The Russian culture is rooted in the early East Slavic culture. The East Slavs are the ethnic group that evolved into the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples. ...

Culture of Ancient Rus involved the conversion to Orthodox Christianity and the acceptance of Byzantine art and architecture. The acceptance of Byzantine culture included the adoption of icon painting. The Church had resources to commission great works of art, as well as the will and means to preserve them. The period of the Middle Ages has a special meaning in history of the Russian culture. ... Orthodox Christianity is a generalized reference to the Eastern traditions of Christianity, as opposed to the Western traditions (which descend through, or alongside of, the Roman Catholic Church) or the Eastern Rite Catholic churches. ... The most famous of the surviving Byzantine mosaics of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople - the image of Christ Pantocrator on the walls of the upper southern gallery. ... Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. ... Salvator Mundi is an iconography depicting Christ with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding an orb. ...

Around 1890 a new form of art the Russian avant-garde took development. The Russian avant-garde is a form of modern art. However, it developed into Soviet art when the government elected to control all art forms. Beat the white with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modern art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its...

One of Faberge Easter eggs (1906).

Download high resolution version (699x933, 140 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (699x933, 140 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Fabergé may refer to: Peter Carl Fabergé, the jeweler House of Fabergé, his firm Fabergé eggs, his most famous works Fabergé line of Victor Mayer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Easter, also known as Pascha (Greek Πάσχα: Passover), the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrection, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed between late March and late April (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity). ...

History of Russian Culture

Main article: History of Russian culture

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Art

Icon painting

A piece of Russian Icon art known as Rublev's Trinity

Russian icon painting was inherited from the art of the Byzantine churches, and it soon became an offshooot version of the mosaic and fresco traditions. Icon paintings in Russia attempted to help people with their prayers without idolizing the figure in the painting. The most comprehensive collection of Icon art is found at the Tretyakov Gallery.[1] Download high resolution version (700x860, 269 KB)Angels at Mambre (Holy Trinity) Rublev Rublevs famous icon showing the three Angels being hosted by Abraham at Mambré. From here. ... Download high resolution version (700x860, 269 KB)Angels at Mambre (Holy Trinity) Rublev Rublevs famous icon showing the three Angels being hosted by Abraham at Mambré. From here. ... Andrei Rublev (Andrey Rublev, Andrey Roublyov, Russian: Андре́й Рублёв) (1360? – 1430?) is considered to be the greatest Russian iconographer. ... Christ the Redeemer (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) An icon (from Greek , eikon, image) is an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it, or by analogy, as in semiotics; in computers an icon is a symbol on the... The word orthodoxy, from the Greek ortho (right, correct) and doxa (thought, teaching, glorification), is typically used to refer to the correct theological or doctrinal observance of religion, as determined by some overseeing body. ... Mosaic is the art of decoration with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. ... Fresco by Dionisius representing Saint Nicholas. ... Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov (1883) The State Tretyakov Gallery is the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. ...

Rather than being a mere imitation, Russian icons had a peculiar style and masters such as Andrei Rublev took the icon to new heights. Andrei Rublev (Andrey Rublev, Andrey Roublyov, Russian: Андре́й Рублёв) (1360? – 1430?) is considered to be the greatest Russian iconographer. ...

Russian avant-garde

Main article: Russian avant-garde

The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modernist art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its end as late as 1960. The term covers many separate, but inextricably related, art movements that occurred at the time; namely neo-primitivism, suprematism,constructivism, and futurism. Notable artists from this era include El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky, Vladimir Tatlin, Alexander Rodchenko, and Marc Chagall amongst others. The Russian avant-garde reached its creative and popular height in the period between the Russian Revolution of 1917 and 1932, at which point the ideas of the avant-garde clashed with the newly emerged state-sponsored direction of Socialist Realism. Beat the white with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modern art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its... A 1919 lithograph by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, Beat the white with the Red wedge This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 50 years. ... Beat the white with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modern art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it more accessible to a general audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Tatlin Tower. ... Umberto Boccioni - Unique Forms of Continuity in Space. ... El Lissitzky in a 1924 self-portrait Lazar Markovich Lissitzky â–¶(?) (Лазарь Маркович Лисицкий, November 23, 1890 – December 30, 1941), better known as El Lissitzky (Эль Лисицкий), was a Russian artist, designer, photographer, teacher, typographer, and architect. ... Self-portrait, 1933 (detail) Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (Казимир Северинович Малевич, Polish Malewicz, Ukrainian transliteration Malevych, German Kasimir Malewitsch), (February 23, 1878 – May 15, 1935) was a painter and art theoretician, pioneer of geometric abstract art and one of the most important members of the Russian avant-garde. ... Wassily Kandinsky Wassily Kandinsky (Russian: Василий Кандинский, first name pronounced as [vassi:li]) (December 16, 1866 [O.S. December 4] – December 13, 1944) was a Russian painter and art theorist. ... Vladimir Yevgrafovich Tatlin (Владимир Евграфович Татлин) (December 28, 1885 (OS: December 16) – May 31, 1953) worked as a painter and architect. ... Alexander Rodchenko in his studio wearing industrial suit with the background of spacial constructions, a 1924 photo by Mikhail Kaufman Aleksander Mikhailovich Rodchenko (Russian: ), 5 December 1891 [O.S. 23 November] – December 3, 1956) was a Russian artist, sculptor and photographer. ... Marc Chagall as photographed in 1941 by Carl Van Vechten. ... Beat the white with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modern art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its... The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political events in Russia, involving first the overthrow of the system of autocracy, and then the overthrow of the liberal Provisional Government (Duma), resulting in the establishment of the Soviet power under the control of the Bolshevik party. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... Roses for Stalin, Boris Vladimirski, 1949 Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style of realistic art which has as its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism. ...

