Visual Sources of Old Russia in Historical Research

Some Methodological Observations

Abstract

The article considers the problem of the methodological difficulties of the work of historians with visual sources of Old Russia. Its relevance is determined by the paradoxical epistemological situation that has developed in historical science as a result of a visual turn. Historians who are researching Old Russia and constantly experiencing a shortage of sources could significantly expand the source base at their disposal, but they traditionally do not appreciate the information potential of ancient Russian art. The article analyzes methodological ideas related to the problems of “decryption” and interpretation of information from Russian and European medieval visual sources contained in the works of structuralism (Lotman, Uspensky), specialists in the field of iconography and iconology (Panofsky, Gombrich), symbolic history (M. Pasturo), soutce study methodologist Lappo-Danilevsky. The species and historical features of this type of sources create serious difficulties for historians, require the development of a methodology for working with “unrealistic” images, but also open up prospects for a meaningful enrichment of research. Russian and foreign science has accumulated sufficient theoretical and practical experience in this area. Therefore it is hoped that research on the visual sources of Old Russia will expand and take its rightful place in the corpus of historical knowledge.