The Masterpieces of Ukrainian Icon Painting

Icon, as a major kind of medieval painting, made great advance in Ukraine. Like many Slavic countries, Ukraine belonged to the area of cultures which grew from the common Byzantine root. Maturing under the spiritual protection of Byzantium, assimilating its aesthetic and artistic ideals, Ukrainian icon developed gradually its own style, its artistic peculiarities and grew into an independent national school which took its own niche among other European schools of the Middle Ages.

The sources of Ukrainian icon go back to the time of Kyivan Rus, which inherited high artistic achievements of Byzantium. In this young state, general artistic standards and forms were developed for all its lands. Kyiv became the main centre of icon painting where the majority of icons of the pre-Mongol period, known now, were created.

With the adoption of Christianity, first Greek icons came to Kyiv. Chronicles gave many facts of bringing in icons from Byzantium, which began during the reign of Prince Volodymyr the Great and went on under his descendants. Famous icons The Virgin Eleusa (of Vladimir) and The Virgin Hodegetria (Pyrogoscha, now lost) were taken to Kyiv from Constantinople by Prince Mstyslav Yaroslavych. In 1155 Prince Andrei Bogoliubsky transferred The Virgin of Vladimirto his capital city of Vladimir-on-Klyazma, later it was taken to Moscow where it has been kept to the present.

Local artists studied brilliant examples of Byzantine painting and gained experience, adopting aesthetic and artistic canons new for them. Some of them achieved considerable success. Of that time we know only the name of Alimpy, an artist from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Kyiv-Pechersk Paterikon glorified him as a great icon painter who excelled his Greek teachers in mastery.

Communicating with Byzantine culture, the Kyivan state simultaneously assimilated antique heritage. The association with Byzantine art, with its

39. The Mother of God Hodegetria (Perivlepta) of Volyn

First half of the 14^th c. Provenance: The Intercession Church in Lutsk, Volyn Region

classical traditions can be traced in the relief icon St. George with Scenes from His Life (12th c.). Its provenance is related with the medieval Crimea, i.e. with St. George's Monastery in Balaklava near ancient Chersonesus which played a major part in the cultural mediation between Constantinople and Kyiv. At that time, the iconography of St. George as a Roman warrior in military garb was canonized in Byzantine art. Such representation of St. George was introduced into art of Kyivan Rus and other Slavic states and became one of the most widespread and venerated images. Kyivan princes also approved of the establishment of the cult of St. George in whom they saw a patron in war affairs. This explains the wide penetration of this image into all spheres of art: in the 11th—13th centuries it was represented in cathedral frescoes, icons and figurines, signets-molibdulae, and princely utensils.

The relief with the representation of St. George embodies classical Byzantine samples which local masters followed. In the icon's perfect carving, in the Hellenistic character of St. George's figure with its beautiful proportions and refined outlines you can feel the echo of antique sculpture. The carving's vividness is emphasized, first of all, by the successful use of the potentialities of the medium itself — wood, as well as polychromy discovered during the restoration of the relief in the 1960s. Though polychromy has been preserved incompletely, it nevertheless gives an idea of the light pure colours with predominating gold, which lends the representation a noble and refined air. This relief is an example of an early hagiographic icon. Hagiographic cycles became widespread in Kyivan Rus art from the 11th century. Samples of Byzantine relief wooden icons are very rare now. So, the relief is a unique monument of the Middle Ages.

The small icon The Intercession of the turn of the 13th century from Eastern Halychyna draws attention with its unusual iconography and is, perhaps, one of the early versions of this subject. The Byzantine origin of the legend of the miracle at the Blachemae Church of Constantinople gives grounds to think that the first Intercession icons appeared there, though they have not come down to our time. It is considered that in Kyiv, along with the consolidation of the Intercession cult, the formation of the iconography of this subject was going on, and the Halych icon is similar to it. By its iconography, it differs from the generally known composition of the Intercession which later was widespread in Ukraine: St. Mary sits on the throne with the child in her bosom and angels hold the pall over them. The rare iconography of the Halych icon whose old age is confirmed by its palaeography as well, testifies to its proximity to the primary source. Its painterly solution, however, is devoid of the plastic refinement of Byzantine icons. Linear, simplified forms and expressive images mark the manner of a local master. This icon is a single monument of Halych painting of the pre-Morigol period.

