Reverse perspective

Abstract

Pavel Alexandrovich Florensky – "Russian Leonardo", a truly synthetic personality – an outstanding Russian philosopher, theologian, mathematician and physicist; moreover, an original and subtle art critic. His views on art, the interpretation of specific works, as well as trends and entire eras are distinguished by depth, often – controversial and always – a vivid originality of the approach. "Reverse Perspective" is one of the most striking and controversial of his works on art. Analyzing the emergence and assertion of the principle of perspective in painting, Florensky proceeds from the main philosophical thesis: the Renaissance, with all its achievements, gave impetus to the process of secularization, "bringing Heaven to earth", the loss of a special, "subtle" perception of the world, on which religious comprehension stands the world. In other words, the artists here have gained something, but something – moreover, very important – and have lost. And, feeling intuitively this loss, they tried to make up for it in various ways. The reader will get acquainted with some of Florensky's arguments in the above passage, but those who are interested are highly recommended to read the entire work.