Or craftsmanship that does not lose artistic value and meaning over time. The masterpiece is unique and one of a kind.
In the Middle Ages, a masterpiece was a product made by apprentices who dreamed of henceforth being called masters.
By what canons are masterpieces of art determined?
When defining a masterpiece, it is very difficult to escape the subjective attitude towards the object of art.
The well-known expression “there is no dispute about tastes” thus gives scope to the perception of each person. But when we pronounce the word “masterpiece,” we put a mark of the highest quality, claiming unambiguous admiration. Does this mean that a masterpiece is something that stands outside the usual criteria of artistic value of a work of art?
Not a single author has an absolutely accurate and indisputable definition of a masterpiece. How can one understand that this work is unique, eternal and unsurpassed?
Signs of a masterpiece
Obviously, a masterpiece is a work of art that has signs of freshness and novelty in a simple (or quite simple) and understandable for most embodiment, combined with deep taste. As a rule, a masterpiece is defined by a large number of people who call this work that way without special evidence or justification.
The main thing is that a masterpiece always stands the test of time, making the same impression on admirers as it did many centuries ago.
Are there small masterpieces?
In any country there are talented authors who, as if by default, create masterpieces. These in Russia include, for example, composer Mikael Tariverdiev. But his music, at the same time, is known and adequately appreciated only in the CIS countries, and the works that were performed abroad are not masterpieces there.
Does this mean that, recognizing any work as a masterpiece, an adjustment is necessary for the mentality, cultural traditions and heritage of the country in which it was created? Can a local, small masterpiece exist? This is a very controversial and so far unresolved issue. After all, Russian folk tales are also a masterpiece of folk art, but, nevertheless, they are such precisely for the Russian-speaking population of the Earth.
Masterpiece - it is the product of a subtle combination of logic and emotion
A work that claims to be a masterpiece, as a rule, is a harmonious combination of mathematical logic, which does not allow the “symmetry” to be broken, and the emotions that the author puts into it.
The experience and personal achievements of the creator are no less important. The famous Velazquez, who created it, said about his works: “I painted the picture for two hours and ... throughout my entire previous life.” And Leonardo da Vinci, for example, was very dissatisfied with his unique “Mona Lisa”, considering it unfinished.
In the perception of a work, as a rule, the emotional background plays a huge role. “I cried in front of these works, not from sadness, but from overwhelming delight,” said a connoisseur about the works of Italian masters of painting housed in the Louvre. Obviously, a masterpiece is the work of a master that can evoke such emotions.
Masterpiece
[shede], -y, m.
1) In medieval Western Europe: an exemplary craft product that, according to the guild customs of many cities, had to be made by an apprentice to prove his professional skill and ability to become an independent master.
2) A work of art and literature that is exceptional in its merits; an exemplary creation of a master.
Masterpieces of Renaissance artists.
Restoration of a masterpiece after an act of vandalism.
A masterpiece of architecture.
A poetic masterpiece.
A masterpiece of culinary art.
There [in churches and monasteries] masterpieces were lost, but some were saved. I am especially proud of Our Lady of Suzdal ( Proskurin) .
Synonyms:
miracle
3) trans. A unique creation of nature.
Aren't frosty patterns on glass a masterpiece?
4) decomposition , joking or iron. An inexpressive, mediocre work, appearance, an unsightly phenomenon of life, etc.
Are you writing another masterpiece? A masterpiece of mismanagement.
And the more he himself liked the standard masterpiece [his own verse in the Gazeta], the more fully and sweetly he was able to read it for others ( Nabokov) .
Etymology:
From French chef-d "ûuvre ‘work, worthy of a master', 'masterpiece' ( ← chef ‘head’, ‘chief’, ‘master’ and ûuvre ‘labor’, ‘work’). In Russian - from the middle of the 19th century. However, in the form she-d "evr- in the dictionary of 1806
Popular dictionary of the Russian language. Explanatory and encyclopedic. - M.: Russian language-Media. A.P. Guskova, B.V.Sotin. 2003 .
