“Secreta Artis” (“Art Secrets”), the academic and methodological journal devoted to issues of art and art teaching methodology, aims to revive the best traditions of fine art, re-create and build on the classical system of fine arts education. The academic journal focuses on investigation in the field of theory, techniques and technologies of the visual arts as well as publications devoted to methods and systems of art education. In the past, when the fine arts flourished, practical experience was passed on by word of mouth from masters to students. Today we lack such expertise, since bearers of professional secrets are no longer with us. This explains why “Secreta Artis” authors conduct research to contribute to the body of such knowledge, analyzing archival documents, material from the restoration and science labs, testing theory through its application, etc. “Secreta Artis” acquaints readers with a variety of fine art techniques: oil, watercolor, tempera, pastel, fresco painting, drawing, etching, sculpture, mosaic, stained glass, jewelry.
“Secreta Artis” is interested in collaboration with Russian and foreign artists engaged in similar research, development of educational programs and teaching methods. We invite cooperation with restorers and experts in the field of the examination of works of art.
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ARTIST’S BIOGRAPHY
The article presents the inaugural analysis of the portrait legacy of People’s Artist of Russia, full member of the Russian Academy of Arts, founder and rector of the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts, one of the preeminent masters of watercolor painting, and a distinguished figure in Russian culture and art education, Sergey Nikolaevich Andriaka (1958–2024). While the portraits created using various painting techniques do not occupy a central place in the artist’s oeuvre, these pieces are crucial for a full understanding of the artist’s creative biography. In the context of a biographical study, Sergey Andriaka’s portrait legacy reveals the circle of his acquaintances and his preferences in global visual art. Adhering to the artistic principles established by renowned 16th–19th-century portraitists, Andriaka conceptualized portraiture as the creation of a composed artistic image. His portraits, akin to his landscapes and still lifes, deviate from naturalistic representation, instead comprising compositions that are meticulously crafted in accordance with the precepts of visual art. These compositions are derived from the artist’s personal experience and a profound study of the theoretical and practical legacies of the eminent masters of art. Of particular interest are the portraits executed in the technique of multilayered watercolor painting by Sergey Andriaka. His artistic practice was characterized by a distinctive approach to the use of color in painting, which he developed as a unique method. The objective of this approach was to achieve a distinctive luminosity in his watercolor portraits. The thematic presence of light, in its spiritual and religious context, proved to be a pivotal element for the artist, manifesting not only in his visual artistic oeuvre but also in the personal worldview he inhabited.
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REVIEWS
The journal features excerpts from a review of the graduate qualification work by S. S. Arustamova-Andriaka, which presents a series of watercolor landscapes titled “Images of the Solovetsky Archipelago”. The reviewer places particular emphasis on the historical context in which the series – consisting of three landscapes depicting views of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Bolshoy Zayatsky Island, and Anzer Island – was created. Additionally, the review explores the symbolic and artistic implications of this triptych.