Soviet Art

Main article: Soviet Art

During the Russian Revolution a movement was initiated to put all arts to service of the dictatorship of the proletariat. The instrument for this was created just days before the October Revolution, known as Proletkult, an abbreviation for "Proletarskie kulturno-prosvetitelnye organizatsii" (Proletarian Cultural and Enlightenment Organizations). A prominent theorist of this movement was Alexander Bogdanov. Initially Narkompros (ministry of education), which was also in charge of the arts, supported Proletkult. However the latter sought too much independence from the ruling Communist Party of Bolsheviks, gained negative attitude of Vladimir Lenin, by 1922 declined considerably, and was eventually disbanded in 1932. After Stalin died Soviet Art went into decline as gradually Russians artists became more independent of the state and in the 1980s the government ruled that it could not restrict what Russians artists could paint. The term Soviet art refers to visual art produced in the former Soviet Union. ... Bolshevik (1920), by Boris Kustodiev. ... Alexander Bogdanov (1873 - 1928) was a Russian physician, philosopher, economist, writer, and revolutionary. ... Narkompros (Наркомпрос) is an abbreviation for the Peoples Commissariat for Enlightenment (Народный комиссариат просвещен&#1080... In modern usage, a communist party is a political party which promotes communism, the sociopolitical ideology based on Marxism. ... Bolshevik Party Meeting. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Architecture

Main article: Russian architecture

St. Basil's cathedral

Russian architecture was influenced predominantly by the Byzantine architecture until the Fall of Constantinople. At the turn of the 15th and 16th century, Aristotle Fioravanti and other Italian architects introduced Renaissance trends. The reigns of Ivan the Terrible and Boris Godunov saw the development of tent-like churches culminating in Saint Basil's Cathedral, as shown to the right. In the 17th century, the "fiery style" of ornamentation flourished in Moscow and Yaroslavl, gradually paving the way for the Naryshkin baroque of the 1690s. Saint Basils Cathedral (1555-61) is a showcase of medieval Russian architecture. ... Download high resolution version (500x630, 175 KB)Saint Basils Cathedral, 2004-07. ... Download high resolution version (500x630, 175 KB)Saint Basils Cathedral, 2004-07. ... Saint Basils Cathedral (1555-61) is a showcase of medieval Russian architecture. ... Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Ottoman Empire Commanders Constantine XI† Loukas Notaras Mehmed II Strength <10,000 >80,000[1] Casualties Unknown Unknown The Fall of Constantinople was the conquest of the Byzantine capital by the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Mehmed II, on Tuesday, May 29, 1453. ... Aristotile Fioravanti (ca. ... Raphael was famous for depicting illustrious figures of the Classical past with the features of his Renaissance contemporaries. ... Ivan IV (August 25, 1530&#8211;March 18, 1584) was the first ruler of Russia to assume the title of tsar. ... Tsar Boris I Boris Feodorovich Godunov (Бори́с Фёдорович Годуно́в) (c. ... The rocket-like church at Ostrov near Moscow is considered typical for Boris Godunovs reign. ... St. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... A public building in Yaroslavl Yaroslavl (Russian: ) is a city in Russia, the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, located 250 km north-east of Moscow at . ... The Assumption church in Pokrovka Street, Moscow (1696-99) Naryshkin Baroque, also called Moscow Baroque, or Muscovite Baroque, is the name given to a particular style of architecture and decoration which was fashionable in Moscow at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. ...

The 18th-century taste for rococo architecture led to the splendid works of Bartolomeo Rastrelli and his followers. During the reign of Catherine the Great and her grandson Alexander I, the city of Saint Petersburg was transformed into an outdoor museum of Neoclassical architecture; the 19th century was dominated by the Byzantine and Russian Revival. Prevalent styles of the 20th century were the Art Nouveau (Fyodor Shekhtel), Constructivism (Aleksey Shchusev and Konstantin Melnikov), and the Stalinist Empire style (Boris Iofan). North side of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo - carriage courtyard: all the stucco details sparkled with gold until 1773, when Catherine II had gilding replaced with olive drab paint. ... Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700-71) was the most important baroque architect working in Russia. ... Catherine II (&#1045;&#1082;&#1072;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088;&#1080;&#1085;&#1072; II &#1040;&#1083;&#1077;&#1082;&#1089;&#1077;&#1077;&#1074;&#1085;&#1072;: Yekateri&#769;na II Alekse&#769;yevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from... Aleksander I Pavlovich Romanov (Russian: Александр I Павлович) (December 23, 1777–December 1, 1825), was Emperor of Russia from March 23, 1801–December 1, 1825 and King of Poland from 1815–1825, as well as the first Grand Duke of Finland. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: &#1057;&#1072;&#1085;&#1082;&#1090;-&#1055;&#1077;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088;&#1073;&#1091;&#769;&#1088;&#1075;, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as &#1055;&#1080;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088; (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (&#1051;&#1077;&#1085;&#1080;&#1085;&#1075;&#1088;&#1072;&#769;&#1076;, 1924&#8211;1991) and... Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture. ... Poster by Alfons Mucha Art Nouveau (IPA: , anglicised ) (French for new art) is an international style of art, architecture and design that peaked in popularity at the beginning of the 20th century. ... Tatlin Tower. ... Aleksey Viktorovich Shchusev (Russian: ) (September 26, 1873, Chisinau, now in Republic of Moldova - May 24, 1949, Moscow) was an acclaimed Russian architect whose works may be regarded as a bridge connecting Revivalist architecture of Imperial Russia with Stalins Empire Style. ... One of buildings designed by Melnikov Konstantin Stepanovitch Melnikov (Russian Константин Степанович Мельников; July 22 (August 3) 1890, Moscow - November 28, 1974, Moscow) was a Russian architect and major figure member of the Constructivist avant-garde in the early 20th century. ... Unrealised design for the Palace of Soviets, Moscow. ... Iofans Palace of Soviets design Boris Mihajlovic Iofan (April 28, 1891–1976) was one of a trio of Russian architects who designed the magnificent Palace of Soviets (the other two architects were Vladimir Gelfreikh and Vladimir Shchuko). ...

