The concept of "artist" in the context of Russian culture of the early twentieth century

In the present article the change of the social status of artists in the Russian society which has taken place in the 1900-1910th years thanks to a number of factors is considered: art market formation, emergence of a large number of art studios, schools and literary and art magazines. The author considers the circumstances which have led to formation at the art intellectuals of the beginning of the twentieth century of the new self-feeling which is based on perception of as the Demiurge, the Actor, the Priest therefore the artist of an era of the Silver age begins to act as the author of the sociocultural project focused on transformation of reality and directed in the future. The points of view of figures of the Russian culture of the beginning of the twentieth century on similar position of the artist are in conclusion given.