Reminiscences
Attempting to understand the phenomenon and place of Mikhaell Matveyevich Shwartzman, occupied by him in the art and the public life, you come to the conclusion that this phenomenon can be more easily underestimated, than overestimated. It is difficult to understand the phenomenon, which borders on the incomprehensible. The discovery of hieratic painting is incomparable with whatever discovery of any "ism". As my teacher, said, "this discovery can be compared in significance of phenomenon, perhaps with that of" karavadzhism "- by the discovery the light-and-shade painting, which has existed already for six hundred years, it is the second side of moon, not visible from the Earth, or, - said my teacher - two sides of one and the same medal of the visible and invisible world, i.e., physical with his optical light, and spiritual 4 with his mystical " Favor "spiritual light". And these phenomena - "karavadzhizm" and "hieratism" - are opposite in their internal spiritual tasks. The task of "karavadzhizm" is materialization of the matter. But the task of "hieratism" is the materialization of spirit. The en¬tire experience accumulated by humanity in the works of painting, the entire trial of manners and methods: the spontaneity of lissome strokes, invention and meditation, phantasmagoria and transformation and, after all, "death and birth " - all has place in the work on the hi¬eratic picture.