Problems of preparing reference matter of memoirs about art

Memoirs have some characteristics which differ from other genres and types of literary works and stipulate specificity of preparing reference matter of memoirs publications (inasmuch as it is a problem to revise the authenticity of facts and the possibility of excessive subjectivity exists). Memoirs publications which include books about art obtain a wide circulation in the Russian book publishing industry in the recent decades. Principles of publication which were produced by native editing and publishing practice with its extensional reference matter are not used for modern memoirs editions. In fact, criteria of the type of memorial literature are vague and readers begin to perceive non-fiction as fiction because of their high fictionalization. Russian literary monthly and theatre magazines of the middle of the 19th century have reference matter which includes a prooemium (the editor’s, author’s prooemium or the prooemium written by a specialist, a historian, a reporter or another person who documented verbal recollections), footnotes or endnotes (editorial notes, authorial notes or notes which were written by a reporter or another person who documented verbal recollections), an editorial opinion, a commentary and an appendix. Reference matter which was prepared by the editor and a specialist in a particular field revealed the principles of art, allowed the amateur reader to get to the back of oeuvre, created polyphony in the publication, built feedback links due to the fact that authors and other people could specify the facts and correct memory errors. Practice of using vast reference matter in modern editions of memorial literature is lost. Frequently there are no editorial notes and opinion, the opening chapter has almost disappeared. This is a customary trend in mass literature . It emasculates reference matter which is to activate the reader’s perception. Mass readers perceiving memoirs with claims for authenticity comes under the influence of the violent interpretation which is able to stir the hornet’s nest or falter with facts of the history of arts. Specialist-made reference matter written in a fascinating style can erase the problem and improve the quality of preparing memorial literature about art. It is necessary to save the best traditions of the domestic book publishing industry, but not take memoirs to the level of the yellow press and angle author’s retrospect.

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