Visual-graphic features of A. P. Sumarokov's eclogues and idylls

Problems of theoretical awareness and historical study of visual culture in all its diversity have recently become increasingly relevant and at present, they are the issue for research in various fields of knowledge. 18th century poetry is the most critical period in terms of formation of both Russian verse in general (V. K. Trediakovsky - M. L. Lomonosov reforms), and opportunities of visual and graphic development of poetic text. The lyrics of A. P. Sumarokov as one of the brightest representatives of 18th century literature, theorist and poet, can be regarded as a systematic evolution stage of the specificity of the visual image of the poetic text. The research aims at examining the visual and graphic design of A. P. Sumarokov’s poetic texts in the context of the epoch general visual trends. The input to the study is represented by eclogues and idylls, collected in the eighth volume of Alexander Sumarokov’s «Complete Works in Verse and Prose» (1781-1782), published by N. I. Novikov. The old-printed edition preserves original graphic design and reflects the visual identity of the author's text. Comprehensive methods of research allow to determine specific graphic techniques, typical for the poetic texts of 18th century; though being not so expressive and dramatic compared to diverse visual poetry of the 20th century. In addition to pattern poetry, A. P. Sumarokov was experimenting with the visual appearance of the stanza, line length, line indentation, supplementary functions of typographic signs, etc.