Having adopted the Byzantine religious system, Kyivan Rus strove, however, for independence and originality of its culture. It introduced its own church festivals (like the Intercession) and sanctified Rus saints. The first of them became Borys and Glib, sons of the Grand Prince Volodymyr, who were treacherously killed in the internecine struggle for the Kyiv throne. They were revered both as martyrs and as warriors, defenders of the native land. The canonization of Borys and Glib took place in 1072, and it was then that first images of the princes were created. One of the early-known icons, Sts. Borys and Glib, dating to the 13th century, from St. Sawa-of-Vishera's monastery near Novgorod, has Kyiv roots and a certain "historical" background. It approaches, most likely, the olden prototype —the icon at the Vyshgorod Church near Kyiv.

In the mid-13th century the upsurge of Kyivan Rus art was suddenly interrupted: the mighty Kyivan state perished under the blows of the Mongol-Tartar hordes. Nevertheless, its cultural tradition did not disappear but kept on living and became a forceful incentive for the origin of new Slavic cultures. Thus, the Halych-Volynian principality appeared as a direct heir of Kyivan Rus, enjoying political power and authority among European states of that time.

From the latter half of the 14th century a tragic period began in the history of Ukraine, determinative in many aspects for her subsequent destiny. Ukraine's lands be­came the field of aggressive wars and fierce battles, which resulted in their annexation by neighbouring countries: Polish Kingdom joined Halychyna, the Great Principality of Lithuania Volyn and Dnipro regions, Hungary — Transcarpathia, while Moldova annexed Bukovina. Nevertheless, just at that time almost in all Ukrainian lands under extremely unfavourable conditions the formation of the common national culture was going on, the culture which was rooted in the spiritual and cultural integrity born in previous epochs.

Long wars, led in the Ukrainian territory for centuries, impeded certainly the development of culture. But the artistic process never ceased, only in different periods centres of art shifted from one land to another. Along with Kyiv which still retained its role of the important artistic centre, Halychyna and Volyn gradually acquired greater significance. No wonder that the majority of icon-painting monuments have come from those lands. Annals mention beautiful icons which decorated old Volynian churches. There existed an important artistic centre and the fact is testified by Volynian icons of the 13th—14th centuries, among which is the recently restored The Virgin Hodegetria from Dorohobush, which has become a sensation of our time.

An admirable monument of the 14th century, The Virgin Hodegetria of Volyn, from the Intercession Church in the town of Lutsk, has a variant iconographic type of Hodegetria, that of Perivlepta (the Beautiful). Following the Byzantine canon, Perivlepta acquires a more lyrical look. The image of St. Mary bending to the Child shows greater emotion and kindheartedness, though she retains severe majesty and solemn sublimity. It is the most tragic image of the Mother of God in old Ukrainian icon painting. The great power of motherly love and a feeling of doom are reproduced in the mournful eyes of St. Mary with forceful yet laconic means. Beautiful and refined features of her face are permeated with spiritual chastity. Perfect forms, the skillful and delicate painting technique, bright and pure colours, and linear rhythms prove the Volynian master's adherence to the classic tradition.

The 15th century left a more appreciable trace in the evolution of Ukrainian icon painting, and the number of extant monuments is considerably greater. At the turn of the 15th century, the iconostasis appeared and began developing, becoming an integral architectural component of an Orthodox church. Icons were placed in it in a strictly fixed order stipulated by the ideological essence of the religious system. So, the demand for icons grew, their subjects and stylistics became determined, and their role and significance increased.

It was the golden age of Ukrainian icon, the period of its greatest achievements. At the same time, it was also an important stage in the formation of national icon-painting school, framed in the context of the general artistic process in Slavic countries. Ties with Byzantium gradually weakened and came to an end after its conquest by Turkey. Links with the Balkan countries were maintained and many Greek and Serbian artists moved to Russia and Ukraine, where they worked alongside of local icon painters. Contacts with the Athos Monastery were also fruitful as well as with Moscow and Novgorod, the traditional icon-painting centres.

Ukrainian icon painting of that period endeavoured to take an independent road, to find its own style within the framework of artistic traditions and popular aesthetic conceptions. Though adherence to spiritual ideals and classically precise monumental forms dominates the representation, a tendency to lyrical, poetic interpretation of the subject appears at the same time. Monuments dating from that period retain the perfect harmony of old icon painting and concurrently attain a special painterly refinement.