Synonyms:See what a “masterpiece” is in other dictionaries:
masterpiece- a, m. chef d oeuvre. 1. She d evr. This denotes a trial work of a craftsman, an experience of craftsmanship and art. Jan. 1806. 2. An exemplary work. BAS 1. The best and most achieving work towards perfection. It is used...... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
masterpiece- See the best... Synonym dictionary
MASTERPIECE- the best work of art of its kind, generally an exemplary work. A complete dictionary of foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language. Popov M., 1907. masterpiece (French chef doeuvre) 1) in medieval workshops an exemplary product that ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
MASTERPIECE- (French chef d oeuvre) ..1) an exemplary product, which in many medieval workshops had to be made by a craftsman aspiring to become a master, to prove his professional skill2)] An exemplary work is the highest... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
MASTERPIECE- [de], ah, husband. (book). A work of art exceptional in its merits, an exemplary creation of a master. Literary sh. Masterpieces of architecture. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Masterpiece- (French chef d oeuvre) 1) an exemplary product, which in many medieval workshops was required from a craftsman seeking to become an independent master to prove his professional skill; 2) an exemplary work - the highest... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies
masterpiece- and an outdated masterpiece. Pronounced [masterpiece]. Some Russian scholars, back in the middle of the 20th century, preferred the pronunciation masterpiece, as more characteristic of the French language, from which this word was borrowed... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language
Masterpiece- A masterpiece or masterpiece (French chef d œuvre, literally “the highest work”, “the crown of labor”) is a unique, unsurpassed creation, the highest achievement of art, craftsmanship, or anything else. Masterpieces are most often called works... ... Wikipedia
masterpiece- a real masterpiece... Dictionary of Russian Idioms
masterpiece- in medieval France, starting from the 13th century, this sound combination was not a word, but an entire expression, meaning “a product made by a student, and giving him the right to be called a master.” Probably, such examination papers were carried out in the Secondary... ... Entertaining etymological dictionary
Books
- Chester's Masterpiece, Watt M., Chester's Masterpiece ISBN:978-5-905845-05-5… Category: For children Publisher: Diamond Media, Manufacturer: Diamond Media, Buy for 157 UAH (Ukraine only)
- Masterpiece, Miranda Glover, The new project of popular artist Esther Glass becomes a sensation in the art world. She presents ... herself at Sotheby's as a masterpiece: within a week after the sale she ... Category:
Unified State Examination essay:
Art. There are a huge number of paintings in the world of different genres, directions, and authors. But only a few of them make you think about yourself, about life, and rethink some of its moments. What makes an author's work a creator's masterpiece? The answer to this question is given to us by I. Dolgopolov’s text.
Analyzing this problem, the author paints pictures of “the dim beauty of Rus'.” “Golden pastures, blue eyes of lakes, white stone swans-temples” - each of these details helps to understand how close an artist should be to his country, history, people, so that the pure, truthful, prophetic voice of the creator “would reach him from the depths of centuries” descendants.
An important role of the text is occupied by the contrast between “virtuoso masters who mastered an aristocratic drawing technique” and creators whose works are outwardly simple, but filled with “bottomless spiritual depth.” It is no coincidence that the names of the great Pushkin, Glinka, Dostoevsky appear in the final part of the argument - so I. Dolgopolov convinces the reader that in the work of any creator the most important thing is not “the handwriting, stroke or stroke of the brush, but the heart.”
After reading and analyzing this text, I realized that the author leads the reader to the following thought: the creator’s masterpieces should be filled with a sense of belonging to the Fatherland. The publicist has no doubt that only “love for one’s neighbor and simplicity of heart” can motivate an artist to “create unfading masterpieces.”
The author’s point of view is close and understandable to me. I am also confident that the work of a true creator should leave an indelible mark on a person’s soul and help a person look around him, see the people who are nearby, and understand their problems.
