Cityscape in Watercolour Painting by Alla Zarvanytska

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to investigate the peculiarities of the interpretation of the cityscape in watercolour painting by Alla Zarvanytska, an artist and architect of Ukrainian origin who currently lives in Italy (Rome); to identify the artistic and stylistic features that form the individual author’s style, as well as to outline the place of the artist's work in the processes of modern intercultural communication. Research methodology. The work uses historical and art-historical and comparative methods to analyse the genesis and traditions of the development of the cityscape genre in Ukrainian and European painting. A culturological approach was used to interpret the city as a space of identity and memory. The method of formal-stylistic analysis made it possible to reveal the technical and expressive possibilities of watercolour, and the iconographic method – to determine the specificity of plot motifs in the work of A. Zarvanytska. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the work of A. Zarvanytska is considered in the context of modern Ukrainian watercolour art with an emphasis on urban themes. The artistic means with which the artist forms the image of the city as a harmonious combination of architectural realism and poetic emotionality are systematised. It is shown that A. Zarvanytska’s watercolour technique contributes to the creation of a special light-air environment that actualises the city not only as a material space, but also as a cultural phenomenon, which is clearly demonstrated by numerous Italian cityscapes. Conclusions. A. Zarvanytska’s cityscapes represent a modern vision of the city as an aesthetic and cultural environment, where architectural objects become symbols of historical memory and a space for emotional experiences of modern man. Watercolour in her work performs the function not only of a technique, but also of an artistic language that combines documentary and expressiveness. The analysis of the artist’s work demonstrates the importance of modern interpretations of the urban landscape and confirms the significant potential of watercolour painting in the current artistic discourse. The artist’s skill also makes a significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Italian cultural relations and cultural diplomacy.