Ornamental Compositions of Vasyl Krychevsky: Sources, Directions, Graphemes

The study aims to conduct a preliminary reflexive systematization of ornamental compositions by Vasyl Krychevsky (1872–1952) in the context of his entire artistic work, to introduce into the scientific circulation and visual thesaurus of the artistic culture at the 19th — the first quarter of the 21st century new information about the graphic assets of the artist as an important historical and cultural source. The historico-comparative method was used, which made it possible to determine common and different aesthetic approaches to the creation of ornaments in various types of art during the 20th century. Iconographic and stylistic analysis is applied for a detailed description of the means of aesthetic expressiveness. In the article, for the first time, a complete complex of the master’s ornamental heritage is analyzed, with a selection of works that were transferred by his family to the Ukrainian museums at the beginning of the 21st century. Vasyl Krychevsky emancipated ornament, as the Impressionists freed light and color from subordination to the plot and nature, as the Symbolists turned the symbol into a self-worth category. Krychevsky’s ornaments are so active and self-sufficient that sometimes it is difficult to imagine their practical use: expressiveness and compositional virtuosity are much greater than what is required of the decor. Krychevsky relied on the historical heritage, responding to the demands of the present, but tried not to betray himself in favor of the stylistic circumstances of the time. A full understanding and practical integration of his colossal work in ornamentation is yet to come