The book "The Art of Ancient Russia and the East" by L. A. Lelekov, offered to the general reader, poses problems of the origin and development of fine forms and motifs of Old Russian art from the point of view of the influence of the cultural traditions of the Eastern and Central Asian world. Among the various points of view on these problems, the author's position attracts attention with polemical sharpness. The views expressed in the book can serve as a subject for further reflection on the fate of Old Russian art.