"Mystery of the XX century" by Ilya Glazunov: a painting-prophecy "which Russians will never see"

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The first version of the painting, written in 1978 by Ilya Glazunov "Mystery of the XX century" was supposed to become the main exhibit of the upcoming exhibition in the hall of the Union of Artists on Kuznetsky Most in Moscow. But this canvas caused the effect of an atomic bomb explosion. The ideological censorship that raged in the USSR at that time insistently demanded that the author remove the "seditious" picture from the exposition. To which Glazunov refused, risking not only his career, but also his head. How the fate of "Mystery of the XX century" and its author developed, and will be discussed in this review.

So, the exhibition was never opened, and the artist himself was saved from expulsion from the country, just one extra raised hand, which outweighed the vote at a meeting of the Central Committee of the party.

- perplexed the correspondent of the newspaper "International New York Times", who then visited the artist's studio, -

The strictest verdict was passed to the disagreeable artist: to go to Siberia to the BAM, to paint portraits of the foremost workers in construction. But the failed display of the picture to the general public did not become an obstacle to the popularity of the seditious canvas. The ban only fueled the interest of those wishing to see her. Photos of this painting spread very quickly throughout the Union.

And at the turn of the 70-80s, Glazunov was invited by the leadership of the Berlin Theater as an art director of Borodin's opera "Prince Igor". Taking this opportunity, Ilya Sergeevich secretly took the "Mystery of the XX century" from the Soviet Union to Germany. Together with the sketches of the scenery, a six-by-three canvas rolled into a huge scroll also went to Germany. The painter was afraid that his "mystery" would suffer the fate of paintings by artists objectionable to the authorities - canvases were burned right in the workshops.

"Mystery of the XX century" immediately began to be exhibited in various galleries in Germany. Foreign magazines were full of headlines:. On the offer of one of the collectors of Hamburg to buy the "Mystery of the XX century", Glazunov, after long deliberation, agreed.

But the picture still got to Russia. More than 10 years have passed, and in 1988 the first version of the painting was exhibited at the Moscow Youth House. The exhibition was an overwhelming success: people lined up in queues of many thousands to see the legendary canvas. The second version of "Mysteries of the XX century" Glazunov wrote at the beginning in 1999. The size of the new painting was eight by three - the artist completed the post-perestroika epoch-making events and the main characters.

Subtext and sedition

Mystery (from the Latin for "ceremony") is a genre of medieval theatrical performance based on religious motives. Plots for the mystery were taken from the Bible by medieval actors and "filled" with comic scenes taken from life. So Glazunov played on his canvas a whole theatrical performance with events and characters familiar to everyone who broke the destinies of peoples and nations and brought earthlings to the apocalypse over the past 100 years.

The creators of historical events - the leaders and rulers of countries, play the main roles in this frozen tragedy. The viewer seems to find himself in the underworld of the living dead. The painting contains 2342 images and symbols that have their role in the historical mystery.

In the very center above all this chaos is Christ, who raised his hand for blessing. The lower left part of the canvas is highlighted by the bright glow of spilled scarlet blood, and the right one by a nuclear explosion.

The historical events of the mystery begin to develop linearly from the left corner of the picture: the tsar holding the murdered son in his arms, his entourage, the destruction of churches, the overthrown coat of arms - all these are symbols of the fall of the great empire. Above them is a leader in bronze - pointing the way to a "bright" future.

Closer to the center, "the father of all nations" lying on a bloody bed - as a symbol of the Soviet Union drowned in blood. Next to him are not grieving allies at all. And triumphant Nazism rises above the funeral procession. Paradox? Yes! But summing up the results of the twentieth century, we understand the meaning of what the author wanted to say at the end of the 70s. Glazunov even then predicted the collapse of the Union and the triumph of Western ideology.

In the lower central part of the canvas: writers, poets, scientists, artists - with their work and creativity taking a direct part in the struggle between two warring camps.

All the general secretaries of the Central Committee, their comrades-in-arms in the socialist camp, and, of course, the first president of Russia, greeted by the jubilant people, as well as rulers and politicians, until some time, hostile countries … All these heroes are the main characters of the tragic mystery, who had a hand in the fall of the great empire, oblivion of religion, the destruction of millions of human lives, the collapse of a great country, the advancement of Nazism. They then rolled the earth ball, depicted as a ball, into poverty, sexual debauchery, lack of spirituality, the threat of nuclear war and terrorist attacks. And it is not difficult to guess which ideology prevailed in this brutal confrontation.

The artist played the mystery on his canvas not as a drama, but as a tragedy that threatens all of humanity. In the foreground on both sides of this theatrical action, the author depicted two of his self-portraits, which showed his involvement and responsibility for the apocalypse unfolding on the planet. The mirror, which he supports with his hand, is like a reflection of each of us - we are also responsible to history.

The genius of Ilya Glazunov as a creator

The whole power of Glazunov's creativity lies in the fact that he "touched the heart" of the mass audience, responded to his problems and requests, giving him the very art that everyone has been waiting for for many years., - these words of publicist Dmitry Khmelnitsky clearly define the artist and his work.

And indeed, never in Moscow or in Leningrad, there have been many thousands of queues for exhibitions of artists. And even when Gan Gogh or "La Gioconda" was brought in, such crowds of people as to the Glazunov exhibitions did not rush.

The artist's personal life is no less scandalous than his creative one. She has always aroused great interest among both fans and critics. The artist splashed out his life story on the canvas "My Life" (1994), filled with a tragic sound, and reflecting the main stages in the life of the painter and his family against the background of the existence of all of Russia.

Interesting facts from the artist's personal life can be found in the review: "Love triangle: admirer of female beauty Ilya Glazunov and his muse".