Stylistic innovations of the iconostasis of the Ukrainian Baroque era

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the innovation of the composition, decorative and iconographic composition of the Ukrainian iconostasis of the XVII – XVIII centuries in the context of the development of Ukrainian baroque style. The methodology is based on a set of well-established and newest theoretical and methodological ap- proaches and principles, primarily the interdisciplinary integration of the leading methods of modern art history, cultural studies and philosophy. The following methods were used: subject-analytical (for full-scale study of iconostases and graphic material), iconographic (thanks to which evolution of iconographic canons was traced), iconological (for repro- ducing the semantic field of the artistic image), artistic and stylistic (for revealing the specifics of stylistic innovations  in the Ukrainian baroque iconostasis) and others. Scientific novelty. A complex study of the iconostasis of the Ukraini- an Baroque epoch has been carried out; identified innovative structural and stylistic components of the baroque iconos- tasis as a unique polysemantic education; the specifics of the stylistic changes of decorative elements are outlined and their symbolic value is revealed. Conclusions. The iconostasis of the Orthodox churches of the Ukrainian Baroque era is evidence of the organic combination of aesthetic, moral, philosophical, spiritual and artistic principles of style. A remaining traditional part of sacred art for many centuries, the synthetic by nature baroque iconostasis is positioned by a unique chronicle of national culture, in which besides the symbolic images embodied in the artistic-figurative structure, the national liberation spirit of the Ukrainian nation is reflected.