“A CASKET FROM THE URALS’ GEMS”. IMAGE, MATERIAL AND FUNCTION IN THE SOVIET STONE-CUTTING ART

Abstract

Russian stone-cutting art of the soviet period represents a relatively new field of art historical research related to issues of style and image of works. The article is dedicated to the analysis of those questions on the one example from the assortment of the Sverdlovsk-based factory “Russkie samotsсvety” (“Russian gems”) of the 1940s–1960s. On the base of the unpublished archival documents and a large choice of the art works discovered in the museum collections in Russia and abroad the article covers the following issues – formation of the type of casket (laretz) under the influence of the post-war interest in the heritage of ancient Russian art which reflected the impact on the artistic search of the early 20th century “Russian style”; a number of technological details, the choice of materials, including expanding the palette of colored stones used, as well as its actual narrowing; gradual minimization of the precious stones decoration; market aspects of production. For some of the works in this publication, attribution information is provided for the first time. Particular attention is paid to the circulation of objects on the international art market, as well as the use of caskets as diplomatic gifts from Soviet government to foreign leaders in the 1950s. In conclusion, a reasoned correction to the established attribution of works is proposed. © 2023 Institute of History and Archeology of the Ural Branch of RAS. All rights reserved.