Images of Italy in culture of the Silver age

Continuing traditional Italian theme, the Silver age analyzed it through the nature of creativity, art, culture, Christianity. The attraction of creative people to Italy is explained by the very nature of the culture of the Silver age, which was dominated by aesthetic values, universalism, the pursuit of broad cultural syntheses. The critical period with its premonitions of disaster and decadence mood was looking at Italy for inspiration and hope to overcome the crisis and revive. Religious and philosophical quest associated with rethinking the essence of Christianity led to the interest in Christian Italy, introducing new ideas about the similarities and differences between the Orthodox and Catholic cultures. In P. Muratov's works Italy presents primarily an aesthetic background, where the beauty of nature and art are harmoniously combined. Paying tribute to the artistic achievements of different historical periods, Muratov saw in the art of the Quattrocento meditations typical of his contemporaries. Russian cultural Renaissance of the late XIX - early XX centuries was obviously associated with the Italian Renaissance. A trip to Italy was an important factor of philosophical determination for N.A. Berdyaev. The art of the Renaissance enabled him to realize the tragic nature of creativity, humanism, cyclical history of the spirit. Defining early Renaissance as the highest point in all Western history, the philosopher regarded it as the historical prototype of perfect culture based on Christian humanism. The Russian view on Italy is based on the exceptional value of traditions in national culture. Originated on the Greco-Roman background, the culture of Italy has been tirelessly and continuously built up passing accumulated values from age to age. Russian culture has failed in this sense. V. Rozanov and V. Ern captured the images of Christian Italy. Thinkers representing contrasting poles of religious philosophy fully appreciated the value of personal involvement into the Catholic culture and noted the insolvency of abstract theorizing about Catholicism. Rozanov made a number of discoveries that changed old ideas about Catholicism and returned home as a" free Christian". Literary metaphor of Rome as the homeland of the cosmopolitan and haunted spirit is clearly presented in M. A.Osorgin's prose and I. Ivanov's poetry. Both political and cultural as well as cultural and modern civilization conflicts were vitally important for Italy.

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