Play and Passion in Russian Fine Art

People have always played games, suffering the agony of defeat and the delight of victory. However, ethics and aesthetics of eighteenth century enlightenment forbade artists from depicting low or ignoble actions and passions. Since then, Russian artists have played with games and passion in every sort of art form, from sculpture and painting through to film and performance. The pictures, drawings, watercolours, engravings and works of decorative and applied art dedicated to human passions — games included — are usually lost amid the general picture of an artist's creative heritage. Unlike literature, in which special works of research are often dedicated to the theme of play, never before have motifs been the object of study or special attention in the history of Russian fine art. The exhibition and this accompanying album was the first attempt ever to bring together all the uncoordinated material of various eras and forms of art. Drawing on the museums, libraries and archives of St Petersburg, works have been brought together to illustrate the theme of play and passion in Russian fine art.