RUSSIAN ARCHITECTURE.
The Slavic races are late to appear in history, and among them the Russian alone developed a completely independent, really national style. While some Slavic nationalities followed Byzantine culture until they were crushed under Turkish rule, their style thus becoming but a remnant of the Byzantine, others, as the Bohemians and the Poles, whose confines bordered on Germany, followed the architecture of the Western Christian nations. The style of the Russians even is not of original development, since, like their entire culture, it is linked with Byzantium, and since even at its commencement foreign elements, especially those proceeding from the Western nationalities and from Mohammedan art, entered into its composition. A certain degree of originality, however, has adhered in the course of this development. A glance at Plate 23 shows us a style distinct from all others, yet on the whole closely connected with the later schools of Mohammedan architecture. Let us endeavor to follow the development of this style until we reach the point at which it pre sented the appearance shown on the Plate.
Russzan Civilthation begins with the conversion of the race to Chris tianity. We do not mean that the Russians were entirely uncivilized before their conversion: their status was about the same as had been that of the rest of Europe before the impulses of classical art and of Christianity left only the north-east of Europe unaffected. Kiev was the ancient capital. Though this city was far removed from the centres of the world's activity, it was still near enough to be cognizant of the prog ress of events. At the time of the conversion of the other Slavic races to Christianity, Vladimir the Great sent to Constantinople for priests to baptize his people, and for himself asked the hand of the Princess Anne, sister of Theophania, the wife of Otho the Great. His request was granted, and he and his people were baptized at Cherson in the year 988. He at once destroyed the image of the national god, Perun, at Kiev, erected there the Church of St. Mary, and founded a series of other ecclesiastical institutions, of which at the time of his death four hundred existed in Kiev alone. Meanwhile, Greek missionaries went everywhere through
the land establishing episcopates and erecting churches and convents.
Architecture of Ma Eleventh architecture of the coun try up to this period had not been monumental, and the new churches were built of wood. With the aid of Greek workmen the sons of Vladimir constructed the cathedrals, some of which still exist. Thus, Mstislav, prince of Tmutorakau, built a Church of Santa Sophia in w26 at his capital, Chernigov; while the Grand Duke Jaroslav erected the churches of Santa Sophia at Kiev (1o37) and Novgorod (io44–Io31), as well as the Abbey Church at Lavra (1034). These structures somewhat closely followed the Byzantine style of architecture, as their names— taken from the original Church of Santa Sophia at Constantinople— indicate. The centre consisted of a cupola surrounded by barrel-vaulted areas, which, as in Santa Sophia at Constantinople, remained without any roof above the vaulting. The church at Novgorod is said to have had originally five cupolas. The cathedral erected by Vladimir in 1152 exhibits a precisely similar arrangement.
Architecture of the Twelfth the course of the twelfth century the Russians gradually learned to dispense with the aid of Greek artificers and took church -architecture entirely into their own hands. The great church of the Susdal Convent, which Vsewolod Jurjevich erected in 1 r76, was constructed by Russian workmen. Nevertheless, the style up to this period may be considered as thoroughly Byzantine.
Architecture of the Thirteenth the beginning of the thirteenth century German colonies had already penetrated extensively among the Slavic peoples, and had brought with them their Western Architecture, with which the Russians thus became acquainted, and which must have exercised at least a temporary influence. Many details recall the German structures of that period. The bedchamber of the Grand Duke Andrei in the Convent of Bogoliubov, not far from Vladi mir, is entirely Romanesque in style.