Artistic Characteristics of Boyko and Lemko Pysanky from the Museum of Ethnography and Crafts Collection

The collection of pysankas (Easter eggs) at the Museum of Ethnography and Crafts, Ethnology Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, is among the largest in the country. It comprises about 13,000 items originating from various historical and ethnographic regions, including Opillia, Podillia, Middle Naddniprianshchyna, Volyn, Polissia, Hutsulshchyna, Pokuttia, Boikivshchyna, Bukovyna, Nadsiannia, Pidliashshia, Lemkivshchyna, and Kholmshchyna. The oldest pysanka, from Opillia, dates to 1882, while most preserved examples are from the first third of the 20th century. This article analyzes Boiko and Lemko pysankas of that period and highlights their artistic specificity. In particular, it examines division schemes—including two-field, four-field, eight-field, and barrel-like pysankas—motifs of décor, and color patterns. Pysankas from Boikivshchyna and Lemkivshchyna share both common and distinctive features in technique and decorative elements. Based on décor type and painting technique, they can be classified as krashanky (dyed eggs), shpylchasti (pin-painted eggs), shkriabanky (scratched eggs), and those painted with a stylus using the reservoir method. Common geometrical and vegetal motifs are identified, along with rare images such as human figures on pysankas from Boikivshchyna and fish on pysankas from Lemkivshchyna. Finally, information about the authors, dates of creation, and the role of pysankas in calendar and family rituals is emphasized as particularly significant.