Painting in Time: Time and Art in Andrei Tarkovsky’s Art Cinema by Diana Ivanycheva A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Slavic Languages and Literatures Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies University of Alberta ©Diana Ivanycheva, 2019 Abstract This dissertation is an attempt to explain how Tarkovsky uses paintings of famous artists such as Andrei Rublev, Pieter Bruegel, Leonardo da Vinci, and Piero della Francesca in order to address the question of cinematic temporality and spirituality in his films. The dissertation expands on what has already been written on the issue of spirituality and temporality with regards to Tarkovsky’s aesthetics. It focuses on how time is represented—or how the experience of time is represented—in the paintings shown in Tarkovsky’s films and how these manifestations contribute to the spiritual qualities of the cinematic medium. I argue that it is through this specific treatment of time seen as tightly connected to the paintings that Tarkovsky’s films acquire their status of spiritual cinema. By incorporating religious art and by focusing on the ideas of spiritual practice, such as contemplation, Tarkovsky explores the question of the transcendental, while tightly connecting it to our experience of time. This thesis coordinates critical theories on time, temporality, memory, autobiography, and nostalgia with film and photography theories, literary theory, and art history. The thesis is organized around four of Tarkovsky’s films in which paintings are used as an essential part of the cinema aesthetic. The first chapter focuses on the connection between time and spirituality via the use of Russian icon painting in Andrei Rublev. Chapter Two explores the relationship between time and movement via the landscape imagery of Pieter Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow, as used in Solaris. Chapter Three examines Mirror as an image as opposed to script led film in which stillness dominates movement. This stillness is considered in the context of the representation of faces, both in the film and in Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait painting Ginevra de’ Benci. The last chapter explores the idea of time suppression and the nostalgia for time itself. It looks at how Piero della Fancesca’s fresco Madonna del Parto plays a ii role in reconciling the tension between stillness and movement, which eventually represents the tension between nature and technology, spirituality and materialism, originality and reproduction, painting and cinema. Ultimately, this thesis proposes that in their spiritual aspect Tarkovsky’s films can be paralleled with the paintings of high art. Like icon paintings, his films can be called “image-mediators”. Through temporal defamiliarization they help to reconsider profane linear time in favor of the spiritual timeless observation of phenomena passing through time. iii Acknowledgements I want to begin by thanking my supervisor, Daniel Laforest, whose excellent guidance, constant encouragement, and enthusiasm about my project have been greatly valuable to me. I also want to thank the other members of my examining committee, Peter Rolland, Bill Beard, and Liz Czach who all have provided excellent feedback and support. And many thanks to Vida Johnson of Tufts University for her thoughtful comments and suggestions as external examiner. To my husband Max, who was on his own PhD journey at the same time with me. I thank you for your support and strength, for your love and constant inspirations. iv Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One Time and Spirituality: Icon Paintings in Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev ............................................ 9 Chapter Two Time and Movement: Landscape Paintings in Tarkovsky’s Solaris ............................................ 76 Chapter Three Time and Stillness: Portrait Painting in Tarkovsky’s Mirror ..................................................... 127 Chapter Four Time and Nostalgia: Madonna del Parto in Andrei Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia ............................ 182 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 233 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................ 239 v List of Tables Table 1 Main characteristics of painting as opposed to those of cinema.................................... 237 Table 2 Change in the characteristics of painting and cinema when painting is used in film. ... 237 vi List of Figures Fig. 1. 1 Alexander Rodchenko Train, Bryansk Railway Station (1927) .................................... 23 Fig. 1. 2 Alexander Rodchenko Fire Escape (1925) .................................................................... 24 Fig. 1. 3 Andrei Rublev’s Annunciation (1405) ........................................................................... 36 Fig. 1. 4 Northern Russia icon of the 15th century Beheading of St. John the Baptist ................ 37 Fig. 1. 5 Andrei Rublev The Nativity (1405) ................................................................................ 38 Fig. 1. 6 From Iurii Tarich’s Wings of a Serf (1926) .................................................................... 47 Fig. 1. 7 Aleksandr Deyneka Nikitka – The First Russian Pilot (1940) ....................................... 47 Fig. 1. 8 Nikolay Vilkov Wings of a Serf (1947) .......................................................................... 48 Fig. 1. 9 Ilia Glazunov The Russian Icarus (1964) ....................................................................... 48 Fig. 1. 10 Elena Chernysheva Russian Icarus (2002) ................................................................... 48 Fig. 1. 11 Alexey Zalazaev Nikitka-letun (2009) .......................................................................... 49 Fig. 1. 12 225th anniversary of Nikita Kriakutnyi’s legendary flight postage stamp (1956) ....... 50 Fig. 1. 13 Kriakutnyi’s monument (Nerehta, Russia) ................................................................... 50 Fig. 1. 14 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 55 Fig. 1. 15 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 57 Fig. 1. 16 Dionisius Crucifixion of Jesus (1500) .......................................................................... 57 Fig. 1. 17 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 58 Fig. 1. 18 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 62 Fig. 1. 19 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 62 Fig. 1. 20 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 62 Fig. 1. 21 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 62 Fig. 1. 22 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 63 vii Fig. 1. 23 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 63 Fig. 1. 24 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 64 Fig. 1. 25 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 73 Fig. 1. 26 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev (1966) ......................................................... 73 Fig. 2. 1 Balla Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash (1912) ................................................................ 83 Fig. 2. 2 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) ...................................................................... 85 Fig. 2. 3 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) ...................................................................... 86 Fig. 2. 4 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) ...................................................................... 88 Fig. 2. 5 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) ...................................................................... 95 Fig. 2. 6 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) .................................................................... 103 Fig. 2. 7 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) .................................................................... 105 Fig. 2. 8 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) .................................................................... 109 Fig. 2. 9 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) ................................................................... 119 Fig. 2. 10 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) .................................................................. 122 Fig. 2. 11 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris (1972) .................................................................. 124 Fig. 3. 1 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror (1975) ..................................................................... 135 Fig. 3. 2 Parmigianino Self-portrait in Convex Mirror (1524) ................................................... 135 Fig. 3. 3 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror (1975) ..................................................................... 135 Fig. 3. 4 From Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror (1975) ....................................................................