Methodology of the study of works of art and literature

The aim of the work is to identify the fundamental principles and approaches to the methodology of art and literature research and to demonstrate the capabilities of rational methods (with elements of irrationality) for these purposes. The most important groups of this methodology are philosophical methods: phenomenology, hermeneutics, ideographic, nomothetic, methods of metaphysics, dialectics, semiotics; universal methods of natural scientific origin: theories of communications, systems, synergetic, computer science; methods of social and humanitarian sciences based on: historicism, mechanism, naturalism, organicism, psychologism, anthropologism, structuralism, scientism, evolutionism, formalism, functionalism, positivism; methods of literary criticism and cultural studies; methods of sociology and social philosophy. These methods are applied to the main stages of art development and to the most important trends and styles of art in various combinations and depending on the intervals of their applicability. The main approaches of the methodology under study are the synthesis of the majority of existing methods within the all sphere of the art and literature, or within its type, genre or style; a series of methodological approaches are identified that ensure the interaction of one method with another, the identification of systems and subsystems of these methods for specific research conditions. Interaction of the methodology used by the creator of works and the methods of perception of his works (that is, the interaction of ontological and epistemological approaches to creation and research). It is argued that the rationalized methodology of studying works of art and literature has significant prospects. Using various types of synthesis in different genres and between them, it is possible to obtain a single, holistic picture of the perception of works. Reliance on the limits of perception, usually associated with the great mysteries of outstanding works of art and literature, is similar to the limits on which the methodology of science or religious revelations is based and allows us to link the rational with the irrational in this process of cognition. Another promising direction is associated with the improvement of the known methods of studying works of art and literature: semiotics, hermeneutics, sociology, cultural studies, communication theory, depending on the characteristic features of a particular work. The evolution of these methods also strives for unity, integrity and mutual complementarity of the entire process of cognition of works of art and literature.

1. Martynova D.V., Rodermel T.A. Formation and development of philosophical and theoretical aspects of Russian culture. Scientific review. Art criticism and cultural studies, 2021; (1):23–26 (in Russian).

2. Alekhova N.V. Habitual appearance as a translator of cultural changes in the era of global changes. Scientific review. Art criticism and cultural studies, 2020;(1):8 (in Russian).

3. Kortunova N.D. Signs, symbols and allegories in painting. Moscow: AST; 2025:224 (in Russian).

4. Danilova V.S. Philosophy of music in the context of mathematics. Bulletin of the North-Eastern Federal University. Series «Pedagogy. Psychology. Philosophy». 2024;(3):86–95 (in Russian).

5. Kozhevnikov N.N., Danilova V.S. On the methodology of aesthetics. Bulletin of the North-Eastern Federal University. Pedagogy. Psychology. Philosophy. 2024;(4):182–189 (in Russian).

6. Fritsche G. Sociology of Art. Moscow: Editorial URSS; 2003:208 (in Russian).

7. Volkova P. Complete History of Art: Lecture Course. Moscow: AST; 2022:512 (in Russian).

8. Sarabyanov D. Modern. History of Style. Moscow: AST, 2025: 240 (in Russian).

9. Myths in Art (according to Rene Menard). Moscow: Sovremennik; 1996:271 (in Russian).

10. Stasov V.V. Selected articles on Russian painting. Moscow; 1984:154 (in Russian).

11. Stravinsky I.F. Musical poetics. Trans. from English. Moscow: AST; 2021:160 (in Russian).

12. History of Foreign Art. Moscow: Izobrazitelnoe Iskusstvo; 1980:472 (in Russian).

13. Minor History of Art. Art of the Ancient East. Moscow: Iskusstvo; 1976: 376 (in Russian).

14. Minor History of Art. Ancient Art. Moscow: Iskusstvo; 1972:57 (in Russian).

15. Wölfflin G. Classical Art. Sant Petersburg: Aleteia; 1999:19 (in Russian).

16. Wölfflin G. Basic Concepts of Art History. Sant Petersburg: Mithril; 1994:398 (in Russian).

17. Modernism. Analysis and Criticism of the Main Trends. Moscow: Iskusstvo; 1973:280 (in Russian).