bourgeois public. It was positioned as a "magazine of literature, politics and modern life." Its circulation reached unimaginable sizes for that time - up to 275 thousand copies, while until the end of the 19th century even 1000 copies were considered a decent magazine circulation. The key to its popularity was the wide coverage of topics (literature, history, popular science essays, politics) and the abundance of illustrations, which in those years not every magazine could afford. Socio-political materials were given in a "well-intentioned" spirit, which allowed radical supporters of progress to accuse the magazine of inertia and philistinism. However, at the same time, such authors as A.K. Tolstoy, L.N. Tolstoy, F.I. Tyutchev, A.P. Chekhov and many other great writers.

Finally, we note that any publications at all times could not live without advertising:

In the next publication, the most interesting awaits you - Orenburg satirical magazines of the early 20th century, don't switch :))

Poems. Vitaly Grigorov. "To Moscow. Symphony”, “Someday my son will become a grandfather”, “My blue-eyed Tajik”, “At the Bolshoi on the Theater”. Literary almanac "Golden Fleece". No. 3, M., 2016. P. 212-216.

TO MOSCOW
Symphony.

At your crossroads, like I'm on the stage
And people read poetry!
And with an Uzbek woman I boldly manage skillfully,
And I whisper her name - Zulhi!

Let them pass lonely aside and far away
Hundreds and hundreds of centuries more,
Pour into glasses and walk through the ditches
And in the stomach - paternal pilaf!

Along your alleys, like a pilgrim for a long time,
I go and breathe deeply!
So old age wanders side by side gloomy,
Soon with a wand, apparently, I will!

I'm with you forever, I'm your man.
"Moscow gave bloom!" -
It's all romanticism, it's all communism
We read this to holes!

I go on the Internet, and I sit on the planet,
In general, I'm lying in bed:
I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere, even though the night star
My soul carries over the equator!

Each pebble is your eyewitness alive
Collisions, and troubles, and discord!
Along your avenues, along your boulevards
Both workers and thieves drink!

Hello tribe of bronze, you are alive like the sun,
We comprehend all your works:
And poetry, and science, your happiness and torment, -
All kinds of spirit fruits!

And crazy rains, and evil frosts
I am sheltered and healthy and saved;
There will still be victories, as our grandfathers prophesy,
And our two-headed eagle soars!

Glory, glory, worker, eager for constellations,
You built all our palaces:
And in the subway, in factories, on land and on waters
Everywhere glorious our specialists!

Glory, glory, peasant, Siberian and Tatar,
And Chuvash, and Mordvin, and Kalmyk!
I will throw a glorious cry - every Muscovite will be,
If the heart penetrated the capital!

I love you city! Your peace and parade!
The majesty of your bell towers!
I glorify in a thousand epochs, I glorify our Russian God,
I glorify the first throne will! ..

Someday my son will become a grandfather,
And there will be grandchildren and, perhaps, great-grandchildren.
Well, in the meantime, I myself am going to the subway,
Sipping beer on holidays.

Well, for now, I'm not a grandfather at all,
I do not bend like grass in the wind in the field.
I sit and eat myself a rye bread,
Buying a plane ticket to Peru.

My blue-eyed Tajik,
You are an excellent Russian man.
Sweep the Moscow courtyard.
We're both like that Yorick.

Your eyes are like ripples in a river.
And smile with longing.
I love you like a brother
Similar to our stories.

Where is the blue of your eyes
Let me guess, barmaley.
Really Macedonian
Left a trace of his horse.

Human incest.
Adultery of kings.
And later you realize
What you don't know...

You do not know the wildness of the grass,
You do not know the herbalism of fate.
And here: gloves, boots,
And there are people give-help.

I love you, blue eyed
As a girl, I give rhinestones,
And I'm waiting for the reciprocity of the hand,
We are both from the same torment.

Wonderful action of the times:
There are sparks all around.
I bow a hundred times
Azat history!..*

* Free (Eastern).

AT THE BOLSHOY ON THE THEATER

Neon Fountain!
Neon Fountain!
You replaced the living, but I'm in love and drunk!
leaving Old year!
And it will burst New Year!
Chocolate, cognac and a sandwich on the bench!

