Philosophical and aesthetic concepts and literary criticism of A. A. Grigoriev in the estimates of A. Volynsky

The article examines the attitude of the Russian philosopher and critic Akim Volynsky to the activities of Apollon Grigoriev as a critic and aesthetician. It is shown that Belinsky laid the foundation of the nihilistic tradition in Russian philosophical thought. He neglected the ontological and epistemological problems of artistic creativity. This partly influenced Grigoriev’s early views. But in the mature period Grigoriev turned to the field of the ideal, in which he found sources of high aesthetic value of art. At the same time, he insisted on bringing literary creativity closer to the national soil. In this he saw the pledge of the vital truth of literatur. Volynsky supports Grigoriev in his belief that art is a reflection of the ideal world. He approves of his theoretical judgments on this topic and the critical analysis associated with them. But he sharply condemns Grigoriev for recognizing “historical feeling” as the main criterion in art. Volynsky was a supporter of artistic creativity, which stands above history and does not depend on national thinking and everyday life. He rejected the position of Grigoriev, who refused to recognize cosmopolitanism as the basis of art.