Some notable Russian buildings include:

• Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod | Golden Gate (Vladimir) | Cathedral of Christ the Saviour | Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir | Cathedral of the Annunciation | Cathedral of the Archangel | Cathedral of the Dormition | Church of the Savior on Blood | Saint Basil's Cathedral | Kazan Kremlin | Saint Isaac's Cathedral | Kazan Cathedral | Peter and Paul Cathedral | Sukharev Tower | Menshikov Tower | Moscow Manege | Narva Triumphal Gate | Kolomenskoye | Peterhof | Gatchina | Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra | Solovetsky Monastery | Kunstkamera | Russian Museum | Catherine Palace | Grand Kremlin Palace | Winter Palace | Simonov Monastery | Novodevichy Convent | Lenin's Mausoleum | Tatlin's Tower | Palace of the Soviets | Seven Sisters (Moscow) | All-Soviet Exhibition Centre | Ostankino Tower | Triumph-Palace | White House of Russia

The Cathedral of St Sophia in Novgorod is the oldest preserved church in Russia. ... Golden Gate The Golden Gate of Vladimir (Zolotye Vorota, Russian Золотые ворота), originally a tower over the citys main gate, was built in 1158-64. ... View of the cathedral in 1905 The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Russian: &#1061;&#1088;&#1072;&#1084; &#1061;&#1088;&#1080;&#1089;&#1090;&#1072; &#1057;&#1087;&#1072;&#1089;&#1080;&#1090;&#1077;&#1083;&#1103;) is the largest Orthodox church in the world. ... View of the cathedral in 1912. ... The Cathedral of the Annunciation (&#1041;&#1083;&#1072;&#1075;&#1086;&#1074;&#1077;&#1097;&#1077;&#1085;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081; &#1089;&#1086;&#1073;&#1086;&#1088; in Russian, or Blagoveschensky sobor) is a cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. ... The Cathedral of the Archangel (Russian: &#1040;&#1088;&#1093;&#1072;&#1085;&#1075;&#1077;&#1083;&#1100;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081; &#1089;&#1086;&#1073;&#1086;&#1088;, or Arhangelsky sobor) is the name of several cathedrals in Russia. ... Cathedral of the Dormition, Moscow, in winter The Cathedral of the Dormition or Cathedral of the Assumption (in Russian, Uspensky Sobor (&#1059;&#1089;&#1087;&#1077;&#1085;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081; &#1057;&#1086;&#1073;&#1086;&#1088;)) is the name of several cathedrals in the world. ... The Church as seen from Griboedov Canal. ... St. ... View of the Spasskaya (Savior) Tower in the early 20th century. ... The cathedral dominates the city skyline St. ... 19th-century view of the Kazan Cathedral in St. ... The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. ... Old photo of the Sukharevka Sukharev Tower (Сухарева башня) was one of the best known landmarks and symbols of Moscow until its destruction by the Soviet authorities in 1934. ... Picture of the Menshikov Tower taken in 1882 Menshikov tower (Ìåíøèêîâà áàøíÿ) is the name given by Muscovites to the church of St. ... Moscow Manege is a large square building with an historical background. ... Narva Triumphal Arch, in St Petersburg, commemorates the Russian victory over Napoleon (from a postcard). ... Kolomenskoye (Russian/Cyrillic: Коломенское) is a former royal estate situated several miles to the south-east of Moscow downtown, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna (hence the name). ... Peterhof: the Samson Fountain and Sea Channel Peterhof (Russian: , Petergof, originally Piterhof, Dutch for Peters Court) is a series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great, and sometimes called the Russian Versailles. It is located about twenty kilometers west and six kilometers south... Gatchina is the city of 84900 inhabitants in the Leningrad oblast of the Russian Federation, 45 km south of St Petersburg by the road leading to Pskov. ... View of the lavra in the 1890s. ... Solovetsky Monastery Solovetsky Monastery (Соловецкий монастырь in Russian), a monastery on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. ... ). The Kunstkamera is a museum in St. ... Russian Museum - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... This article is actively undergoing a major edit for a short while. ... The exterior of the Grand Kremlin Palace incorporates many details characteristic for the medieval Russian and Byzantine architecture. ... Located between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, the Winter Palace (Russian: Зимний Дворец) in Saint Petersburg, Russia was built between 1754 and 1762 as the winter residence of the Russian tsars. ... Assumption Cathedral (1405). ... Novodevichy convent in summer Novodevichy Convent, also known as Bogoroditse-Smolensky Monastery (&#1053;&#1086;&#1074;&#1086;&#1076;&#1077;&#1074;&#1080;&#1095;&#1080;&#1081; &#1084;&#1086;&#1085;&#1072;&#1089;&#1090;&#1099;&#1088;&#1100;, &#1041;&#1086;&#1075;&#1086;&#1088;&#1086;&#1076;&#1080;&#1094;&#1077;-&#1057;&#1084;&#1086;&#1083;&#1077;&#1085;&#1089;&#1082... Lenins Tomb, with wall of the Kremlin and the former Soviet Parliament building behind An entrance to Lenins Mausoleum Lenins Mausoleum, also known as Lenins Tomb, situated in Red Square in Moscow, is the mausoleum that serves as the final resting place of Vladimir Lenin. ... Model of the Monument to the Third International Tatlin’s Tower, or the Monument to the Third International, was a grand monumental building envisioned and blueprinted by the Russian artist and architect Vladimir Tatlin, but never built. ... Categories: Buildings in Moscow | Soviet Union | Stub ... The apartment building on Kotyelnicheskaya Nabyerezhnaya (Котельническая набережная) in Moscow. ... A gigantic statue over the northern entrance to the VDNKH. The All-Russia Exhibition Centre or All-Russian Exhibition Centre is a permanent general-purpose trade show in Moscow, Russia, initiated in the times of the Soviet Union and known under the name VDNKh. ... The Ostankino tower seen from a distance. ... Triumph palace and the typical Soviet block of flats Triumph-Palace, view from Peschanaya Street Triumph-Palace is the name of an apartment building in Moscow. ... White house of Russia under siege The White House of Russia, also known as the Russian White House, is a government building in Moscow that housed the Soviet Unions Congress of Peoples Deputies and Supreme Soviet until the crisis of 3 October 1993 when an uprising lead to...

