Leonid Lelekov is one of the most original Russian art critics of the twentieth century. His methodology developed at the
intersection of many scientific and cultural trends. His focus was on issues of interdisciplinary comparative studies, comparative
mythology, linguistics, and art history. The scientist’s interest in structuralism was not accidental: his scientific searches were in tune with
the rapid development of semiotics of art in the 1960s–1970s in the USSR and abroad. At the same time, Leonid Lelekov’s methodology
retained its originality, distancing itself from the most fashionable and influential trends of its time. In his work, the scientist relied on
the best traditions of domestic art history and the experience of foreign art theory. The art historian’s iconological and formalistic studies
contributed to the identification of new contexts of ancient Russian art and the worldwide “migration of images.” A recognized expert
in the field of Iranian art, the scientist contributed to clarifying the complex relationship between the art of the East and the West. The
conceptual and methodological component of Leonid Lelekov’s texts remains underestimated and can have a significant positive impact
on the development of promising directions in domestic and foreign art history. The innovative methodological strategies of Leonid
Lelekov, consonant with the discoveries of Nikodim Kondakov and Lazar’ Rempel, continue the best traditions of Russian oriental studies
and comparative studies. The scale of Leonid Lelekov’s creativity and his courage in posing scientific problems can be compared with the
leading specialists in art history of the 20th century (J. Baltrusaitis, A. Warburg, J. Strzygowski).