Face of Russia [Paperback]

J Billington (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: TV Books (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157500089X
• ISBN-13: 978-1575000893
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,823,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Rich Cultural Legacy of Russia, November 21, 2001

By 

Alessandro Bruno (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Face of Russia (Paperback)

This book is similar in approach to the better known heaven and Hell by Bruce Lincoln. However, Billington concentartes more on the art and includes a beautiful section of plates. Unlike Lincoln's book, it is easily approached and is a reasonable 260 pages. Billington shows the connections between Russia's spiritual, historical and political traditions have played a direct role in defining its cultural and artistic production. He profiles individual artists and art forms. The painting of Rublev and the medieval stile on firewood, the architect Rastrelli, Gogol, Mussorsgki and Eisenstein primarily. the main point is that Russians learned from others, imitated and then transformed the art into a uniqe interpretation that reflected their reality that is often more ambitious and beautiful. anyone who's heard Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto or seen a painting by Repin should have no problem sahring this view.