The artistic heritage of the Potockis

The Vinnytsia Oblast Art Museum is one of the few regional museums of Ukraine, whose collection include over 10,000 items, among them the works of West European, Ukrainian, Russian, and Eastern artists of the 17th-21st centuries.

For example, the Salon of Art exhibits the collection of miniature portraits “French Royal Persons of the 7th-17th centuries” by unknown author, which comprises 22 works. The miniature portraits of the Merovingian, Ca-rolingian, Capetian, Valois, Bourbon dynasties dated late 18th century belong to the West European school. These masterpieces are of the same format, size, and style, they were painted in oils on silk. But the portrait of Henry III of France painted on ivory is a special one.

The great exposition of colored photographs entitled “The Potockis’ Family Ties” also draws attention of the audience. The stand was created as a result of the scholarly research performed by the museum employees, and it gives an insight into the history of the kin of magnates Potocki, who can be regarded by far the first collectors of Vinnytsia region. Incidentally, the collection of artworks, once possessed by this family, underlay the holdings of the contemporary museum of art.

The largest part of the museum collection is made by the exposition of the Painting Gallery, where one can see unique paintings, sculptures, graphic works, porcelain, metal, ivory, and stone artworks of world-known painters, like Philips Wouwerman, Theodoor Rombouts, Bourguignon, Charles Grevenbroeck, Marcello Bacciarelli, Johann Baptist von Lampi, etc. The attention of the visitors is drawn to the original paintings of the early 17th century of unknown French artists, who belong to the all-European art.

Also the museum exhibits the works of Russian painters: Karl Briullov’s Political Manifestation in Rome in 1846, Konstantin Korovin’s Paris at Night, Tropinin’s religious paintings, Illya Repin, Kramsky, Ge, Nesterov, Polenov’s canvases. A significant part of the museum’s collection is made by the collection of graphic works of the 18th-20th centuries, represented by the works by

Jean-Pierre Norblin de La Gourdaine, Orlovsky, Orda, Kasiian, Malakov etc.

The museum’s department of the Ukrainian painting is the most numerous and appreciated. It presents in a complex manner the collection of landscape painting of the 19th-21st centuries, which includes the works by Svitoslavsky, Svitlytsky, Novakivsky, Konovaliuk, Hlushchenko, Shyshko, Bokshai.

Probably the most outstanding exhibit of the museum if the exposition of the canvases of Fedir Konovaliuk, which was opened to commemorate the 121st anniversary of one of the most lyrical painters of the Ukrainian nature of the 20th century, the exhibit is entitled “The artist’s dialogue with nature” and shows 67 works, including landscapes, portraits, plot paintings, and still life.

According to the museum head, Merited Worker of Art of Ukraine Illia BEZBAKH, Konovaliuk has long ago entered the cohort of the classical Ukrai-nian painters, and continued with his creative work the traditions of prominent landscape painters, like Svitoslavsky, Novakivsky, and Vasylkivsky, depicting the world of the generous and unique nature of Ukraine. Along with Yizhakevych, Konovaliuk created illustrations to the Ukrainian classical literary works. The subtle harmony of co-lors, fine and whimsical details, maximum simplicity and laconism are typical of Konovaliuk’s creative work, as asserted by the art experts. The collection of his paintings, which comprises 138 works, was granted to the museum by the artist’s widow Tamara Moroz-Konovaliuk. This is one of the largest collections of the Vinnytsia Oblast Art Museum.

The museum hosts over 30 exhibits annually. In the last two years it has published such catalogues as “The Vinnytsia Oblast Museum of Art. Painting” and “Biblical and Antique Motifs in the graphic works, sculpture, and decorative-applied arts of the 18th-19th centuries.”

“The museum is badly in need of decent premises of 3,000-5,000 square meters,” Bezbakh says, “In the recent years we have not been receiving money to buy works of art by contemporary artists. In my opinion, this is a serious problem for a regional museum, for in a century the art experts will not be able to properly study the works of Vinnytsia artists of the early 21st century.”

Currently, the preparation for the exhibit of Petro Kholodny’s works “History of independence and painting” is underway in the museum. In September the museum will launch a new exhibit season. It will be opened with the presentation of photo albums of Burkhard von Harder “Vinnytsia. Cold War period” hosted within the framework of the international project “Ukraine-Germany.”