TRADITIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRAPHIC EXPRESSIVE MEANS IN MODERN WATERCOLOR PAINTING Anatoly Burchik Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (Belarus) Ab­stract In today’s cultural environment, where globalization has become a serious problem, and the language of modern art almost ceased to respond to the national specifi­cs of individual cultures, the art of watercolor looks quite expressive, reflecting the nature of one or another school of painting, the mentality of a certain nation. Keywords: watercolor painting, cultural heritage, art of watercolor, tradition and modern trends, creative process, stylization, decorativeness, specifi­city of watercolor. Watercolor painting has a long history and rich Since the second half of the XVIII century, traditions. The name “watercolor” is derived from the watercolor became widely used in landscape Latin aqua – water (French – aquarelle) and means a painting, as the rapidity of watercolor allows you type of painting, the work performed in this technique, to fi­x direct observations, and the lightness of its as well as paints which are diluted with water. Since colouring simplifi­es the transfer of atmospheric water is a solvent for this kind of paints, hence the phenomena. First professional watercolorist appear. name of the painting with these paints. Watercolor – Their dull in color landscapes were executed on the only kind of paints with a distinct clarity, purity damp paper, fi­lled with one common tone, to which and brilliance of color. This is achieved not only by all the color gradations with a watercolor wash and the quality of the materials used, but also by a high draughtsmanship of details with a thin pen. In the degree of dispersion of pigments, that is obtained UK (A. and Dzh. R. Kozens, T. Gertin), in France with the help of special trituration of powders. (Zh. O. Fragonar, Y. Rober), in Russia (F. Y. Alekseev, Opaque watercolor painting with a mixture of M. M. Ivanov, S. F. Shchedrin, F. M. Matveev and white was known in ancient Egypt, ancient world, in others). the Middle Ages in Europe and Asia. Works made by In the second quarter of the XIX century in artists on papyrus and rice paper have come down to Italy there was a way of dense multilayer watercolor us. In the Middle Ages in Western Europe and Russia painting on dry paper, with characteristic sonorous the watercolor was used to decorate the church books contrasts of light and shade, color and white papers. (coloring of ornaments, caps in manuscripts), and Features of watercolor as a material of painting − then in the miniature painting. lightness, transparency and subtlety − were the Pure watercolor (without admixture of white) qualities that attracted the attention of many artists. has been widely used at the beginning of the XV Gradually, under the influence of the general century. Its main qualities − transparency of paints, development of painting, enriching and improving, through which the tone and texture of the substrate watercolor separated as an independent form of fi­ne appear (mainly paper, less silk and ivory), color art. There was an easel painting, which by its scenic purity. The watercolor combines features of paintings merit and artistic value has reached perfection and was (wealth of tone, design of form and space with color) not inferior to paintings done in oils. Simultaneously and graphics (the active role of the paper in image with easel watercolor painting illustration and design). Specifi­c watercolor techniques − watercolor architectural watercolor graphics was developing. wash and flow mottle, creating the effect of mobility In Russia K. P. Bryullov and A. A. Ivanov work and vibrant image. Watercolor, done by brush, often in this manner. P.F.Sokolov had distinctive technique includes pen or pencil drawings. of portraiture (with masterly modeling of the form In the XV–XVII centuries, watercolor had with thin lines and dots, wide color fi­lls), who breathed practical value and was used mainly to color prints, new life into the art of miniature portraits. He worked drawings, sketches of painting and frescoes. An on the paper with pure paints without admixture of excellent example of this can be landscapes by white. The artist has assigned to watercolor its main A. Durer, Dutch and Flemish artists. qualities – transparency and lightness. His miniature 71 portraits were notable for amazing simplicity, the closely associated with the cultural life of Belarus, beauty of color tints and perfect drawing (“Portrait Poland and Lithuania as well. of a Lady in a Green Dress”, “Portrait of a young In the works of battle genre of Jan Damel (1780– offi­cer,” etc.). 