“Summer of the Lord” by J. S. Shmelev in the philosophical interpretation of I. A. Ilyin

The greatest Russian philosopher of the 20th century I. A. Ilyin made a significant contribution to the research interpretation of Russian artistic culture, primarily, as insightful philologist. Belonging temporarily to the bright constellation of literary critics of the Russian diaspora (G. V. Adamovich, F. A. Stepun, K. V. Mochulsky, V. V. Veidle, Z. A. Shakhovskaya, G. P. Struve), I. A. Ilyin was faithful to his own creative orbit, showing in his spiritual and philosophical understanding of the work of I. S. Shmelev the deep intuition of Russianness. I. A. Ilyin said: “To feel and get to know Russia, you need to turn to Russian literature”. The central literary figure of Ilyin’s creative attention was I. S. Shmelev, who dedicated his book “The Summer of the Lord” to the philosopher and his wife. Holidays - Joy - Sorrow”. It is important to emphasize the research method of I. A. Ilyin, art critic: his perception of philosophy as “a special descriptive art”, and art as “sublime service to the human spirit and pure joy of the Divine”. It was this principle that allowed him to resist the position of G. V. Adamovich, who saw “created mirages” in Shmelev’s book, as well as the position of the modern critics, who perceived the work as an unprecedented story, “a fairy tale of the past”. I. A. Ilyin understood the book the book by I. S. Shmelev “blessed spiritual fabric”, “the true face of Orthodox Rus”.