Ideas for subjective basis of symbolism in the early works of Valery Bryusov

Russian symbolism of the early 20th century stimulated the debate about the content and aim of art, opening new horizons for understanding the world. Ideas of V. Bryusov on a new art took a special position. V. Bryusov is considered as one of the founders of Russian symbolism; especially his works in the early of 1900-ies represent a first attempt to give a detailed description of this phenomenon, later received fixing in the final textbook manifesto "The Keys of mysteries" (1904), clearly formulating the author's basic theoretical views on the principles of symbolism as modern art. Subjecting to criticism the various stages of person's attitude to art, noting that the definitions of art essence as the theory of "useful" and "clean" are too narrow, and the scientific definition of art is too broad, V. Bryusov realized the importance of subjective reason in understanding the essence of phenomena. It defined his understanding of the symbolism content as art, opening up the possibility for overcoming the rational relationship to the world through releasing intuitionism as a way of life implementation itself in the act of creativity. In this regard, philosophical ideas of A. Schopenhauer on emerging intuitively and experienced motivation of a person that lies at the basis of all human knowledge become valuable to V. Bryusov. According to the German philosopher, the main thing is not the knowledge of phenomena, but realizing the nature, the world of "things in themselves", which can be perceived only through intuition. Of course, the "thing in itself' is unknowable, but it can be learned, and this recognition is realized through art. Appealing to art as a way of intuitive realizing the world, V. Bryusov indicates the dominant subjective position of the artist, who can understand the mysteries of the universe through intuitive feelings. Especially bright these ideas received concentrated expression in the manifesto "Keys secrets", were presented also in the "Truth. Start and hints", published in 1901, in which V. Bryusov identified a number of basic axioms of thought, pointing to the importance of the person's position in relation to the possibility of understanding the meaning of events. Such findings in the future paved the way for emerging ideas of "junior" symbolists on implementing cultural and creative ideas aimed not so much on the knowledge, but on the self-assertion of will and action in culture forming, opening opportunities for the development of a new worldview.

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