UDC 72
DOI: 10.36871/hon.202302128
Authors
Olga. P. Andreeva,
Evelina V. Mikhailova,
Svetlana P. Akhmetova,
Chuvash State University named after I. N. Ulyanov, 428000, Russian Federation, Chuvashia, Cheboksary
Abstract
Art Nouveau architecture attracts the interest of contemporary researchers with its formative
natural elements, plastic ornament, decorative lines, and unique options complementing and
organically fitting into the modern urban environment. The few buildings in medium and small
towns with Art Nouveau features and links to the local architectural traditions, with their unique
decorative elements, deserve special attention. This interest is primarily due to the aesthetic perception
of architectural space, the study and preservation of modern monuments.
Today, many buildings have lost their Art Nouveau decorative elements, and their original
appearance has been changed as a result of alterations. The reason for such transformations
were historical events that significantly influenced the architectural image of the towns. The
analysis of Art Nouveau architecture in the towns of the Chuvash Republic, such as Cheboksary,
Alatyr, and Yadrin, reveals the distinctive features of compositional solutions and decorative
finishing of buildings, as well as changes in their image. The study relies on the architecture of
the mansions of the merchants Yefremov in Cheboksary, the houses of the timber dealer Burashnikov
and the merchant Talantsev in Yadrin, and the consumer culture buildings in Alatyr.
Based on the study of Art Nouveau architecture, the authors try to show the irreversible
changes made to the original appearance of the buildings by some reconstructions, and identify
the problem of preserving the architectural heritage of the Art Nouveau style in the cities
of the Chuvash Republic.
Keywords
architecture, Art Nouveau, historical events, small towns, cultural heritage
