The logic of S.L. Rubinstein’s interest in problems of psychology of perception and the ways of their solutions form the standpoint of the principle of subject are presented. It is demonstrated that in the process of creative development the principle was filled with new specific contents and took various forms.  Invariant features of Rubinstein’s approach were 1) the idea of inclusion of the perceived reality into the system of life ties and relations, 2) the idea of self-development of subject and the perceived reality in the process of perceptual activity, 3) the notion of plurality of perceptual phenomena, and 4) their processual nature. Ontological approach outlined by S.L. Rubinstein specifies new theoretical and methodological guidelines and strategy of research in the domain of psychology of perception.