Fedir Krychevsky
Encyclopedia
Fedir Krychevsky was an influential Ukrainian
early modernist painter
. He was the brother of graphic designer Vasyl Krychevsky
.
in [901 and the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1910. He traveled in Western Europe
for a year, and studied briefly with Gustav Klimt
in Vienna. He moved to Kiev
, where he served as professor and director at the Kiev Art School from 1914–18.
In 1917, he was one of the founders and a rector
(from 1920–22) of the Ukrainian State Academy of Arts. When the academy was abolished, he worked as a professor at the Kiev State Art Institute, eventually becoming its rector. He remained in Kiev at the onset of the Second World War
, and kept his position at the Institute, trying to save it in difficult conditions during the German occupation of Kiev. He served as the chairman of the Union of Ukrainian Artists that tried to improve the conditions of artists during the occupation. He was extremely popular among the artist-colleagues, faculty at the institute and the students, and no one betrayed his Jewish origins to the German authorities, saving him from the Babi Yar
massacre.
He moved to Königsberg
in the summer of 1943, to join his brother Vasyl
. He attempted to flee west to escape the advancing Soviet troops
, but the train in which he was traveling was overtaken. Krychevsky was arrested by the NKVD
as a collaborator, but his interrogations have elicited nothing that could incriminate him, so he was stripped of all his titles and honors and sent to internal exile
to the village of Irpin
near Kiev where he died of starvation during the famine in 1947, despite the food help that was receiving from his student Tetyana Yablonska
.
Twelve years after his death Krychevsky was "rehabilitated
." In 1959 the first exhibition of his works was held in Kiev, and information about his work began to be published.
, portraits, landscapes, drawings.
His early work remains the most valuable and appreciated part of his oeuvre. It was formed under the influence of Gustav Klimt
and Ferdinand Hodler
and combined Secessionist aesthetic principles with folk and Icon
sensibilities. Krychevsky draftsmaship is considered to be equal to that of Adolph Menzel. His later work, although solid in execution, suffered from ideological constraints of Socialist Realism
.
For 30 years Krychevsky was one of the leading figures in Ukrainian art. In 1911 and 1913 he organized the first strictly Ukrainian art exhibitions. Beginning in 1897, his work was exhibited at over 34 shows in and outside Ukraine. He was also a successful teacher, whose students included many famous Ukrainian artists.
Krychevsky's triptych "Life" remains one of the iconic examples of Ukrainian modernism.
.
There is a street in Kiev named in his honor.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
early modernist painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. He was the brother of graphic designer Vasyl Krychevsky
Vasyl Krychevsky
Vasyl Hryhorovych Krychevsky was a Ukrainian painter, architect, art scholar, graphic artist, and master of applied art and decorative art. He was the brother of Ukrainian painter Fedir Krychevsky.-Life:...
.
Biography
Krychevsky was born in Lebedyn to the family of a Jewish country doctor who converted to Orthodox Chritianity and married a Ukrainian woman. He graduated from the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and ArchitectureMoscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
The Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture was one of the largest educational institutions in Russia. The school was formed by the 1865 merger of a private art college, established in Moscow in 1832, and the Palace School of Architecture, established in 1749 by Dmitry Ukhtomsky. By...
in [901 and the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1910. He traveled in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
for a year, and studied briefly with Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches, and other art objects...
in Vienna. He moved to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, where he served as professor and director at the Kiev Art School from 1914–18.
In 1917, he was one of the founders and a rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
(from 1920–22) of the Ukrainian State Academy of Arts. When the academy was abolished, he worked as a professor at the Kiev State Art Institute, eventually becoming its rector. He remained in Kiev at the onset of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and kept his position at the Institute, trying to save it in difficult conditions during the German occupation of Kiev. He served as the chairman of the Union of Ukrainian Artists that tried to improve the conditions of artists during the occupation. He was extremely popular among the artist-colleagues, faculty at the institute and the students, and no one betrayed his Jewish origins to the German authorities, saving him from the Babi Yar
Babi Yar
Babi Yar is a ravine in the Ukrainian capital Kiev and a site of a series of massacres carried out by the Nazis during their campaign against the Soviet Union. The most notorious and the best documented of these massacres took place on September 29–30, 1941, wherein 33,771 Jews were killed in a...
massacre.
He moved to Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
in the summer of 1943, to join his brother Vasyl
Vasyl Krychevsky
Vasyl Hryhorovych Krychevsky was a Ukrainian painter, architect, art scholar, graphic artist, and master of applied art and decorative art. He was the brother of Ukrainian painter Fedir Krychevsky.-Life:...
. He attempted to flee west to escape the advancing Soviet troops
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, but the train in which he was traveling was overtaken. Krychevsky was arrested by the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
as a collaborator, but his interrogations have elicited nothing that could incriminate him, so he was stripped of all his titles and honors and sent to internal exile
Internal Exile
Internal Exile was Fish's second solo album after leaving Marillion in 1988. The album, released 28 October 1991, was inspired by the singer's past, his own personal problems and his troubled experiences with his previous record label EMI.The album's music reflects Fish's indulgence in the vast...
to the village of Irpin
Irpin
Irpin , or Irpen is a city located on the Irpin River in Kiev Oblast of northern Ukraine. The city's population is 40,275 ....
near Kiev where he died of starvation during the famine in 1947, despite the food help that was receiving from his student Tetyana Yablonska
Tetyana Yablonska
Tetyana Yablonska was a Ukrainian painter. Her early vital pictures are devoted to work and a life of Ukrainian people . She has passed to generalizing images of the nature, differing a subtlety of plastic and color rhythms .Yablonska was born in Smolensk, Russia...
.
Twelve years after his death Krychevsky was "rehabilitated
Rehabilitation (Soviet)
Rehabilitation in the context of the former Soviet Union, and the Post-Soviet states, was the restoration of a person who was criminally prosecuted without due basis, to the state of acquittal...
." In 1959 the first exhibition of his works was held in Kiev, and information about his work began to be published.
Works
In total, he produced close to a thousand works, including narrative compositionsComposition (visual arts)
In the visual arts – in particular painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture – composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art or a photograph, as distinct from the subject of a work...
, portraits, landscapes, drawings.
His early work remains the most valuable and appreciated part of his oeuvre. It was formed under the influence of Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches, and other art objects...
and Ferdinand Hodler
Ferdinand Hodler
Ferdinand Hodler was one of the best-known Swiss painters of the 19th century.-Life:Hodler was born in Berne, the eldest of six children. His father, Jean Hodler, made a meager living as a carpenter; his mother, Marguerite , was from a peasant family...
and combined Secessionist aesthetic principles with folk and Icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
sensibilities. Krychevsky draftsmaship is considered to be equal to that of Adolph Menzel. His later work, although solid in execution, suffered from ideological constraints of Socialist Realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
.
For 30 years Krychevsky was one of the leading figures in Ukrainian art. In 1911 and 1913 he organized the first strictly Ukrainian art exhibitions. Beginning in 1897, his work was exhibited at over 34 shows in and outside Ukraine. He was also a successful teacher, whose students included many famous Ukrainian artists.
Krychevsky's triptych "Life" remains one of the iconic examples of Ukrainian modernism.
Influence
Krychevsky had many students throughout his long career, notably Tetyana YablonskaTetyana Yablonska
Tetyana Yablonska was a Ukrainian painter. Her early vital pictures are devoted to work and a life of Ukrainian people . She has passed to generalizing images of the nature, differing a subtlety of plastic and color rhythms .Yablonska was born in Smolensk, Russia...
.
There is a street in Kiev named in his honor.