To prove my point, I would like to turn to the work of K. Paustovsky “The Old Cook”. The author talks about a blind, dying old man. Together with the hero, we experience deep pangs of conscience and wait for relief from suffering. Surprisingly, this release comes with the music of a young stranger, which helps the blind man return to the days of his youth, meet his lover and see white flowers bloom in an old apple orchard. Reading Paustovsky’s story, we understand that the music of the great Mozart made such a strong impression and calmed the soul of the dying man.
Arguing my position, I would like to cite as an example A. Kuprin’s story “The Garnet Bracelet”. The story of Vera Sheina and Zheltkov made it possible to see that the Beethoven sonata played a very important role in the heroine’s relationship with the man in love with her. Together with the princess, we listen to the piece of music that was mentioned in the dying message she received, and we feel how great his quiet admiration is. To the sound of chords comes the feeling of an eternal love that has passed by, repeating itself only once every thousand years. This music is so inspired by Kuprin that it is through it that Zheltkov’s thoughts are conveyed: “Calm down, dear, calm down, calm down...”
Art. Plays by P.I. Tchaikovsky, paintings by V. Vasnetsov, unforgettable pages of L. Tolstoy’s novels - the type and genre of art is not as important as the fact that in everyone’s life there appears a work that will help a person to reveal himself and to reveal those around him.
Text by I. Dolgopolov
Like a wondrous echo of times long gone, the creations of Andrei Rublev, who revealed to people the charm of the dim beauty of Rus', captivate the eye. The expanse of the sky, the golden pastures of its fields, the blue eyes of the lakes and the slowness of the rivers. The prophetic voice of Rublev’s painting is pure, truthful, coming from the depths of centuries, and we, listening to this unhurried story, feel the legendary time of the formation of the Fatherland, see white-stone temples, battlements and proud towers of fortresses, noisy squares of crowded cities. We love Rublev's creations for their rare beauty, for we recognize in them the soul of our ancestors. Listen... and suddenly, from the abyss of time, orderly rows of helmeted warriors, a forest of spears, the sparkling of swords and... a woman’s cry will appear before you. A black nomadic cloud ran over the red sun, the enemy’s arrows flew, and there was no end to them. Rus' has seen many, many bitter things. Her son Andrei Rublev brought to the present day the joys and sorrows of his time - in them the torments and trials that the people endured. Have you heard the sound of the bells of the old churches of Rus', when it floats in the azure sky, and the earth itself seems fabulous, epic. Dusk is coming, and all the signs of the present day disappear into the sunset darkness, we perceive more and more clearly the purity of the sound of the evening bell. And it’s not that the times are long gone when churches were built with chased silhouettes that harmonized with the landscape. It’s easy to breathe in this honey-filled air, in which the aroma of wild flowers and herbs, the bitter smell of fires is dissolved... The first star lights up in the bottomless darkness of the coming night, and we are still filled with the sound of talking bells, moved to tears by the joy of communicating with nature of their homeland. Such a feeling of belonging to the Fatherland awakens when you look carefully and biasedly at Rublev’s creations. It is as if the call of the earth is heard in them, although it has endured hardships, but has also known the joy of glorious victories. Many great and grandiose creations have been created in the world, countless virtuoso masters who mastered artistic drawing, painting, and composition, who created canvases in which dozens of figures act. The scope of these canvases is sometimes amazing, as is the enchantment of the subjects... But few people in this thousand-strong world of art have created works equal in depth of insight to Rublev, outwardly simple, wise with that bottomless spiritual depth that distinguishes the poetry of Pushkin and Blok, the music of Glinka and Mussorgsky , prose of Gogol, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy. Love for one's neighbor, simplicity of heart - this is the force that inspired Andrei Rublev to create unfading masterpieces. Work, the school of life and art helped him create them. In his works, it is not the handwriting, the stroke, the stroke of the brush that speaks, but the heart of the artist.
