Abstract:

The connection between music and the work of the Pre-Raphaelite artists is shown in the work on certain examples of works of art. The history of the emergence of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is connected with the refusal to follow the canons of the Italian Renaissance masters and Raphael in particular. The main features of their style are: the idea of synthesis of arts; detail in drawing details; attention to literature; the cult of love and beauty. It was in the 19th century that favorable conditions were created in Britain for the revival of British music and art. The Albert Hall was opened, concerts by Henry Wood began. F. Mendelssohn, E. Grieg and H. Fauré gave their performances in London, and against this background, a galaxy of young English composers emerged. Similar literary preferences begin to be reflected in the works of both composers and artists. Thus, the plots of Shakespeare’s plays are reflected in the music of F. Mendelssohn and in the Pre-Raphaelite paintings, where you can see characters singing or playing musical instruments. A huge layer of Pre-Raphaelite paintings also refers to the reproduction of ancient Greek mythology, where the mythical hero is depicted with his musical instrument.  The Christian theme of the essence of music is revealed in their paintings through images of angels playing music. The paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites are a kind of encyclopedia of musical instruments from antiquity to the 19th century. Among them are zither, psaltery, harp, lute, mandolin, violin, wind instruments, organ and piano. Their work also includes portraits of contemporary musicians. Thus, the work presents the personality of the famous pianist Jan Paderewski, depicted in the Burne-Jones painting. In turn, the art of the Pre-Raphaelites contributed to the emergence of new musical works. The topic of connection between music and visual arts is inexhaustible. In this sense, the work of the Pre-Raphaelite artists is fertile material for study. All the art of Pre-Raphaelite artists is permeated with music, musical images, their paintings are a kind of encyclopedia of images of various musical instruments from ancient times to the 19th century. This is an amazing example of the convergence of music and painting, a reflection of an ideal life and an ideal society, where the harmony of music is transmitted through the harmony of artistic scenes. In this way, the art of the Pre-Raphaelite speaks to us about its highest noble values – it is the education of a harmonious person with a rich inner world through the fullness of the feeling of the synthesis of the arts – word-making, such as myths, legends, biblical stories, literature and poetry, music and visual arts. These spheres of creativity have a huge pedagogical influence, in their interaction this influence is even more intensified. Therefore, joining the figurative system of these paintings teaches not only to feel the beautiful, it is the practice of reading a whole complex of symbols and texts. Many Pre-Raphaelite paintings devoted to the theme of music remained outside the scope of this work. On the example of these paintings, you can touch on various aspects of the penetration of music into art and vice versa. This topic requires a non-superficial close study, so it may be interesting for further research.

Keywords: Pre-Raphaelites, painting, music, musical instruments, plot, images of music and musicians in painting, art synthesis.

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