The Role of Art Schools and Studios in the Development of the Jewish Artistic Environment of Odesa in the 20th Century

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the role of art schools and studios in Odesa in the formation and development of the Jewish art environment during the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Special attention is paid to cultural and educational initiatives that contributed to the formation of Jewish artists, as well as the influence of the local artistic space on the creative identity of representatives of the Jewish community. Research methodology. The study uses a historical and cultural approach, which allows analysing the development of art institutions in the context of social and political changes. Methods of comparative analysis, content analysis of archival sources, materials of art exhibitions and memoir literature were applied. Scientific novelty. The article for the first time systematises data on the activities of Jewish art schools, studios and circles in Odesa in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Their contribution to the training of professional personnel, the preservation of national identity through art and the formation of interethnic cultural dialogue is analysed. The emphasis is on the mutual influence of Jewish and city-wide artistic traditions. Conclusions. The activities of art educational institutions and studios became an important factor in the development of the Jewish artistic community of Odesa. They provided not only professional training, but also a space for creative self-expression and cultural exchange. Jewish artists who were formed in this environment made a noticeable contribution to the development of both the local and the all-Ukrainian and European art scenes. Art schools and studios of Odesa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries became the core of the Jewish artistic environment: they taught and educated creative youth, offered a space for cultural exchange, modernist experiments and the preservation of national identity. The legacy of teachers such as Freyerman or Nurenberg and collectives of ‘independent’ artists formed the basis for the formation of the Odesa School of Painting, which continued its influence on the art of Ukraine and the diaspora in Europe and the United States.