By. I. Dolgopolov
Contemporary art does not have strict boundaries and criteria. On the contrary, it violates all possible conventions. But then, how can one not get confused in such a complex topic as how to understand which artist is a genius and who is simply a master of shocking art? Let's try to figure it out together with Forbes.
A true work of art has a number of criteria that are easy to recognize.
Innovation. As you know, geniuses are violators of established laws. It is innovative ideas, originality, a fresh look even at banal things that distinguish art from craft. Traditional still lifes and landscapes, the canons of which have not changed for centuries, are certainly beautiful, but still this is not enough. A modern artist always tries to go beyond accepted standards and find new means of expression.
A striking example of innovation is the work of Georg Baselitz. In his expressionistic works the opposite is true. He makes the main characters of his canvases the background, turning the images upside down. It was the constant bold experiments, which only a madman or a genius could dare to undertake, that brought the artist worldwide fame.
Georg Baselitz "Farewell"
Mastery- the second very important sign. Art should delight. The better and more complex the work, the greater its value. Nowadays people are amazed not just by an idea, but by a thing that is difficult to repeat, on which a lot of time, labor, material and money have been spent.
For example, the brilliant works of Alexander Calder. His mobiles - kinetic creations driven by wind or electricity - look fabulous and weightless. Mobiles are not only Calder's innovation, but also a combination of labor, engineering and artistic thought, and high skill.
At the exhibition of works by Alexander Calder
"Spatial Concept" by Lucio Fontana
Meaning. Just a beautiful, unusual, complex thing - an object of design. A work of art belongs to the spiritual category, so it must carry a certain message and have a deep meaning.
Lucio Fontana. It seemed, what could be the meaning of cut canvases? But if we dig deeper, a whole drama unfolds before us. The cut canvas is about the artist’s despair, it is about the crisis in the life of each of us, about an attempt to destroy the canvas of reality. Fontana wrote: “My slits... are, first of all, a philosophical expression, a manifestation of faith in infinity, an affirmation of the spiritual principle. When I sit down in front of one of my slits and begin to contemplate it, suddenly I feel that my spirit is freed, I feel like a person who has escaped from the shackles of matter, belonging to the endless expanse of the present and the future...”
Interactivity. With this technique, the viewer becomes a co-author and takes an active part in the creation process. A modern work of art is always a kind of mystery, ambiguity, an open question that everyone must answer for themselves. Another example of interactivity is the creation of an atmosphere when a work of art literally absorbs the viewer into its world.
Tracey Emin showed the world something very personal and intimate. Tracy’s famous installation “My Bed” tells the story of a period of depression in the artist’s life. Thus, looking at this work, the viewer finds himself in the atmosphere of Tracy’s room and becomes a witness to someone else’s secret.
Tracey Emin "My Bed"
Social relevance. Contemporary art raises pressing social issues, rebels, argues, protests. This is a way of reflection for society, a mirror into which our civilization looks.
Edward Burtynsky shows how humanity is creating a new pattern for the planet. In his photos, industrial buildings, hazardous waste, industrial structures turn into delicate lace, perfect and complex geometric combinations. The artist shows a dynamic picture of the interaction between nature and industry. His works have planetary significance. A stunning documentary film, “Manufactured Landscapes,” was made based on Burtynsky’s work.
Edward Bertinsky, photo from the “Water” series. Tjorsa River, Iceland.
Banksy. This artist paints street walls with topical paintings that sharply criticize socio-political events in the world. But Banksy became popular not only due to his relevance and skill. His wall paintings are recognizable at first sight. Banksy's signature style is the use of stencils. It is thanks to this feature that the works of the world famous artist are distinguished from the art of local hooligans. By the way, Banksy paintings classified as “vandalism” significantly increase the value of the property on which they are located. Many of Banksy's works are illegal, so the artist is forced to hide his identity.
Many of Banksy's works are illegal, so the artist is forced to hide his identity
From Reiner's "Death Masks" series of works.