The icon St. George and the Dragon is a brilliant example of the refined style of the latter half of the 15th century. The poetic approach, sparkling pure colours enhance the emotional impact of triumphal symbolism. St. George, the conqueror of a terrible monster, piercing the dragon by his lance with natural ease, appears here as a gallant knight. Lyrical and contemplative tenor imparts the poetic legend a new tinge, relieving it of dramatic tension and enhancing the harmonious integrity of the icon. The genre motif of a medieval castle which is guarded by knights is a tribute to Gothic that had an insignificant influence on Ukrainian icon. This icon is a striking example of beautiful melodious icon-painting idiom with its rhythmic spatial construction, fluid and flexible lines and resonant colouring.

The Saviour in Majesty is a focal theme in the 15th — 16th-century icon painting. The icon with this subject was placed in the centre of the iconostasis. It gave an idea of the Supreme Being, of His might as the Omnipotent, the Ruler of the Universe. Two icons of the Saviour in Majesty which belong to the latter half of the 15th century correspond wholly to this conception with their monumental stylistics. The icon from the village of Malniv shows a more traditional solution of the composition. In it, the emphasis is made on linear plasticity, on thin curved lines. The colouring is restrained and harmonious, enriched with the play of golden hatching on softly falling folds.

The icon The Saviour in Majesty fromthe village of Turye differs in the character of its execution. In its modelling features of the new are felt alongside a classical tradition. The majestic, ideally handsome image of Christ is represented in warm and gentle tones. Though Christ is pictured in the icon as the Pantocrator, His image is devoid of severe and ascetic features. The tendency to humanization of an abstract religious ideal gains greater significance in Ukrainian icon painting at that time. Retaining classical clarity and balance of the composition, the icon, however, is marked by more energetic and free modelling of forms. The colouring is strikingly expressive, tense contrasts of saturated colours create a resonant and vivid melody.

The turn of the 16th century saw the co-existence of various trends: on the one hand the tendencies to the majestic, generalized classical form, and on the other hand, an incli­nation to free and individual stylistics in the subject treatment. Sometimes, icons get a local nuance peculiar to one or other icon-painting school.

The old tradition is evident in the ascetically severe and estranged images of the saints in the icon The Apostles Peter and Paul. The conventional, expressly spatial treatment of the icon brought to absolute generalization and artistic laconicism are a manifestation of the archaistic tendency in art of the late 15th century. In the icon The Presentation fromthe village of Zvertiv, which dates from the first half of the 16th century, the agile rhythm of thin lines and noble restrained colouring do not deviate from the traditional icon-painting system, though the painterly plasticity has certain features characteristic of the local school. This tendency became more pronounced in the 16th-century icon The Baptism from the town of Kalush. Energetic outlines and decorative correlation of rich colours betray the dynamic painting manner of a Halych artist.

The stylistics of Ukrainian painting saw even more cardinal changes in the latter half of the 16th century. Under the impact of the European Renaissance it adopted humanistic ideas which exerted an essential influence upon the entire artistic process. It became a peculiar landmark in Ukrainian art: it was during that period that medieval dogmatic outlook began to collapse and hence the re-interpre­tation and transformation of traditional icon-painting forms.

The turn of the 17th century was especially tense and eventful. After the Lublin (1569) and Brest (1596) Unions, Poland intensified national and religious oppression in Ukrainian lands, which caused popular protests and resulted in the national movement that involved all strata of the population. The cultural process of that period was enlivened by a mighty and viable democratic folk current which, superimposing on humanistic ideas of the European Renaissance, influenced actively all spheres of art.

Icon-painting centres, as previously, were concentrated in Halychyna; with Peremyshl, Sambir and, later, Lviv playing a leading part. Peasants and city craftsmen were main customers and "consumers" of icons. Their tastes and requirements influenced the icons in which Halych masters, keeping to the age-old decorative traditions, rendered sincerity and ingenuousness of folk vision of the world. All that imparted bright artistic originality and pure folkloric colouring to monuments of that period.

The Passion (late 16th c.) from the village of Bili Oslavy is a bright example of changes in the evolution of Ukrainian icon. The Passion cycles, along with the Last Judgement, were among the obligatory themes which were represented in almost every church of Subcarpathia and Halychyna.

The Passion theme penetrated into Ukraine from Gothic Europe in the 15th century, though here it got its own, peculiar iconographic canons. In the 16th century this culmination subject of Christian symbolism was often used as a symbol of self-sacrifice in the name of the idea.

