The Religious-artistic Image of a Perfect Human Integrity: A.A. Ivanov's Picture "The Appearance of Christ Before People"

The problem of the religious-artistic expression of the ideal of a perfect human being and his general meaning of life is studied in this article. The concept of human integrity is discussed. The following ideal types of people, opposite to each other, are identified: a spiritual, carnal, partial, harmonic human being. Ideals of perfect human integrity are reflected in specified visual images in every culture. These ideals are colorfully embodied by cultural heroes. Then a description of the composite formula of A. Ivanov's picture "The appearance of Christ before people" follows. This formula expresses Ivanov's idea of meaning of life of a perfect man. The authors came to the conclusion that Ivanov solved, by artistic means, the age-old religious and philosophical dilemma: what to give preference to - faith or knowledge, sense or reason? According to Ivanov, faith and knowledge must complement and balance each other in a perfect man. The artist himself appears in the center of the canvas, and he is the very focus of the mutually balanced parties of human spirit.