Artistic and stylistic features of the largest classicist monument of the first decade of the 19th century at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine a unique monument at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, created in the first decade of the 19th century. Unfortunately, this work has not survived in its original form; however, at the time of its installation, it was the largest memorial composition in the city, executed in the Classicist style. The preserved description of the monument and the surviving sculptural elements make it possible to conduct a comprehensive art historical study of this piece. Methodology. This research employs methods of art analysis, comparative analysis, and iconographic analysis. These approaches made it possible to identify the artistic and stylistic features of the sculptural works and compare them with the signed works of Hartmann Witwer, Antonio Canova, and Johann Martin Fischer, revealing shared iconographic and compositional characteristics. A graphic reconstruction method was used to recreate the appearance of the lost Classicist monument at Lychakiv cemetery. Scientific novelty. The study explores the artistic and stylistic aspects of the largest memorial monument of the early 19th century in Lviv. The general appearance of the lost monument has been reconstructed; works that inspired the author during the creation of the memorial composition have been identified; and the iconography of the preserved sculptural elements has been established. Conclusions. The research confirms that the surviving sculptural works from the lost multi-figure monument align with the artistic language of Hartmann Witwer as seen in his signed pieces. It was revealed that in the overall composition, Witwer drew inspiration from the works of the renowned Roman sculptor Antonio Canova, particularly his pyramidal tombs for Popes Clement XIV and Clement XIII. The preserved female figures correspond to the iconography of Virtue and the maiden accompanying her from Canova’s monument to Maria Christina of Austria in Vienna. The sculpture of the young man follows the iconography of the Genius of Death, also by Canova, from the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in Rome. The lost memorial composition stands as an example of the author’s reinterpretation of well-known Western European monuments, while the preserved sculptures are high-quality examples of Classicism in Ukrainian art.