Four horses!
Quadriga, what's up, hey!
From the theater you fly to the square as soon as possible!
Let's rush forward!
Let's rush forward!
Farewell, Old Year! Let there be a New Year!

Girlfriend, spill it!
Girlfriend, drink up!
And sing a song from the heart about life!
Short skirt!
Short skirt!
And the legs are so soft, and the lips are fragrant!

We are happy together!
We are both sunshine!
And again, pour the glasses to the brim!
And push for love!
And swoop for love!
I will smooth your dashing eyebrow with my finger ...

Quadriga, what's up, hey!
Four horses!
Don't fly to us, please - kill it!
Let's get on the subway!
To the house on the subway!
The boulevards and the avenue are covered with snow!

Neon Fountain!
Neon Fountain!
With water in the spring you will be drunk again!
And with a song from the heart
And with a song for the soul
They will find shelter in you - native drunks! ..

Reviews

The daily audience of the Potihi.ru portal is about 200 thousand visitors, who in total view more than two million pages according to the traffic counter, which is located to the right of this text. Each column contains two numbers: the number of views and the number of visitors.

Circulation - 34 issues, price - 5 rubles 10 kopecks, "office" - at the villa of Nikolai Ryabushinsky "Black Swan", income - 12 thousand rubles, expenses - 84 thousand rubles. The magazine "Golden Fleece" is a story of grandiose ambitions, fame and talent.

Maecenas

Nikolai Ryabushinsky

The editor-publisher of the Golden Fleece magazine was the philanthropist Nikolai ("Nikolasha") Ryabushinsky. According to the memoirs of the collector Sergei Shcherbatov, he “played the role of an “esthete”, published a luxurious art magazine, established an exhibition of paintings of the latest trends “Blue Rose” and built himself a villa in Petrovsky Park “Black Swan”, but despite this “could pass for an ordinary "merchant-darling", a reveler who dined daily in the "Hermitage".

Office

Interiors of the villa "Black Swan"

The editorial office of the Golden Fleece was located in the most prestigious places in the city: first on Novinsky Boulevard, later on Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya, and in 1909 - in Petrovsky Park in Ryabushinsky's own Black Swan villa.

Name

Cover of the magazine "Golden Fleece", 1908

The magazine got its name thanks to the story "The Argonauts" by the symbolist Andrei Bely, whose main character "the great writer who went after the Sun, like an argonaut for a fleece," says: "I will publish the magazine" Golden Fleece ". Argonauts will be my employees, and the Sun will be the banner. With a popular exposition of the principles of sunshine, I will kindle hearts. I will bring gilding to the whole world. We will choke in the liquid sun.

media plan

Cover of the magazine "Golden Fleece", 1906

In the first issue of the magazine, published in 1906, a manifesto was published in the spirit of the revolutionary time: “In a terrible time, we set out on the road. Around us, a renewing life boils with a frantic whirlpool. We sympathize with everyone who works to renew life, we do not deny any of tasks of our time, but we firmly believe that it is impossible to live without Beauty... And in the name of... a new coming life, we, seekers of the Golden Fleece, unfurl our banner:

Art is eternal, because it is based on the imperishable, on what cannot be rejected.
Art is one, for its single source is the soul.
Art is symbolic, because it carries a symbol in itself, a reflection of the Eternal in the temporal.
Art is free, because it is created by a free creative impulse.

Staff

Prophet, study from a painting, 1906

The best of the best collaborated with the magazine - Konstantin Balmont, Leonid Andreev, Alexander Blok, Valery Bryusov, Andrey Bely, Maximillian Voloshin, Zinaida Gippius, Dmitry Merezhkovsky, Fyodor Sologub, Ivan Bunin...

Spreading

The emblem of the magazine "Golden Fleece" designed by N.P. Feofilaktov. 1906

The editorial plans were grandiose: the publishers wanted to enter the European market, so it was possible to subscribe to the magazine not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in Paris, Berlin, Leipzig, London, Vienna, Rome, Madrid, Copenhagen, New York.. The cost of the magazine varied depending on the country: from 1 ruble 70 kopecks to 5 rubles 10 kopecks.

From the pages of the magazine

Illustration by Leo Bakst

The title page of the publication of the Blue Rose exhibition in the Golden Fleece magazine, based on a sketch by P.S. Utkin. 1907

 

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