The number of Passion icons grew considerably at that time, their interpretation somewhat changed, having acquired genre characteristics. Such is the icon dating to the late 16th century where the emphasis is transferred from the tragic basis of the subject to the genre-illustrative one. The large panel which consists of three parts, the consecutive and detailed narrative of the last days of the earthly life and sufferings of Christ unfold in an uninterrupted frieze. The narrative is treated in ordinary, prosaic tones that free the icon of elated idealization and dramatic tension. The same commonness, naive simplicity, and absence of idealization characterize images of Christ and saints. Modelling becomes more dynamic, less constrained by traditional devices. The priority in it is now given to a thin graphic line which seems to "envelop" the silhouettes, to render the motion, gestures and facial expression of personages without breaking the stylistic and compositional coherence of the icon.

New Renaissance ideas often acquired folkloric interpretation which led to the relaxation of rigid regulations of medieval canons, to humanizing of religious images, their approach to the earthly ideal.

St. Nicholas on the icon from the village of Busovysko is a kind and sincere peasant, wise and affable. The type itself, decorative generalization of colour masses, broad lines of the silhouette, the ornamentation of the clothes and the relief background reveal the painter's taste and skill which rest upon folk traditions of artistic culture.

Sometimes rather flexible and versatile system of decorative generalization of Halych masters was slightly simplified and schematic, as in the icon The Apostles Thomas and Bartholomew from the latter half of the 16th century. The remarkable force is pulsating in the saints' stocky figures with clear-cut contours, the stiff rhythm of motion, and radiance of pure and bright colour combinations.

The icon The Apostles Peter and John (latter half of the 16th century), is no less expressive with its subtle linear rhythm and harmony of restrained, subdued colours. Despite the evident difference in their painting manner, icons of that time are united by a common stylistic approach to the representation of religious subjects dictated by new requirements and the spirit of the time.

Exceptionally charming are small icons from Kalush, which were part of the Feast range of the iconostasis in a small wooden church that were numerous in Hutsul villages in the Carpathians. Heartfelt lyricism and poetical outlook combine in icons with the dynamic colour sounding, energetic modelling of form, and design.

Adhering to the traditional iconography, to established compositional schemes and structures, artists seemed to open "a window" into the living, real world. Elements of life impressions penetrate the icon more often: either of local landscape or genre scenes with views of some concrete environment. Then this process was only in the making, but with time it led to cardinal changes in the artistic structure of an icon image. Though it had not definitely changed the canonical icon-painting system, still the first step was made to overcome the conventional scholastics of the medieval vision and to renew the icon-painting means.

The 17th century brought even more essential renovations into Ukrainian icon painting. Through the Baroque, which dominated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine integrated into the general European artistic process. Under the impact of this great international style Ukrainian art did not only assimilate achievements of European painting but got over scholastics of medieval thinking.

From the late 17th century the development of Ukrainian artistic culture went on under the sign of the Baroque, gaining new dimensions. It was favoured by new socio­political conditions which arose at that time in Ukraine. The country experienced then one of the most momentous periods in its history when, after the end of the prolonged national-liberation war, it got autonomy and self-government. The time of stability came, of national culture flourish. The spirit of the Baroque with its ornate festivity and elaborate dynamic forms answered to optimistic, life-asserting feelings of the Cossacks who won the victory.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which regained its status of a great cultural centre, was an "arbiter" of taste and disseminator of new artistic ideas. Its influence spread far beyond Ukraine's borders: to Orthodox countries, to the Balkans. New western trends were reinterpreted according to the Orthodox ideology and perceived in a modified aspect.

The Baroque penetrated into Ukrainian culture when age-old medieval norms were still strong, and the crossing of different, as to their character, tendencies brought an expressive artistic synthesis. This synthesis defined the original style of Ukrainian icon of the Baroque epoch. The National Art Museum possesses the largest collection of icons from the Left-Bank Ukraine dating to the late 17th and 18th centuries.

Ukrainian icon of that time is a unique artistic phenomenon. It gradually acquired a secular interpretation. Its turn to reality changed its artistic structure and transformed its painterly idiom. Elation and luminous force of colours, enhanced with rich decorative ornamentation, the use of gilt carved backgrounds all that united in the festive mood of the icons.

The icon St. Anne (1680—1685) testifies to rather essential changes in treating of a religious image. Dressed in a red cloak, flower in her hand, the Saint, full of visible, real beauty and femininity, is "moulded" from a concrete life material. But the worldly origin does not deprive the image of poetic idealization.