Psychologism- a sign close to the meaning. But it affects not only the informational, but also the emotional sphere. Such works awaken deep emotions, appeal to sensuality, to the subconscious of the viewer. For example, Arnulf Rainer shows the diversity and complexity of human nature. His paintings attract and frighten, touching the deep layers of our subconscious. Reiner touches on taboo topics - death, religion - and dramatically destroys all prohibitions. This creativity is always on the verge of madness, on the verge of what the psyche can withstand.
Compositional harmony. The integrity and completeness of the work is one of the most important criteria. A modern artist rids his creation of all unnecessary things, trying to make it as accurate and concise as possible. For example, Dan Flavin's minimalist lamps are always harmonious and magical works.
One of Dan Flavin's fantastic light installations
Masterpiece(from French chef-d"uvre- the main creation, the highest work or crown of labor; in German " Hauptwerk" - "Home work" or " Meisterwerk" -"Masterful work") is a unique, unsurpassed creation, .
Later, the meaning of the word acquired a new connotation: a masterpiece - unsurpassed and inimitable, unique, the artistic value of which far exceeds its material value (French. De longue duree - "lasting significance"). A work that brought fame to its creator (French. en vogue - "to be held in high esteem"). Masterpieces are most often called works of art and architecture, less often - science and technology. Masterpiece in art It is customary to evaluate according to aesthetic criteria. Many became famous, and their works were called masterpieces only posthumously. A masterpiece - a wonderful example, " highest ideal"(French) beauty ideal).
A masterpiece in the Western European Middle Ages
Masterpiece, in many cities of medieval Europe - an exemplary product made by an artisan (apprentice) at his own expense. To receive the title of master, an apprentice (according to the regulations of the craft workshop) must independently complete a sample of the product. Only after a craftsman had produced a masterpiece could he join a workshop, open his own workshop and become a master. “Masterpieces” were first created by the masters themselves, trying to give their students a task with “secrets”. Such exemplary products were called in German "Hauptwerk" ("Main Work"), or "Meisterwerk" ("Master Work"). This custom became a mandatory rule in the 15th century, but hereditary masters were exempt from such an exam.
The system of workshops with the presentation of a masterpiece (“approved sample of work”) existed in Russia since the time of Peter I and formally until 1900.
In modern times, a masterpiece began to be called a work of art (regardless of the time of its creation or the stage of the artist’s training) that serves as an example of artistic perfection.
Professional ethics
Craftsmanship and values of guild morality of the Middle Ages
“Each craft class prayed to its patron: mechanics to St. Aloysius, weavers to St. Crispin, gardeners to St. Anthony, perfumers to St. Joseph.”
P. Suskind. Perfumer
Professionalism in the Middle Ages received new impetus due to the spread of Christianity. The construction of temples and their arrangement required architects and blacksmiths, glassmakers and painters, silversmiths, weavers and goldsmiths. This need to “work for God” (and not for oneself) is both the root of the high quality of manufactured products and the reason for the spread of professional technologies in the cultural space. Strict adherence to the model of the “House of God”, the “Scripture of the Face” determined the canonicity of other crafts and the entire culture. The authority of the master in the craft community (guild) is based on a parallel with the authority of the Creator and is a prerequisite for the formation of an attitude towards work as a “creation” associated with special diligence and diligence. During this period, professional morality took shape in the depths of the emerging workshops. The heyday of the guild organization of handicraft labor in Europe occurred at the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th century, when manual labor was especially skillful and the guilds were most influential in society.
Faith in an omnipotent, omniscient God gives integrity to the spiritual world of the individual, which is preceded by constant religious reflection: is it a sin or not, is an act, deed, or intention pleasing to the Lord? In this regard, the idea is formed that “A bad person cannot do a good thing,” since everything that is done by people is done with God’s help, and the Lord helps only true believers. “Genius and villainy are two incompatible things...?” - a question that arises later, on the threshold of the formation of the morality of the New Age.
