The firebird and the fox : Russian culture under Tsars and Bolsheviks / Jeffrey Brooks.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: An age of genius -- Freedom and the fool -- Desire and rebellion -- Artists and subjects -- Anton Chekhov in his time -- The writer as civic actor -- After realism : art and authority -- The performing arts : Diaghilev's Ballets Russes -- Celebrity, humor, and the avant-garde -- A new normal -- Irony and power -- An era of the fox -- Goodness endures.

"Showcasing the genius of Russian literature, art, music, and dance over a century of turmoil, within the dynamic cultural ecosystem that shaped it, The Firebird and the Fox explores the shared traditions, mutual influences and enduring themes that recur in these art forms. The book uses two emblematic characters from Russian culture -- the firebird, symbol of the transcendent power of art in defiance of circumstance and the efforts of censors to contain creativity; and the fox, usually female and representing wit, cleverness and the agency of artists and everyone who triumphs over adversity -- to explore how Russian cultural life changed between 1850 and 1950. Jeffrey Brooks reveals how high culture drew on folk and popular genres, then in turn influenced an expanding commercial culture. Richly illustrated, The Firebird and the Fox assuredly and imaginatively navigates the complex terrain of this eventful century"-- Provided by publisher.