The article deals with the ideas associated with ancient sculpture in the prose of two commoner writers: A.I. Levitov and G.I. Uspensky. Bringing together the ancient imagery and Christian symbolism, the commoners sought to create the image of a man of “infinitely bright future”.

The article deals with the ideas associated with the image of I.S. Turgenev in G.I. Uspensky’s prose. Despite his affection for Turgenev, the Uspensky’srelation to “Turgenev” in the Russian culture was uncertain and negative at first glance. The idea of the “gentility” of the author of “Fathers and Children” coexisted with the recognition of the value of the unsocial Turgenev’s lyricism.