The Great Holy Dormition Church’ Mural Paintings in Art Criticism in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

Abstract

The purpose of the article is the analysis of art criticism in the late 1890s and early 1900s concerned with mural paintings in the Great Holy Dormition Church (Dormition Cathedral) of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The research methodology includes the hermeneutical method, historical and cultural, and art study analysis for the studies of the records and archival photographs of the mural paintings. The scientific novelty of the research includes several provisions. A comprehensive analysis of the publications in 1897–1901 concerned with artistic features of the Great Holy Dormition Church’ murals in 1770s−1900 has been carried out. According to the archival data, the author proved that the Lavra officials wanted to preserve the murals. The author identified the problem of the clash between the supporters of Ukrainian (baroque) and academic painting, national identity and academicism. The first of them presented the artistic features of Baroque style paintings and others presented academic paintings with Byzantine-style ornaments. Conclusions. Art criticism concerning the old (1770s, 19th century) and new (1894–1900) mural paintings in the Great Holy Dormition has been not analyzed in its relationship. The adherents of national art focused on the historical and artistic treasure of Baroque style compositions. The authors of the publications used the terminology of the fine art to form a negative assessment of the academic painting of 1894–1900. Their opponents disposed of arguments at the professional level. The publications devoted to the mural paintings in the Great Holy Dormition Church reflected the artistic life in Kyiv in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.