Biblical subjects in the works of Lev Tabenkin

Abstract

The present article is devoted to the study of biblical motifs in the painting of Lev Tabenkin, a famous Moscow artist whose creative activity began in the 1980s. The relevance of this topic is determined, on the one hand, by the renewed interest in contemporary art in the painting in the classical tradition, understood as a complete, having an independent significance work, plot-themed composition. Tabenkin stands as a distinguished figure among the few masters of the late 20th – the early 21st century, whose genre painting occupied a central place in his oeuvre. Notably, the artist transcended the confines of the academic tradition, creating an idiosyncratic, contemporary idiom in painting. However, there is a paucity of art historical works that have devoted significant attention to this remarkable artist. The present article focuses on biblical subjects, a central theme in L.I. Tabenkin's oeuvre, and explores the artist's unique interpretation of such subjects. His paintings combine reflection on eternal issues and the meaning of human life on earth with the interpretation of subjects in everyday or metaphorical aspects, distinguishing the master's work from that of his contemporaries. The author of the article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the evolution of L.I. Tabenkin's artistic language, meticulously identifying the seminal periods in his oeuvre and focusing on the quest for an idiosyncratic style of expression. This analysis employs formal and comparative methodologies, facilitating a nuanced understanding of the evolution of his artistic thinking and the genesis of his original plastic system. The findings of the research can be employed in the practice of museum work, in teaching, and in the research of post-Soviet and contemporary art of Russia.