THE ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE DOBRYAK PUBLISHED BY PRINCE V.P. MESHCHERSKY IN THE CONTEXT OF CONSERVATIVE JOURNALISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY

The article examines the problem-thematic complex and genre originality of Prince V. P. Meshchersky' unique publishing project - the satirical illustrated weekly Dobryak, published in 1882. The originality of this publication is accounted for by the fact that it is actually the only example of Russian conservative journalism turning to the genre of political satire and satirical graphics. Despite the increased attention of researchers to V. P. Meshchersky's publishing activity, the Dobryak magazine has not been specially studied so far. The study reveals the evolution of the publishing concept of the magazine. In the first period, the author of the article points to an intensive search for new forms and a recourse to the experience of the best examples of Russian political satire of the Catherine era, as well as an abundance of satirical graphics; later on there was a gradual decrease in the number of illustrations and a shift in focus to the textual part simultaneously with a change in the general tone of the magazine, namely the transition from political polemics and satire to politically neutral fiction and illustrative graphics. The reasons for these changes were the censorship circumstances, the lack of authors and artists among the editorial staff and the special aspects of the publisher's literary reputation. The study also analyzes the specifics of understanding the traditional motifs of the doctrine of Russian conservatism in the form of satirical graphics.