THE IMAGE OF ALEXANDER NEVSKY IN THE FILM BY S.M. EISENSTEIN

Ulyana Beletskaya

doi:10.31804/2782-4926-2026-5-2-82-90

Siberian Art History Journal

Journals / Siberian Art History Journal / Volume 5 Issue 2 / THE IMAGE OF ALEXANDER NEVSKY IN THE FILM BY S.M. EISENSTEIN

UDC 7.036

THE IMAGE OF ALEXANDER NEVSKY IN THE FILM BY S.M. EISENSTEIN

Published in Siberian Art History Journal · Volume 5, Issue 2 · Pages 82–90 · Rubric: Audiovisual arts

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31804/2782-4926-2026-5-2-82-90

Received: 30.06.2026 Accepted: 30.06.2026 Published: 30.06.2026

Authors

Ulyana Beletskaya

Siberian Federal University Russian Federation · Krasnoyarsk

ABSTRACT

The article examines the image of the holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, created by the directorial genius of Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein. The film "Alexander Nevsky", which was first released on the screens of the USSR in 1938, won the love of the audience from the very first days of rental. He fulfilled all the tasks set for the director by the cinematographic and party leadership – he created the image of an unconditionally revered national hero, the prince – unifier of the Russian people, who called for unity in the face of the formidable German enemy. There is no doubt that Sergei Mikhailovich shot primarily a film about the current events of his time, raising the patriotic spirit of the citizens of the USSR. The people have a hero who, through the centuries, is able to lead troops again, not only on the movie screen, but also to awaken national consciousness in real life. The goal was achieved not only by the successful choice of the hero, but also by the skill of Sergei Mikhailovich, who created not just a propaganda film, but an epic work, saturating the fabric of the film with visual concepts of Russian culture, reflected not only in the proclamation monologues of the characters, but also sprouted into the structure of the visual text, invisibly readable by any viewer born and raised within the borders of the Russian The Empire and the Soviet Union. This is both the hagiography that formed the basis of the image of the holy prince, and the image born of Russian folklore. Alexander Pushkin's poems, in particular "Poltava" and "Ruslan and Lyudmila", played an important role. The traditions of the Russian icon painting school, as well as the legacy of the artistic culture of the late 19th century, played an important role in shaping the image of the prince and his associates. These are illustrations to Russian fairy tales by I. Bilibin, and the early period of N.K. Roerich's work. It is also possible to note the influence of the traditions of the visual language of symbolism and modernity on the creation of the visual image of the film. Of particular note is the role of vertical editing featuring music written specifically for the film by S.S. Prokofiev. The film itself is based on the principle of a cantata. Music doesn't just illustrate the action, it reveals the character's image. By synchronizing musical phrases with the action, Eisenstein emphasizes the power and sacredness of the events unfolding on the screen. In the climax, the scene of the Ice Battle, the image of the prince becomes the embodiment of Mother Russia itself, punishing the invaders. All these components have become important elements in the construction of the film. Russian Russian cultural heritage, combined with the traditions of avant-garde editing, has created a strong archetypal image of the Russian hero, which makes the work of S.M. Eisenstein relevant today.

KEYWORDS

East Asian lacquer, traditional material, maki-e technique, mother-of-pearl inlay, Vietnamese lacquer painting, Chinese palace art, Japanese minimalist expression, and visual language

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JATS XML

Doctor of Cultural Studies, Docent

Julia Zamaraeva

rybka08@bk.ru

Candidate of Philosophical Sciences

Anastasia Kistova

Candidate of Cultural Studies, Docent

Maria Kolesnik

masha_kolesnik@mail.ru

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor

Natal'ya P. Kopceva