1840), who worked in Minsk at the end, as well as in In the XIX century, watercolor art receives the works of his contemporary Yanuariy Sukhodolsky signifi­cant development. Picturesque freedom, (1797–1831), born in Grodno, there was ability to variety of tonal nuance and color schemes were create landscape and multi-fi­gured compositions with peculiar to the works of many artists. At this time in complex social characteristics of the characters. watercolor technique worked fruitfully E. Delakrua, Polish artist Józef Peshka (1767–1831), who lived O. Domye, P. Gavarni in France, A. Mentsel in for a long time in Vitebsk, Minsk, Mogilev, created a Germany, I. E. Repin V. I. Surikov, M. A. Vrubel in series of watercolor paintings from nature which had Russia. Flourishing of the British school of watercolor local history and ethnographic features. They have continued (R. Bonington, Dzh. S. Kotmen, I. Kellou, the same value both as historical documents of the I. Terner). age, and as samples of graphic art. In the late XIX – early XX century masters that Artist, literary man, musician Napoleon Orda were part of the creative association “World of Art”, (1807–1883), a native of Grodno province, left a and artists of their circle made a great contribution large number of watercolors depicting the specifi­c to the history of the Russian watercolor painting. historical places in Belarus and motifs of natural Various creative individuals were united by a common scenery. The reliability of graphic narration makes aspiration for the high professional craftsmanship the works of the artist not only historical, but also and the search of a modern language in art. an aesthetic richness of content (castles in Mir, Lida, The watercolor of the ХХ century is characterized Nesvizh palace, views of Grodno, Minsk, and many by greater freedom of techniques. In the works of artists others). Later, on their basis, lithographs were made, there is a combination of graphic arts and painting. which were published in the form of albums of 20–30 Most of the “world artists”, also related to them in pages. the nature of creation such artists as A. Ya. Golovin, Local history and ethnographic tendency, marked L. S. Bakst, D. N. Kardovsky, F. A. Malyavin, with the works of N. Ordy, Yu. Peshki, continued in M. V. Dobuzhinsky, K. F. Juon, B. M. Kustodiev, watercolors of M. Kulesh, D. Strukov, I. Trutnev. Z. S. Serebryakova in their work used watercolor In the early ХХ century Yazep Drozdovich studied with the combination of whitewash, gouache, the cultural heritage of our people, displaying in his tempera, pastels, bronze and other materials. Ho- works famous places of his native land that were in wever, such artists as K. A. Somova, A. N. Benoiua the Vitebsk region. and A. P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva basically held to An example of academic watercolor are portraits watercolor technique in its pure form. of Yu. Pen, a student of P. Chistyakov. His watercolor Such painters as G. S. Vereysky, V. M. Konashe- paintings are distinguished by subtle perception of vich, N. A. Tyrsa, K. I. Rudakov, N. N. Kupreyanov, the pictorial qualities of water colors. In the easel V. V. Lebedev, L. A. Bruni, P. V. Miturich, S. V. Ge- genre watercolors among Belarusian artists the rasimov, A. V. Fonvizin, L. V. Soyfertis and many works of N. Tarasikov, B. Kudrevich, L. Leytman, other artists work brightly and originally in the best V. Volkov, M. Filippovich, A. Ostapovich have traditions of Russian easel watercolor. become widespread. Belarusian school of watercolor experiences Watercolor sketches to the pictures of Valentin the period of the formation and search of its creative Volkov (1881–1964), that have survived to the language. We can see the examples of use of present days, show the high quality of classic watercolor techniques in Belarus in the miniatures watercolor techniques. Holding true to the principles of Radivilov Chronicle. In the XVII–XVIII centuries of realism, he gave his views to the pupils of Vitebsk water paint were used to paint engravings. Art College. In the 30’s after graduation from Art Creative processes XIX – early XX century, College the beginning of the creative development of which were becoming apparent most in Poland and in many artists clarifi­es, many of which subsequently the cultural centers of the Russian Empire, to the full made a signifi­cant contribution to the development extent were typical for its province − the North-West of watercolor art in Belarus. Among them there are region, of which at that time the territory of Belarus such names as N. Tarasikov, E. Krasovsky, N. Beda, was part of. Representatives from different art schools Volkov, V. Tsvirko, N. Golovchenko, N. Churaba, worked there. Creative work of F.Smuglevich, etc. One of the fi­rst Belarusian artists, who can Yu. Peshki, Ya. Damelya, N. Ordy, V. Vankovich was rightly be called the leading watercolorist, was 72 Lev Leytman (1896–1974). Throughout his career direction. In achieving of work expressiveness some watercolor and gouache were the main means of artists do not limit themselves in the graphic means, artistic expression for him.