Cinema

Main article: Cinema of Russia and Soviet Union

While Russia was involved in filmmaking as early as most of the other nations in the West, it only came into prominence during the 1920s when it explored editing as the primary mode of cinematic expression. Because of the depletion of resources due to World War I, Russian film schools would take copies of D. W. Griffith's Intolerance and re-cut it as an exercise in creating meaning. Introduction While Russia was involved in filmmaking as early as most of the other nations in the West, it only came into prominence during the 1920s when it explored editing as the primary mode of cinematic expression. ... It has been suggested that film production be merged into this article or section. ... D. W. Griffith David Llewelyn Wark Griffith, commonly known as D.W. Griffith (January 22, 1875–July 23, 1948) was an American film director. ... Intolerance is the lack of ability or willingness to tolerate something. ...

Maya Plisetskaya in the 1964 production of Don Quixote by Bolshoi Theatre.

"Soviet Cinema" should not be used as a synonym for "Russian Cinema". Although Russian language films predominated, several republics developed lively and unique cinemas, while others did not. Most notable for their republican cinema were Armenia, Georgia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and, to a lesser degree, Belarus and Moldova. Image File history File links Maya Plisetskaya in Don Quixote (1964). ... Image File history File links Maya Plisetskaya in Don Quixote (1964). ... Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya (Russian: ; born November 20, 1925) is a Russian ballet dancer, frequently cited as the greatest ballerina of modern times. ... Theatre Square in Moscow. ...

Since the dissolution of The Soviet Union, Russian cinema has greatly transformed. Although still largely funded by the state, the topics and dynamic have been updated. During the '90s, Russian filmmaking decreased sharply, going from hundreds per year to the double-digits. However, recent years have brought increased viewership and subsequent prosperity to the industry through exploration of contemporary subjects like sexuality in the 2004 film You, I Love. The future of Russian cinema is promising. This article is about the issues and phenomena pertaining to human sexual function and behavior. ...

Dance

Russian ballet, Ballets Russes, Barynya, Kamarinskaya

Music of Russia

Main article: Music of Russia

Russia is a large and culturally diverse country with dozens of ethnic groups; each with their own forms of folk music. During the period of Soviet domination, music was highly scrutinized and kept within certain boundaries of content and innovation. After the fall of the USSR in the early 1990s, western-style rock and pop music became the most popular musical forms in Russia. With the rise of western music, some native artists became quite popular. Russia is a large and extremely culturally diverse country, with dozens of ethnic groups, each with their own forms of folk music. ... Diverse (born Kenny Jenkins) is a Chicago rapper. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and for the common people. ... See also 1990s, the band Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles, however saxophones have been omitted from newer subgenres of rock music since the 90s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Opera

Tsar Dadon meets the Shemakha queen in The Golden Cockerel

The first known opera made in Russia was A Life for the Tsar by Mikhail Glinka in 1836. This was followed by several operas like Ruslan and Lyudmila in 1842. Russian opera was originally a combination of Russian folk music and Italian opera. After the October revolution many opera composers left Russia. Russia's most popular operas include: Ivan Bilibin. ... Ivan Bilibin. ... The Golden Cockerel (Золотой Петушок in Russian, Zolotoy Petuschok in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov to a Russian libretto by Vladimir Ivanovich Belsky, based on the 1834 poem by Pushkin. ... A Life for the Tsar (Russian: Žizn’ za carâ) is a patriotic-heroic tragic opera in five acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Glinka. ... Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Russian: Mihail Ivanovič Glinka) (June 1, 1804 [O.S. May 20] - February 15, 1857 [O.S. February 3]), was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music. ... October 2, Charles Darwin returns from his voyage around the world. ... Ruslan and Lyudmila (Russian: , transliteration: Ruslan i Lyudmila) is an opera in five acts (eight tableaux) composed by Mikhail Glinka between 1837 and 1842. ... Italian opera can be divided into three periods, the Baroque, the Romantic and the modern. ... Bolshevik (1920), by Boris Kustodiev. ...

• Boris Godunov
• Eugene Onegin
• The Golden Cockerel
• Prince Igor
• The Queen of Spades

Modest Mussorgsky in 1870 Boris Godunov (Russian: , Borís Godunóv) is an opera by Modest Mussorgsky. ... Eugene Onegin (Евгений Онегин in Russian, Yevgeny Onegin in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by Konstantin Shilovsky and the composer, based on the novel of the same name by Aleksandr Pushkin. ... The Golden Cockerel (Золотой Петушок in Russian, Zolotoy Petuschok in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov to a Russian libretto by Vladimir Ivanovich Belsky, based on the 1834 poem by Pushkin. ... Prince Igor (Князь Игорь in Russian, Knyaz Igor in transliteration) is an opera in a prologue and four acts by Alexander Borodin to a Russian libretto by the composer, based on the East Slavic epic The Tale of Igors Campaign. ... The Queen of Spades (Пиковая дама in Russian, Pikovaya dama in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composers brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story by the poet Aleksandr Pushkin. ...

