Keywords
Larisa Pastushkova, modern fine art, Siberian art, Altai art, still life, philosophy and semantics of still life,
How to Cite
Shishin M. Y. Still life “Flowers on the Table” by L.N. Pastushkova: an experiment in compositional and semantic analysis // The Art of Eurasia, 2026. № 3 (42). P. 372–387. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.03.019.
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Abstract
The article explores the still life painting “Flowers on the Table” (2026) by the contemporary Altai artist L.N. Pastushkova. It substantiates the thesis that the still life genre is capable of transcending salon aesthetics to become a vehicle for profound philosophical and symbolic meaning. The study employs an integrated approach, combining compositional, semiotic, hermeneutic, and historical-genetic methods of analysis. Based on a detailed examination of the painting’s compositional and semantic structure, as well as a series of surviving preparatory pencil sketches and pastel studies, the text reveals the gradual evolution of the artist’s creative intent. The research uncovers hidden symbolic and anti-war meanings within the work, which are shaped by its format, spatial-compositional organisation, and colour scheme. An original intertextual interpretation of the painting is proposed through the prism of a well-known anti-war ballad. The scientific novelty of the study lies in its detailed art-historical analysis of Pastushkova’s recent work and its introduction into academic discourse.
References
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