The article presents the point of view of V. F. Savodnik – a leading literary reviewer of Russkiy vestnik (Russian Bulletin) in 1900-1901s – on the issue of the development of contemporary national poetry; it is explained why the reviewer’s opinions were unconventional for the members of the journal writers.
The article analyzes the title poetics and the structure of the poetry book by K. D. Balmont Sonnets of Sun, Honey and Moon (1917) as a book of sonnets, a book of symbols, a ‘chamber’ book.
The article studies the reception of the Anglo-American writer Lafcadio Hearn in Russia. The author analyzes the literary influence of L. Hearn on K. Balmont and his individual mythology, reveals the connection with such Russian cultural figures as S. Eisenstein and P. Florensky. The essay “Living God” by L. Hearn is compared with its translation by K. Balmont. The use of color in works by L. Hearn is considered from the standpoint of Eisenstein’s sound and visual correspondences.