音频游览 Hall 4. Art of the mid-late 16th century

In the history of Ukrainian iconography, the 16th century period is seen as a certain milestone marked by the transition from centuries-old traditions of the Byzantine lineage to the figurative painting system of Western Europe. Against the background of Polish Catholic expansion in Ukraine, the ideas of Humanism and the Renaissance penetrated the country and stimulated the self-assertion of the individual, the growth of the historical consciousness of the people, the development of education, and significant changes in the cultural and artistic life. Notable developments included the expansion of printing in Lviv, the founding of the Ostroh Academy, and the activity of church brotherhoods. The cities were developing at a rapid pace, becoming centers of crafts and trade. Many cities were granted the Magdeburg Law, which gave them more autonomy. In the public arena, the bourgeoisie, which was the main customer for religious art, was becoming more active. The building of wooden churches grew, and their interiors were decorated with wall paintings and icons. Many archival references to painters and the leading painting centers of the time have survived. If in the first half of the 16th century the main artistic center was still Peremyshl`, then in the second half it was increasingly Lviv.

The formation of the multilevel iconostasis represents one of the main developments in Ukrainian iconography of the 16th century. The Feasts tier was established, and the different ranks of saints in the “Deesis” row were replaced by the apostles. A graphic basis as the means of artistic expression was strengthened. In general, the palette became more impoverished. Instead, gold or silver tones were introduced, and relief was used in the ornamental decorations in the background and haloes.

Very few iconostases or even icons have survived from the period of Kyivan Rus that could serve as a basis for reconstructing their appearance. The earliest fully preserved Ukrainian iconostases date only from the beginning of the 17th century: for example, the Piatnytsky and Uspensky (Dormition) iconostases in Lviv, the iconostasis of the Transfiguration Church in Lublin (Poland), the Holy Ghost iconostasis in Rohatyn (Ivano-Frankivsk region).