Critical Assessment of the Artistic and Industrial Education in 1876–1900 (Baron von Stieglitz Central College of Technical Drawing Case Study)

Abstract

The article is devoted to critically analysing the Baron von Stieglitz Central College of Technical Drawing within periodical printed press and published literature. The article offers a detailed summary of the specialised periodicals between 1870 and 1900 (Zodchiy, Nedelya Stroitelya and others) and allows the authors to trace the relationship between the professional corporate environment and the activities of the college. The assessments under study were predominantly positive, with many articles expressing their admiration that such an educational facility was created. However, there were also a fair number of claims that the college’s method of hitting hands led to a decrease in the drawing quality for the most talented students. Despite this fact, a significant number of masters graduated from the Baron’s College between 1876 and 1900 who were able to support the artistic industry. A majority of the publications surrounding the history of the college in the last few decades are either of a very narrow specialised character or are, on the contrary, very general summaries that rely mostly on the materials of the unpublished monograph of N. A. Mikhin which is kept in the Baron von Stieglitz College library.