IVAN ROPETTE AND HIS “RUSSIAN STYLE”. RETHINKING THE PROBLEM

The article is devoted to phenomenon of “Russian Revival Style” in the later Russian Empire's culture and to architect Ivan Ropette as a significant figure who provided this trend in practice. The narrative, created by Vladimir Stasov (Ropette's associate), is based on the thesis of the “nationality” of this artistic trend, achieved by means of an appeal to the aesthetics of peasant dwellings and of pre-Petrine buildings, supposedly alien to the influence of foreign models. An author proposes to review this phenomenon in the context of the nation's design process, managed by the Russian Monarchy throughout the XIX century. Besides, the text contains review of Ropette's biography based on archival source that never been studied so detailed.