Matryoshka doll and other handicraft

Main article: Matryoshka doll

The most common type of matryoshka dolls

A Matryoshka doll (Cyrillic матрёшка or матрешка) is a Russian nesting doll. A set of Matryoshka dolls consists of a wooden figure which can be pulled apart to reveal another figure of the same sort inside. It has in turn another figure inside, and so on. The number of nested figures is usually six or more. The shape is mostly cylindrical, rounded at the top for the head and tapered towards the bottom, but little else; the dolls have no hands (except those that are painted). The artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be extremely elaborate. The theme is usually peasant girls in traditional dress, but can be almost anything, for instance fairy tales or Soviet leaders. Matryoshka doll disassembled A Matryoshka doll (Cyrillic матрёшка or матрешка) or a Russian nested doll is a set of dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside another. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x763, 161 KB) Poupée russe. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x763, 161 KB) Poupée russe. ...

Other forms of Russian handicraft inlcude:

• Gzhel
• Khokhloma
• Pisanka

Gzhel (Russian: &#1043;&#1078;&#1077;&#1083;&#1100;) is: a village in Moscow Oblast, Russia a particular style of blue-white ceramics, originating in the town of the same name. ... Khokhloma (&#1061;&#1086;&#1093;&#1083;&#1086;&#1084;&#1072;, &#1061;&#1086;&#1093;&#1083;&#1086;&#1084;&#1089;&#1082;&#1072;&#1103; &#1088;&#1086;&#1089;&#1087;&#1080;&#1089;&#1100; in Russian, or Khokhlomskaya rospis) is the name of a Russian wood painting handicraft. ... Ukrainian pysanky Pisanka (plural: Pisankas, Pisanki) is an ancient Slavic art of egg decorating. ...

Other art related subjects of interest

• Khorovod
• International Tchaikovsky Competition
• Universal Flowering

Khorovod (Russian: &#1093;&#1086;&#1088;&#1086;&#1074;&#1086;&#1076;, Belarussian: &#1082;&#1072;&#1088;&#1072;&#1075;&#1086;&#1076;) is an art form of Eastern Slavs, a combination of a circle dance and chorus singing, similar to Chorea of ancient Greece. ... The International Tchaikovsky Competition is one of the most prestigious classical music competitions in the world. ... Universal Flowering (Mirovoi rastsvet) is the name given by Pavel Filonov to his system of analytical art. ...

Language

The Ostromir Gospel of 1056 is one of many medieval illuminated manuscripts preserved in the Russian National Library.

Russian is the common official language throughout the Russian Federation understood by 99% of its current inhabitants and widespread in many adjacent areas of Asia and Eastern Europe. National subdivisions of Russia have additional official languages. For more information on individual languages and Russian dialects see: Image File history File links Ostromirs Gospel (mid 11th century) from the Russian National Library File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Ostromirs Gospel (mid 11th century) from the Russian National Library File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Ostromir Codex, written in the Church Slavonic with many vernacular words, is famous for its brilliant miniatures. ... Events Creation of the Crab Nebula observed by a Chinese astronomer Anselm of Canterbury leaves Italy. ... In the strictest definition of illuminated manuscript, only manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, like this miniature of Christ in Majesty from the Aberdeen Bestiary (folio 4v), would be considered illuminated. ... Visit of Alexander I to the library in 1812. ...

• Languages of Russia

Literature

Main article: Russian Literature

Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union. With the break up of the USSR, different countries and cultures may lay claim to various ex-Soviet writers who wrote in Russian on the basis of birth or of ethnic or cultural associations. Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has migrated out, but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile. ...

Formalism

Main article: Russian Formalism

Russian Formalism refers to a number of highly influential Russian and Soviet scholars (Viktor Shklovsky, Yuri Tynianov, Boris Eichenbaum, Roman Jakobson, Grigory Vinokur) who revolutionised literary criticism between 1914 and the 1930s by establishing the specificity and autonomy of poetic language and literature. Russian Formalism exerted a major influence on thinkers such as Mikhail Bakhtin and Yuri Lotman, and on structuralism as a whole. The movement's members are widely considered as the founders of modern literary criticism. // Introduction The distinctive feature of Russian Formalism is the emphasis on the functional role of literary devices and the original conception of the evolution of literary history. ... Viktor Borisovich Shklovsky (or Shklovskii) (January 24, 1893&#8211;December 6, 1984) was a Russian and Soviet critic, writer, and pamphleteer. ... Yury Tynyanov (1894 - 1943) was a famous Russian writer, literary critic, translator, scholar and scriptwriter born in present day Belarussia. ... Boris Michailovich Eichenbaum, or Boris Mikhailovich Eikhenbaum, Russian: Boris Michajlovič Ėjchenbaum (October 4. ... Roman Osipovich Jakobson (October 11, 1896 - July 18, 1982) was a Russian thinker who became one of the most influential linguists of the 20th century by pioneering the development of structural analysis of language, poetry, and art. ... Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong (Song Dynasty) Poetry (from the Greek , poiesis, making or creating) is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin (Russian: Михаил Михайлович Бахти́н pronounced: ) (November 17, 1895 – March 7, 1975) was a Russian philosopher and literary scholar, who wrote influential works of literary and rhetorical theory and criticism. ... Yuri Mikhailovich Lotman (also Juri, Jüri, Jurij) (Russian: Юрий Михайлович Лотман) (28 February 1922 in Petrograd, Russia - 28 October 1993 in Tartu, Estonia) - a prominent Russian formalist critic, semiotician, culturologist. ... Structuralism is best known as school in humanities, but it is actually an approach in academic disciplines in general, that explores the relationships between some principal elements, seen to be fundamental for language, literature, etc, upon which some higher mental, linguistic, social, cultural etc. ...

