Decorative Art of Rus’ from the Assimilation of Byzantine Influence to the Global Catastrophe of the Invasion: the 11th — the first third of the 13th century

The studied period was mainly peaceful and creative in the history of Rus'. After the Baptism of Rus', the creation of the Christian art began under the Byzantine influence. Then progressive development of artistic crafts and decorative arts was underway which was brutally interrupted by the Tatar-Mongol invasion. An interpretation of the development of Russian decorative art from the end of the 11th to the first third of the 13th century is proposed based on the method of stylistic analysis of the works of various types of decorative and fine arts, clarification of the dating of archaeological material. Known dates for the creation of the works of art, archaeological stratigraphic and dendrochronological dating are used as reference dates. The analysis involves works of painting (fresco, mosaic, miniature); stone and wood carvings, artistic metal (chasing and engraving), jewelry from Old Russian hoards (cloisonne enamel, niello, filigree, embossing). Works of different types and techniques of art are compared with attention to the most common plant, zoomorphic, and other patterns of motifs. Three main stages of development are identified and characterized by stylistic continuity: the end of the 11th — the first half of the 12th century — predominance of asceticism or strict style; the middle of the 12th century (the second and the third quarters) — predominance of classicist norms — “golden mean style”; the end of the 12th — the first third of the 13th century — exaggerated (mannerism) and lush styles, classic monumentalism. The continuity of the development of Russian decorative art from the 11th to the first third of the 13th century is traced.