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 Initial from a Gospel in the Rumjantzow - Museum 
in Moscow 
(Dolmetsch). 
SPELTZ, Styles of Ornament.  I3 
THE RUSSIAN ORNAMENT. 
artaric influence — which dates chiefly from 1237 to 1480, when the
Tartars were in power — may be regarded 
beyond any doubt as the chief cause why the pure Byzantian style originally
established in Russia came to be changed later on into the specific Russian
Ornament. Into Russia, as into every other country where they appeared, the
Christians brought with them a new style of art, which developed itself afterwards
in accordance with the national character of the people. The commencement
of Russian Art may be said to date from the end of the j0th century under
the reign 
 of Vladimir the Great. In the latter part of the Middle Ages and towards
the beginning of the Modern period, Italian artists were invited in great
numbers into the country and were engaged in the construction of numerous
monumental buildings. The influence of Oriental Art, however, was already
so very great, that even Italian Art was not powerful enough to entirely
eliminate it from the country. Wooden architecture plays a great part in
Russian ornament. There exist at present in Russia some Old-Slavonian manuscripts
dating from the 1oth century. 
Plate 108. 
(After E. Violet le Due, l'Art Russe.) 
Fig. I. Arch of a portal in the church of St. Dimitri, Wiadimir. 
2. Russian capital. 
3. Cupola of the Wasili Blajennoi Church in Moscow. 
4. Russian column. 
5. Stucco ornament. 
Plate 109. 
(After Gagarin, Russisehe Ornamente). 
Fig. I. From St. George's church in Jurjeff-Polsky, Government of Vladimir;
dates 
from i ~ th century. 
2. Wood carving on an Icon, 16th century. 
3. Relief decoration of a stone wall in the church of St. George, JurjeffPolsky,
Government of Vladimir. 
,, 4. From a silver mounting of a picture of Christ in Antschishat, Tiflis,
14th century. 
5, and 6. From St. George's Church in Jurjeff-Polsky, 13 th century.