Mural Painting of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk as a Reflection of Compositions of the Late 19th – Early 20th Centuries

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to enucleate and analyse the connection between the mural painting compositions of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk (of the Caves) and the painting of other churches of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The research methodology is based on historical and cultural analysis, art study analysis, and empirical observation. Scientific novelty of the study. The dating of the mural painting of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has been clarified. The main thematic and plot line of the Church decoration is defined and its presentation in various compositions is revealed. The thematic, plot, iconographic, academic connections of the mural paintings with the mural painting and icon painting of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’s churches at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries as well as archival visual sources have been observed. The transformation of the original compositions in the murals of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk has been studied. The peculiarities of the mural paintings colouring have been determined. It has been revealed using the academic painting heritage of the Great Church as the modern painting practice and historical tradition of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Conclusions. The mural painting compositions of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra were painted by artists under the supervision of Oleg Borovyk in 2002. The main thematic and plot line of the paintings is the theme of the Pechersk (the Cave) Monastery. It has been revealed in the gallery of images of Venerable Fathers of the Caves and saints associated with it, illustrations of the Pechersk Monastery foundation and the Great Church creation. Cold shades dominated by blue, green, turquoise and silver prevail in the paintings colouring. Based on the academic tradition, archival photos artists borrowed in whole or in part mural compositions of the Great Church (Dormition Cathedral, 1897–1901). They cited fragments of mural and icon painting compositions of the Church of Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk with the Refectory Chamber (the early 20th century). Borrowing had the historical precedent, the Lavra managing board issued an order (1900) to take the compositions of the Great Church as a model for painting the exterior of the Holy Trinity Gate Church. Citing the academic compositions of the Great Church revived them and joined the mural painting of the Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk to the artistic tradition of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Keywords: sacral culture, Orthodoxy, academic painting, mural painting, icon painting sacral painting, Ukrainian painting, Kyiv‑Pechersk Lavra, Church of All Venerable Fathers of Pechersk (of the Caves), Great Church, Dormition Cathedral, Church of Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk with the Refectory Chamber (Refectory Church), Holy Trinity Gate Church.