The Concept of Aesthetic Criticism in the Weekly “Grazhdanin” (“The Citizen”) (1872)

The article provides an analytical review of literary criticism speeches in the weekly “Grazhdanin” (“The Citizen”) in 1872. In the course of the conducted attribution, the contribution of N. N. Strakhov, P. K. Shchebalsky and B. M. Markevich to the formation of the publication’s literary policy was revealed. A number of their articles were introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. “Literary letters” by N. N. Strakhov restarted the formation of the pochvennichestvo foundation of aesthetic criticism, which A. A. Grigoriev and F. M. Dostoevsky began in “Vremya” and “Epocha”, and he continued in the “Zarya” magazine. According to Strakhov, the chaos in modern criticism had philosophical roots, namely, an unbridled faith in progress, when everything new seems to be a complete replacement for the old. In his articles, P. K. Shchebalsky developed the foundations of M. N. Katkov’s aesthetic positivism, so an intra-editorial polemic with the “metaphysician” Strakhov was inevitable on his part. B. M. Markevich’s articles, in turn, were aimed at overcoming the hostility of “advanced” society to “aestheticism”. In general, through the efforts of these critics and despite all the intra-party disagreements, “Grazhdanin” contributed to the transition of Russian aesthetic criticism from the liberal to the conservative camp, which took place in the 1860s and 1870s. The weekly turned out to be a target for both radical and liberal journalists, and the unity of the criticism department of “Grazhdanin” in 1872 in this struggle lasted only six months. The following year the new editor F. M. Dostoevsky restored this department and continued the transformation of aesthetic criticism towards conservative principles. The revealed circumstances do not confirm the established scientific idea of the “short days of Russian aestheticism”. The history of aesthetic criticism in the 19th century should be written with regard to all its twists and turns, starting from Karamzin and Zhukovsky to Vl. Solovyov and K. Leontiev.