Poetry

Ivan Bilibin's illustration to Tsar Saltan

Acmeist poetry-Bogatyr-Bylina-Onegin stanza Ivan Bilibin. ... Ivan Bilibin. ... Ivan Ya. ... Acmeism, in terms of poetry, was a school which emerged in the early 1900s in Russia. ... Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Nikitich and Ilya Muromets are represented together in Viktor Vasnetsovs famous 1898 painting Bogatyrs. ... Bylina (Russian: были́на, also Byliny and Stariny) is a traditional epic, heroic narrative poetry of early East Slavs of Kievan Rus, the tradition continued in Russia and Ukraine. ... Onegin stanza refers to the verse form used by Alexander Pushkin in his interpersonal epic Eugene Onegin. ...

Famous poems:

• The Bronze Horseman
• Eugene Onegin
• The Poem of the End
• The Tale of Tsar Saltan

Alexandre Benoiss illustration to the poem (1904). ... Eugene Onegin (Russian: Евгений Онегин, BGN/PCGN: Yevgeniy Onegin) is a novel in verse written by Aleksandr Pushkin. ... The Poem of the End is a major work by the White Russian symbolist poet Marina Tsvetaeva. ... The Tale of Tsar Saltan is a 1831 poem by Aleksandr Pushkin, written after the Russian fairy tale edited by Vladimir Dahl. ...

Cuisine

A Soviet poster advertising Russian food, pelmeni.

Main article: Russian cuisine

Russia has a rich culinary history and offers a wide variety of soups, dishes made from fish, cereal based products and drinks. In addition to meat culinary, vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, berries and herbs also play a major part in the Russian diet. Primordial Russian products such as caviar, smetana (sour cream), buckwheat, rye flour, etc. have had a great influence on world-wide cuisine. ImageMetadata File history File links Pelmen. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Pelmen. ... A 1936 Soviet poster advertising pelmeni. ... Russian cuisine derives its rich and varied character from the vast and multicultural expanse of Russia. ... Soup is a savoury liquid food that is made by boiling ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and beans in stock or hot water, until the flavor is extracted. ... A can of black Iranian caviar Russian salmon caviar on buttered bread Caviar is the processed salted roe of various species of fish, most notably sturgeon. ... Smetana is a dairy product in Central and Eastern Europe, a variety of sour cream similar to crème fraîche, much heavier than the Western European variety. ... Binomial name Fagopyrum esculentum Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a plant in the genus Fagopyrum (sometimes merged into genus Polygonum) in the family Polygonaceae. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ...

Martial Arts

Main article: Russian martial arts

Russia has an extensive history of martial arts. Some of its most well known forms include the Kadochnikov's Systema, Retuinskih's System ROSS, Ryabko's Systema, Sambo, and Systema. Since Russia is such a large country, it has come into contact and conflict with many different invaders from all directions. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Retuinskih System ROSS (Russian: &#1056;&#1054;&#1057;&#1057;, short for &#1056;&#1086;&#1089;&#1089;&#1080;&#769;&#1081;&#1089;&#1082;&#1072;&#1103; &#1054;&#1090;&#1077;&#769;&#1095;&#1077;&#1089;&#1090;&#1074;&#1077;&#1085;&#1085;&#1072;&#1103; &#1057;&#1080;&#1089;&#1090;&#1077;&#769;&#1084;&#1072; &#1057;&#1072;&#1084;&#1086;&#1079;&#1072;&#1097... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Sambo (&#1089;&#1072;&#1084;&#1073;&#1086;) -- (also called Sombo and sometimes written in all-caps) is a modern martial art, combat sport and self-defense system developed in the Soviet Union. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Media

Serge Sudeikin's poster for the Chauve-Souris Theatre 1922.

Russian media began largely under the Soviet Union. However during this period all media were controlled by the government and many of the freedoms Western newspapers are used to were denied. At this time Russia's most famous newspaper was Pravda. It was an official publication of the Communist Party between 1918 and 1991. The paper is still in operation in Russia, but it is most famous in Western countries for its pronouncements during the period of the Cold War. A number of other, less famous, newspapers were (and are) also called Pravda. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (450x639, 47 KB) Serge Sudeikin. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (450x639, 47 KB) Serge Sudeikin. ... Sudeikins poster for the Chauve-Souris Theatre 1922. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The front page of an issue of Pravda. ...

Russian media have grown extensively since their suppression during the Communist period, although the independence of media outlets such as NTV Russia has been curtailed in recent years.[2] The largest newspaper in Russia currently is Trud, followed by the Russian Pravda. The first English language newspaper in Russia was the Moscow News. (See also Category:Russian media.) The Russian NTV channel (НТВ in Cyrillic) was a pioneer in the post-Soviet independent television media. ... Trud can mean several things: Trud is an alternative name for the Valkyrie Thrud. ... The front page of an issue of Pravda. ... Moscow News is Russia’s longest-running independent English language daily newspaper. ...

