Visual interpretations of ‘The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign’ in the graphic cycles of V. Lopata, H. Yakutovych, and V. Yefymenko: compositional strategies and iconographic models

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify and analyse the features of visual interpretation of ‘The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign’ in the graphic cycles by V. Lopata, H. Yakutovich, and V. Yefimenko, to examine their compositional principles, iconographic models, technical approaches, and methods of interpreting key motifs of the poem, as well as to reveal the commonalities and differences in the authors’ conceptual strategies. The research methodology is based on a combination of formal-stylistic, iconographic, and comparative analyses, which allows tracing the specific characteristics of artistic interpretations of ‘The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign’ by different authors. The formal-plastic approach enables the identification of compositional principles, rhythm, and visual accents; iconographic analysis makes it possible to outline stable motifs and symbolic structures. The comparative method is used to juxtapose individual artistic strategies and to reveal the evolution of visual solutions in the context of the development of Ukrainian graphic art. The integrated application of these methods ensures a comprehensive reading of the visual interpretations and their correlation with the literary source. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a comprehensive comparative analysis has been conducted of three key graphic cycles of the second half of the 20th century (by V. Lopata, H. Yakutovich, and V. Yefimenko) dedicated to ‘The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign’. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that the visual interpretations of ‘The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign’ in the work of Ukrainian graphic artists (V. Lopata, H. Yakutovich, V. Yefimenko) form a complex, multidimensional discourse combining historical reconstruction, narrative visualisation, and individual artistic strategies. The use of formal-stylistic, iconographic, and comparative methods made it possible to identify the specifics of each artist’s visual language and outline key trends in the development of book graphics from the second half of the 20th to the early 21st century. The analysed illustrative cycles reveal different models of reinterpreting the epic text – from monumentally generalised stylistics to psychologically immersive and symbolically rich solutions. Despite differences in technique, style, and artistic intent, all artists demonstrate a commitment to preserving the semantic complexity of the Old Rus’ work while adapting its imagery to the contemporary cultural context.