For the Middle Ages, such a question could not have arisen, since man with his moral essence and everything he had done were still thought of in an inextricably linked, holistic way.
A craftsman is not only the creator of a thing (product), but also a guarantor of the quality of what is produced, the owner of his own mark, he is endowed with responsibility for preserving the technology unchanged and for transferring it to new generations. Masters have the right to teach apprentices, who must previously have been apprentices for 4-5 years; they contribute to the preservation and accumulation of professional knowledge. The master teaches a responsible attitude towards the profession.
Only a person of unblemished reputation, a conscientious parishioner, legitimate, educated within the profession could become a master.
Each craft workshop carefully preserves and passes from Master to Master “Recipes” - texts containing the traditions of craft technologies and their history. They are kept secret, they have an element of sacredness, containing a link to the biblical story. In Italy and the Netherlands, the secret was the production of glass in Venice, silk in Lucca, Bologna, the secrets of hourglasses and various metal products in Nuremberg, the technology of making weapons and cutlery in Solingen and other cities. Disclosure of craft secrets, export of tools or resettlement of craftsmen to other cities was prohibited under threat of death penalty. Members of the guilds - masters and apprentices - had to take an oath to fulfill these instructions. The sacredness of the recipe, the seriousness of the attitude towards its preservation and immutability contributes to the formation of traditional culture in the conditions of craft technologies, as a result of which there are not and cannot be two identical horseshoes in one forge, but four, made in different parts of Europe, will suit one mare.
Therefore, initiation into a Master, the trust of the workshop to independently produce a “masterpiece”, to pass an exam for mastery, for moral maturity, intelligence and commitment to the profession, the workshop, the willingness to suffer, i.e., also has a sacred character. selflessly, patiently and tirelessly create a product, not deviating in any way from the instructions and instructions of the masters and strictly following the canon. For example, in order to receive the title, a monk had to, after receiving a preliminary blessing, fasting and saying the necessary prayers, paint an icon himself from beginning to end. To publicly make a thing or product, to weave a cloth, showing dexterity, and, and, meant passing an exam for professional maturity, the right to pass on skills to others. At the same time, each workshop had its own special requirements for a professional.
Understood as a modest and concentrated reproduction of things in full and unbreakable accordance with technology, it contributed to the rooting of traditions. And the architect, and the artist, and any other professional who managed to create something worthwhile, beautiful, were proud not of their contribution, but of the achieved understanding of the recipe, the goals of the profession, their workshop, their teacher, they thanked the Creator for choosing them and allowing them to complete the work. Anonymity of creative work was widespread. The traditionalism of the medieval understanding of craft as diligent reproductive activity determined the standardization of the material world in modern times. The communal existence of the guilds shaped community values, among which modesty was indispensable.
In fairness, it should be noted that guild morality, with its isolation and indisputability of the authority of the masters, at a certain stage also has a downside. The craft guilds showed an extremely hostile attitude towards new inventions, as well as towards any kind of “innovation”, resolutely prohibiting any deviation from the once established rules. The method of production, its width and length, material - all this was precisely determined by the workshop regulations; the replacement of manual labor with devices was not allowed. On the eve of and during the Renaissance, the conservatism of technology slows down the development of production. For example, for 4 centuries (from the 11th to the 15th centuries) in England and France, a fulling mill was banned, which supposedly worsened the quality of cloth felted by foot and replaced 24 fullers at once. The workshops that used it carefully hid it from their colleagues in other cities.
Mastery in the Middle Ages was an assessment of a person’s professional and spiritual maturity, based on the priority of moral qualities. A master is not only the best professional, but also a Teacher, Mentor (educator), Guardian of the Recipe, the one whose authority is indisputable, to whom the honor and fate of the entire professional workshop are entrusted. The value of craftsmanship developed in the Middle Ages prepared the meaning given to professionalism in modern culture.