Religion

Patriarch Filaret

Ethnic Russians have predominantly followed the Russian Orthodox church. However, during the Soviet era, Atheism was favored by the government which led to a significant decline in the church. Other minority ethnic groups of Russia often hold to Islam or Animism. Judaism also has a large presence along with Catholicism, Protestantism and Buddhism. Nikanor L. Tyutryumov (1821-77). ... Nikanor L. Tyutryumov (1821-77). ... The Russian Orthodox Church (&#1056;&#1091;&#1089;&#1089;&#1082;&#1072;&#1103; &#1055;&#1088;&#1072;&#1074;&#1086;&#1089;&#1083;&#1072;&#1074;&#1085;&#1072;&#1103; &#1094;&#1077;&#1088;&#1082;&#1086;&#1074;&#1100;) is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with... The 18th-century French author Baron dHolbach was one of the first self-described atheists; he did not believe in the existence of any deities. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... In religion, the term Animism is used in a number of ways. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... As a Christian ecclesiastical term, Catholic - from the Greek adjective , meaning general or universal[2] - is described in the Oxford Dictionary as follows: ~Church, (originally) whole body of Christians; ~, belonging to or in accord with (a) this, (b) the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western... Protestantism is one of three main groups currently within Christianity. ... Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, Pali: बुद्ध धम्म, the teachings of the awakened one) is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a way of life, a practical philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of applied psychology. ...

Related Articles:

• Church of the Last Testament
• History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union
• Islam in Russia
• Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations
• Old believers
• Religion in the Soviet Union
• Russian Orthodox Church
• Russian Catholic Church

The Church of the Last Testament is a new religious movement founded in Russia in 1991 by Sergei Torop who started to call himself Vissarion. ... The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest Jewish population in the world. ... According to the United States Department of State, there are an estimated 14 to 20 million Muslims in Russia, constituting approximately 14 percent of the population and forming the largest religious minority. ... The Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations is a Russian Law passed in 1997, signed by Boris Yeltsin. ... In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers (Russian: ) separated after 1666 - 1667 from the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon. ... The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow was demolished as part of the Soviet struggle with religion. ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Catholic Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... The Russian Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite church sui juris of the Catholic Church. ...

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Russia

Photo of the Black Sea near Sochi. Photographed between 1909 and 1915 by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, using three black-and white images through coloured filters before the invention of colour photography.

Russia has a rich cultural heritage that is embodied in the cities of Moscow with its Tretyakov Gallery, Bolshoi Theatre or the Kremlin's collections, and Saint Petersburg on the river Neva, close to the Baltic Sea, with its famous "white nights", the art collections of the Hermitage Museum and the Russian Museum. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Image File history File links Sochi_edited. ... Image File history File links Sochi_edited. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Sergei Prokudin-Gorski. ... Color photography was explored throughout the 1800s. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov (1883) The State Tretyakov Gallery is the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. ... Theatre Square in Moscow. ... The Moscow Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin ( Russian: &#1052;&#1086;&#1089;&#1082;&#1086;&#1074;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081; &#1050;&#1088;&#1077;&#1084;&#1083;&#1100;) is the best known kremlin ( Russian citadel). ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: &#1057;&#1072;&#1085;&#1082;&#1090;-&#1055;&#1077;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088;&#1073;&#1091;&#769;&#1088;&#1075;, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as &#1055;&#1080;&#1090;&#1077;&#1088; (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (&#1051;&#1077;&#1085;&#1080;&#1085;&#1075;&#1088;&#1072;&#769;&#1076;, 1924&#8211;1991) and... The River Neva (Russian: Нева́) is a 74 km-long Russian river flowing from Lake Ladoga (Ладожское Озеро, Ladožskoe Ozero) through the Karelian Isthmus (Карельский Перешеек, Karelskij PereÅ¡eek) and the city of Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург, Sankt-Peterburg) to the Gulf of Finland (Финский Залив, Finskij Zaliv). ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... The State Hermitage Museum (Государственный Эрмитаж) in St. ... Russian Museum - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

In the countryside there are many little towns with old cloisters and castles. There are cities with their own rich traditions like Kaliningrad (formerly Königsberg) on the Baltic Sea coast or Novgorod on Lake Ilmen. Other destinations include: Tver, Vologda, Nizhni Novgorod, Kirov, Ekaterinburg and Rostov. Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A cloister (from latin claustrum) is a part of cathedral, monastic and abbey architecture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Government Russia District Subdivision Russia Northwestern Federal District Kaliningrad Oblast Mayor Yuri Savenko (2005) Geographical characteristics Area  - City 215. ... Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: ) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia, situated on the M10(E95) federal highway connecting Moscow and St. ... Lake Ilmen (Russian: Озеро Ильмень, Finnish: Ilmajärvi), a lake in Novgorod Oblast of Russia. ... Tvers coat of arms depicts grand ducal crown placed on a throne. ... St. ... Area  - Total 260,000 mi² Population  - City (2003)  - Metropolitan 1,334,249 2 million approx. ... Kirov can refer to: Sergey Kirov, Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet communist The north-eastern European Russian city Kirov, center of Kirov Oblast The Soviet warship Kirov, now of the Russian Navy, lead ship of the Kirov class of battlecruisers. ... Photograph of snow-covered Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburgs Church on the Blood, built on the spot where the Tsar and his family were murdered. ... Rostov (Russian: Росто́в; Old Norse: Rostofa) is one of the oldest towns in Russia and an important tourist centre of the so called Golden ring. ...

