VOLDEMAR VAGA "ÜLDISE KUNSTIAIALOO" RETSEPTSIOON. (Estonian)

In 1937, the Estonian publishing house "Loodus" in Tartu started to publish a masterpiece, a monograph about world art history (833 pages, 177 colour reproductions and 1051 drawings) written by the distinguished Estonian art historian, professor of the University of Tartu, Voldemar Vaga (1899-1999). The author himself said that the book was meant for an average Estonian reader who had no special knowledge in art history, it was everyone's textbook. The book was truly successful: over 50 000 copies were printed, magazines and newspapers published more than 10 reviews. Although the level of the criticism was quite different, the ideas that were pointed out coincided. The critics unanimously praised the publishing event of the first originally Estonian capacious richly illustrated world art history. The historian G. Ney and art historians S. Karling and A. Tuulse still disagreed with the selection of illustrations but this is normal. All the reviewers were satisfied with the part of the Estonian art in the world art history. The volume created a difference of opinions. The author's French orientation and the disposition of the composition caused acute discussions. G. Ney, A. Kruus, S. Karling, A. Tuulse criticised the exaggerated attention paid to the French and Italian art, insufficient treatment of the German late Gothic, Baroque and 19 th century art, observing the ancient Russian art separately from the Byzantine art and afterwards from the European architecture. The contradiction between antique and Gothic; mannerism needed to be more opened. Bach chapter should need an introduction and a conclusion that should help to realize the logic of the evolution of styles and epochs on the historical-cultural landscape. Maybe the critical overviews demanded too much from the first original textbook of art history, especially considering the youth the Estonian art thought and the short time that was given for the writing of this textbook? More than 60 years later the monograph was reprinted. In the introduction, Voldemar Vaga pointed out the improvements, additions and adjustments which he had provided. They were exactly the same that the critical reception of the late 1930s had put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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