The world of childhood and the image of a child in the art of Leningrad and Saint Petersburg artists

Abstract

This article delves into the work of Leningrad and Saint Petersburg painters, specifically their interpretations of childhood imagery. The Leningrad art school is a diverse group of artists who have all explored figurative painting in some way. Their works are frequently displayed in contemporary exhibitions, highlighting their social and academic significance. This research is unique in its demonstration of the continuity and modernization of traditions in representing childhood and children in Leningrad painting from the 20th to the early 21st century. It also identifies the range of Leningrad artists who have tackled this theme and showcases the conceptual, artistic, and plastic aspects of their dynamic portrayal of childhood. The study utilizes systematization, comparative methods, and art historical analysis of easel paintings. It examines the evolution of the artists' interest in childhood, starting from the 1930s when the school was established, to the present day, using examples from two major exhibition projects in recent years. It notes that Leningrad artists have progressed from depicting the myth of a “happy Soviet childhood” to a more personal and sentimental interpretation of their own children in the post-war period. This has then evolved into using childhood imagery as symbols of nostalgia for the past, their own childhood, and childlike innocence. The article also highlights the themes of “children and war,” “children and the Siege chronicle,” and the connection with historical memory in the art of late socialism. Contemporary artists continue to explore these themes, but often revert to the techniques of old masters in their search for new ways to capture the world of modern childhood.