O cygańskiej duszy, czyli artyści w opowiadaniach Aleksandra Kuprina
Gypsy Soul or Artists in Stories by Aleksandr Kuprin

Summary/Abstract: Prevalent at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the theme of the artist and art found its reflection in stories by Aleksandr Kuprin. The present article narrows down our examination of the theme solely to painters, sculptors, and representatives of the world of music, as their example allows one to observe a certain division in the artistic community. When portraying painters and sculptors, the prosaist mainly focuses on the psychology of his characters, and their motivation; he depicts the characters’ struggles with the reality around them, as well as their alienation and asceticism. However, while delineating the profiles of musicians and singers, the writer also takes notice of their appearance, which constitutes one of the aspects of self-creation in response to the then expectations, as well as of their spoilt, vain, and hedonistic lifestyle.

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