''Vesy'' (russian: Весы́; en, The Balance or The Scales) was a

Russian symbolist Russian symbolism was an intellectual and artistic movement predominant at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. It arose separately from European symbolism, emphasizing mysticism and ostranenie. Literature Influences Primary ...

magazine published in Moscow from 1904 to 1909, with the financial backing of philanthropist S. A. Polyakov. It was edited by the major symbolist writer

Valery Bryusov Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov ( rus, Вале́рий Я́ковлевич Брю́сов, p=vɐˈlʲerʲɪj ˈjakəvlʲɪvʲɪdʑ ˈbrʲusəf, a=Valyeriy Yakovlyevich Bryusov.ru.vorb.oga; – 9 October 1924) was a Russian poet, prose writer, drama ...

History

Vesy was the leading literary magazine of the Russian symbolist movement. The first issue featured Bryusov's ''The Keys of Mysteries'', a major statement of symbolist doctrine. It reported on contemporary art and literature in Western Europe, and had many foreign correspondents. It was originally created as a magazine of criticism and information, but in 1906 it was expanded to include poetry and prose. Vesy published the works of all the major Russian symbolists, including

Alexander Blok Alexander Alexandrovich Blok ( rus, Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Бло́к, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐlʲɪˈksandrəvʲɪtɕ ˈblok, a=Ru-Alyeksandr Alyeksandrovich Blok.oga; 7 August 1921) was a Russian lyrical poet, writer, publ ...

Andrei Bely Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev ( rus, Бори́с Никола́евич Буга́ев, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ bʊˈɡajɪf, a=Boris Nikolayevich Bugayev.ru.vorb.oga), better known by the pen name Andrei Bely or Biely ( rus, Андре ...

Zinaida Gippius Zinaida Nikolayevna Gippius (Hippius) (; – 9 September 1945) was a Russian literature, Russian poet, playwright, novelist, editor and religious thinker, one of the major figures in Russian symbolism. The story of her marriage to Dmitry Merezhk ...

Konstantin Balmont Konstantin Dmitriyevich Balmont ( rus, Константи́н Дми́триевич Бальмо́нт, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin ˈdmʲitrʲɪjɪvʲɪdʑ bɐlʲˈmont, a=Konstantin Dmitriyevich Bal'mont.ru.vorb.oga; – 23 December 1942) was a Rus ...

Fyodor Sologub Fyodor Sologub (russian: Фёдор Сологу́б, born Fyodor Kuzmich Teternikov, russian: Фёдор Кузьми́ч Тете́рников, also known as Theodor Sologub; – 5 December 1927) was a Russian Symbolist poet, novelist, trans ...

, Vyacheslav Ivanov, and those of Bryusov himself, along with the works of other major writers close to the symbolist movement, like

Maximilian Voloshin Maximilian Alexandrovich Kirienko-Voloshin (russian: Максимилиа́н Алекса́ндрович Кирие́нко-Воло́шин; May 28, ld Style and New Style dates, O.S. May 161877 – November 8, 1932), commonly known as Max ...

and

Mikhail Kuzmin Mikhail Alekseevich Kuzmin (russian: Михаи́л Алексе́евич Кузми́н) ( – March 1, 1936) was a Russian poet, musician and novelist, a prominent contributor to the Silver Age of Russian Poetry. Biography Born into a noble fam ...

. Vesy also published a wide variety of translations. Vesy was lavishly designed and illustrated, often by artists of the

World of Art ''World of Art'' (formerly known as ''The World of Art Library'') is a long established series of pocket-sized art books from the British publisher Thames & Hudson, comprising over 300 titles as of 2021. The books are typically around 200 pag ...

movement. Bryusov's critical writing offered models of clarity and skill, and his scholarly editorial approach had a major impact on Russian editorial practice in the early twentieth century. Eventually the magazine served as a medium for disputes between symbolists like Bely and Ivanov who wanted to make symbolism a religious and cultural movement, and those who saw symbolism strictly as an artistic movement, like Bryusov himself. Vesy was published during the most productive years of Russian symbolism.

References

{{Reflist 1904 establishments in the Russian Empire 1909 disestablishments in the Russian Empire Defunct literary magazines published in Europe Defunct magazines published in Russia Magazines established in 1904 Magazines disestablished in 1909 Magazines published in Moscow Literary magazines published in Russia Russian-language magazines Monthly magazines published in Russia