A new secular approach is even greater felt in The Crucifixion of the late 17th century, with the portrait of the donator Leonty Svichka. The acute individual characterization is not inferior to that of portrait painting of the time. If the iconographic scheme of the composition still retains its stability, then means of painting realization change drastically. Here nothing is left of the conventional flatness of the icon-painting manner: the three-dimensional treatment of the figure imparts it material ponderability, while the closed space breaks penetrating into the depth thanks to a realistically reproduced landscape.

Thus, a shift to secular perception takes place in Ukrainian icon; artists successfully master means of West-European painting, new for them.

Western orientation of Ukrainian art can be traced in the interpretation of such traditional subjects as the Intercession. Instead of the canonical composition known from the 12th century icon painters develop European compositional scheme of Madonna della Misericordia, filling the icon space with images of Cossack chieftains and the clergy.

The Intercession icon with the portrait of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky (first half of the 18th century) is an original historical symbol. The personification of the Ukrainian Hetman gains in this icon a special historical meaning. The representation of Bohdan Khmelnytsky and many other Cossack chieftains can be called portraits with great reserve, but their connection with the epoch is beyond any doubt. The images of hetmans, colonels and other Cossack chief officers on numerous icons of the Intercession widespread in Ukraine in the late 17th and 18th centuries possess live characterization and present an original gallery of national types.

Eventually, the compositions on this theme acquire even greater secular content. Such is The Intercession from the village of Sulymivka. Under the high church vault, against the background of the splendid Baroque iconostasis of gilt wood, the crowd in festive attire is represented, among which are members of the tsar's family and women of high society, Cossack chieftains and the clergy. The entire scene is permeated not so much by the feeling of sanctity and religious action as of magnificent elation of a court ceremony. The artist pays tribute to secular moods: in the interior suffused with light and picturesque radiance real person­ages with certain portrait characteristics are acting.

The icon Twelve Spies Sent to the Land of Canaan (village of Sulymivka) has an evidently secular mood. The artist interprets the subject in the decorative tradition of Ukrainian national school. Dynamic figures, vigorous modelling of muscular bodies, rich colour patches, illusory rendering of space with clearly discernible fore- and backgrounds of the landscape — all that testifies to the artist's imaginative approach to the Baroque ideas.

The majority of Ukrainian icon painters mastered their skill at the shop of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra which enjoyed a high reputation and authority outside Ukraine as well.

High professional skill of the Lavra painters is evident in icons from the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra which was restored after the fire of 1729. This grandiose structure was adorned with a majestic ornate iconostasis in the Baroque style that was executed by the finest Lavra painters, among which Feoktist Pavlovsky stood out prominently. Shortly after, he was appointed the head of the Lavra icon-painting shop. From the archives sources we know names of some other masters invited to decorate the cathedral: Stefan Lubensky and Chernihiv painter Yakym Hlynsky.

The icons from the Dormition Cathedral, which have been preserved, show the manner of different artists. The Entry into Jerusalem and The Nativity, icons from the Feast range, belong to the brush of the most talented painter who had a good command of secular painting. His works have a free many-figured composition with a rich Baroque modelling of forms and intricate foreshortening of movements. In them, the action develops in the real space of a cityscape with deep middle- and backgrounds of an architectural panorama, though a secular character of the treatment is still combined with the icon-painting style. The scene, full of genre authenticity, is dominated by strict rules of subject composition, the arrangement of figures on the plane, keeping to the rhythmical unity of linear perspective and polychromatic painting which merge into a harmonious entity. Among the icons of the Feast range we should also mention The Descent of the Holy Spirit. The painter of this icon is characterized by a highly individual manner with colour-restrained and dynamic compositions, where an expressive motion and rhythm, and elongated proportions create a certain spiritual tension.

These icons are illustrative of the style and general tendency in Ukrainian art of the first half of the 18th century. Though the artists employed European painting system, they rested upon the age-long traditions of national decorative culture. Their use of chiaroscuro modelling and illusory space did not interfere with the monumental generalization of forms, the unity of linear and painterly plasticity. All that joined naturally into the general artistic system which was original, flexible and highly decorative.

In the first half of the 18th century, the Baroque entered the mature stage of its development, gaining a special splendour and refinement of forms. The pair icons of Great Martyrs Anastasia and Juliana, Barbara and Catherine are real gems of the icon painting. The refined, exquisitely feminine and graceful Saint Virgins are painted according to new canons of beauty where there is no place either for ascetic severity or conventional estrangement of images. Here all is intertwined in harmonious unity: the refined forms, delicate chiaroscuro modelling, the beauty of figure proportions and flowing bent lines. But a special charm is lent to the icons by their iridescent colours that scintillate like real gems. Painted with a rare perfection on the gold and silver back­grounds with the use of glazing, patterns and ornaments of the rich attire, along with the gilt carving, enhance the colour symphony elaborated with an excellent taste and nobleness.

