Own borrowed. Peculiarities of Citation in Russian Fine Arts of the 18th Century

Abstract

Referring to the problem of “citation” in fine arts of the 18th century, the discussion invariably arises about author’s originality and imitation. In Russia, a tradition of respect for the model is reflected in the nature of “citation” as part of the imitating of nature. First, fine arts, like engraving, have to use models, and so acquired the right to independence. Second, artists using models often demonstrated joining the most requested ideas embodied by reputable masters of various epochs. At times it leads to some kind of paraphrasis to a significant pronomination, which enhanced the prestige of an author and national art school. In addition, it was a symptom of the metamorphosis of the “borrowed” into one’s “own” as a necessary part of a creative process.