Famous for tourists, are trips on the big rivers like Volga, Lena or Yenisei. Another popular attraction is a trip on the famous Trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean. For other meanings of the word Volga see Volga (disambiguation) &#1042;&#1086;&#1083;&#1075;&#1072; Length 3,690 km Elevation of the source 225 m Average discharge  ? m³/s Area watershed 1. ... The Lena River ( Russian: &#1051;&#1077;&#769;&#1085;&#1072;) in Siberia is the 10th longest river in the world and has the 9th largest watershed. ... &#1045;&#1085;&#1080;&#1089;&#1077;&#1081; Length 5,550 (4,102) km Elevation of the source m Average discharge 19,600 m³/s Area watershed 2,580,000 km² Origin  ? Mouth Arctic Ocean Basin countries Russia The Yenisei basin, Lake Baikal, and the cities of Dikson, Dudinka, Turukhansk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk... Trans-Siberian line in red; Baikal Amur Mainline in green. ... Vladivostok (Russian: ) is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Sino border and North Korea. ...

Russia's climate is generally moderate with the exception of the mountain areas or Eastern Russia in Siberia. The coasts of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea offer a climate much like the Mediterranean. A good spot for vacations on the beach is Sochi. Map of the Black Sea. ... The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on Earth by both area and volume,[1] with a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres (143,244 mi²) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres (18,761 mi³).[2] It is a landlocked endorheic body of water and lies between... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... The Beach in Calella, Spain. ... Sochi Coat of Arms, adopted on 15 June 1967 Sochi (Russian: Со́чи) is the most popular Russian resort, situated in the Krasnodar Krai, near the Russian border with Abkhazia, Georgia. ...

Humor

Main article: Russian humour

Russia gains much of its wit from the great flexibility and richness of the Russian language, allowing for plays on words and unexpected associations. Like with any other nation, its vast scope ranges from lewd jokes and silly wordplay to political satire. Russian humour gains much of its wit from the great flexibility and richness of the Russian language, allowing for plays on words and unexpected associations. ... Word play is a literary technique in which the nature of the words used themselves become part of the subject of the work. ... Political satire is a subgenre of general satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics, politicians and public affairs. ...

Anecdote

Yury Nikulin, one of the famous Russian anecdote-tellers.

Main article: Russian jokes

Russian jokes, the most popular form of Russian humour, are short fictional stories or dialogues with a punch line. Russian joke culture features a series of categories with fixed and highly familiar settings and characters. Surprising effects are achieved by an endless variety of plots. Russians love jokes on topics found everywhere in the world, be it sex, politics, spouse relations or mothers-in-law. Image File history File links Nikulin. ... Image File history File links Nikulin. ... Yury V. Nikulin Yuri Vladimirovich Nikulin (Russian: ; 18 December 1921 – 21 August 1997) was a well-known Russian clown and actor who played in many popular films. ... Russian jokes or anekdoty (Russian: анекдо́ты), the most popular form of Russian humour, are short fictional stories or dialogues with a punch line. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Russian humour gains much of its wit from the great flexibility and richness of the Russian language, allowing for plays on words and unexpected associations. ... A punch line is the final part of a joke, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny and to provoke laughter from listeners. ... Look up Sex in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Politics is the process by which individuals or relatively small groups attempt to exert influence over the actions of an organization. ... Although humour and jokes about ones mother-in-law (the mother of ones spouse) are nowadays considered politically incorrect, they were once the mainstay of British comedians such as Les Dawson and Jim Davidson. ...

Chastushka

Main article: Chastushka

Chastushka (частушка), a type of traditional Russian poetry, is a single quatrain in trochaic tetrameter with an "abab" or "abcb" rhyme scheme. Usually humorous, satirical, or ironic in nature, chastushkas are often put to music as well, usually with balalaika or accordion accompaniment. The rigid, short structure (and to a lesser degree, the type of humor these use) parallels limericks in British culture. The name originates from the Russian word части́ть, meaning "to speak fast." Chastushka (часту́шка), a type of traditional Russian poetry, is a single quatrain in trochaic tetrameter with an abab or abcb rhyme scheme. ... Poets who wrote much of their poetry in the Russian language. ... A quatrain is a poem or a stanza within a poem that consists of four lines. ... A trochee is a metrical foot used in formal poetry. ... In poetry, a tetrameter is a line of four metrical feet: And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea (Anapaest tetrameter) (Byron, The Destruction of Sennacherib) You who are bent and bald and blind (Iambic tetrameter, except for the first foot which is a trochee) (W... A rhyme scheme is like the pattern of rhyming like lines in a poem or in like lyrics for music. ... Look up Humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch, a British satirical magazine, ground-breaking on popular literature satire. ... Balalaika The balalaika (Russian: балала́йка; IPA ) is a stringed instrument of Russian origin, with a characteristic triangular body and 3 strings (or sometimes 6, in pairs). ... A 24-bass piano accordion An accordion is a musical instrument of the handheld bellows-driven free reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as squeezeboxes. ... A limerick is a five-line, often humorous and ribald poem with a strict meter, popularized by Edward Lear and Charlie Murphy. ...

See also

• List of famous Russians
  • List of Russian language poets
• Russian folklore
• Culture of the Soviet Union
• Russian traditions and superstitions

This is a list of people associated with Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union, and Russia of today. ... Poets who wrote much of their poetry in the Russian language. ... Russian mythical heros See Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Alyosha Popovich, Svyatogor, Nightingale the Robber, Bogatyr, Bylina Spirits See Koschei, Baba Yaga, Leshiy, Domovoi Categories: Russia-related stubs ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Many of the things on this list may, or may not, be regarded as superstitions by Russians, or by outsiders. ...

Reference

1. Geographia. Russian Art and Architecture. Retrieved on June 9, 2005.(1 and 2)

June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Icons, paintings and photography from Russia
• Paintings and sculptures from Russian modern artists, soviet art
• Oil Paintings by Russian artists
• Orlando Russian Culture Society
• Viv Groskop, New Statesman, December 13, 2004, "Stalin would have loved it: 25 December used to be a day like any other in Moscow. That has all changed"