Icons from the iconostasis of the Ascension Church built in the 1760s in the village of Berezna, Chernihiv Region, are considered the acme of the Ukrainian Baroque, its finale.

The majestic icons The Deesis and The Holy Apostles, which are part of the Deesis range, provide a feeling of grandeur of the entire iconostasis. By the force of their artistic laconism and epic generalization of figures these compositions can equal medieval frescoes and mosaics, though their artistic influence is achieved by other, new means of painterly plasticity. It marks the finale of icon-painting dogmatism, when secular artistic thinking triumphs once and for all. Figures of the Apostles painted according to new painting canons of reality, have not lost the grandeur and idealization of spiritual qualities. The Baroque in these compositions seems to "quiet down," the rhythms become balanced; strong modelling of forms is rich and energetic. The artist drew his inspiration from folk decorative tradition, enriching his compositions with lavish ornamentation and saturated beautiful colours.

Icons and allegorical compositions with the Eucharist subject, The Tree of Life, Christ in the Chalice, Christ the Vine, The Vigilant Eye, The Pelican make up a separate group. All of them elucidate the main dogma of the Christian symbolics — the mystery of the Eucharist, the expiatory sacrifice of Christ. Borrowed from the Western artistic culture and imbued with Baroque allegories, these themes became popular in Ukraine. However, their complicated mystical subject-matter is often simplified and gains in these icons a clear, easily understood form of artistic embodiment. The subject Christ the Vine was especially widespread. It is connected with the incarnation of the oldest Christian symbolism, of the vine with which, according to the evangelical legend, Christ identified Himself. The majority of icons with a similar subject, as well as icons The Holy Trinity and The Deesis have come from one painting shop in Volyn, which is testified by their stylistic affinity. Their anonymous author has his own peculiar manner: an expressive imagery, soft modelling and delicate colouring, thanks to which his icons are easily discerned.

Side by side with high professional artistic culture, a "lower" layer evolved in Ukraine, which was rooted in folk democratic environment. Its development was not isolated from the main stream of the artistic process; there were a close interaction and mutual interpenetration. The role of the folk decorative tradition was determinative for the formation of the national style at all the stages of Ukrainian icon painting development. In the late 18th century and especially in the 19th century folk icon was the main bearer of national artistic traditions which remained in force even when the main, professional, line had exhausted itself, acquiring secular academic tendency. The art of folk primitive contrasted it with a mighty life-giving strength and integrity of artistic approach.

Folk icon painting was spread in the Carpathians and in Hutsulschyna, remote from the officially recognized centres. There it found a favourable ground and incentive for its progress. Local masters created their original style resting upon poetic figurativeness of folk perception.

Notable among them is a master of a highly individual approach from the village of Kosmach in Hutsulschyna, whose icons The Deesis, The Intercession and The Holy Apostles (from the iconostasis of St. Parasceve's Church) are marked by an impeccable feeling for style, daring imagination and keen artistic insight. Rejecting conventional canons and stereotypes, he creates images which neither resemble nor imitate anybody and charm with their ingenuousness and naivety. His force lies not in the overtly decorative brightness but in the keen sense of solidity and generalization of forms, in energetic graphical outlines of contours. Simplified and deformed proportions, elimination of everything superfluous and minor favour an exceptional artistic expressiveness that is based on folk painting traditions.

In the 19th century in western Ukrainian lands, icon painting on glass evolved a peculiar kind of art where poetic imagery and decorativeness of folk artistic perception were elaborated with special originality. Painting on glass was known in Europe from time immemorial, it was long practised in neighbouring countries, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, as well. From the first half of the 19th century icon painting on glass spread in Ukraine, mostly in the Carpathian region. Icons on glass were not meant for church interiors but for peasants' homes, so peasants were their major judges. Naturally, these icons were painted not by professional artists but by folk master craftsmen who developed their own technique of painting. Icons were executed with size paints using engraving, on the reverse side. The naive and free treatment of religious subjects and saints favourite with peasants goes from the painter's pure and ingenuous perception of the world. Highly decorative, these icons are characterized by especially bright colour forms enhanced by light-bearing nature of glass. Imbued with sincere feelings and life-giving optimism, peasant primitive art became a unique phenomenon of national artistic culture.

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