PAINTING TECHNOLOGY OF ICONS “CHRIST ENTHRONED” AND “BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND BABY JESUS” (POKROVSKY CHURCH IN PRIORKA) PAINTED BY IVAN S. YIZHAKEVYCH. PROBLEM OF AUTHOR AND NON-AUTHOR RENEWALS

This article is dedicated to features of the late period in the icon painting of Ivan S. Yizhakevych which coincides with the religion persecution in the USSR as well as features of the study of icons in functional churches.In this paper we have set out the complex analysis of nomadic icons “Blessed Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus” and “Christ Enthroned” from Pokrovsky church in Priorka in Kyiv. By means of the visual research using the concentrated visible light and macro photography technical, technological and painting features of the icon painting have been specified.Based on the study of the painting layer features of the author icon painting style of Mr. Yizhakevych and stylistic features that are typical for his late creative period between 1940 and 1960 have been analyzed.Based on the comparative analysis between the above icons and other icons painted by Mr. Yizhakevych we have specified the attribution and considered the possibility of author icon finishing painting in a given period in order to return brightness to faded areas and restore partially lost ones. The possibility of repainting of separate parts of icons in order to specify dimensions of separate fragments or change in the compositional position of figures is also studied.In this paper we have specified typical techniques of the author style of Ivan S. Yizhakevych used by him for the primary layer of icons and author renewal and the assumption has been made that his students had likely helped him in preparation activities and painted parts of painting that are secondary according to their composition. Based on the analysis of the painting technique and features of Mr. Yizhakevych’s style the assumption have been made that the non-author finishing painting had been made approximately between 1990 and 2000 during one of the thorough repairs of the church.In this paper it has been established that the latter non-author renewals had significantly damaged the appearance of both icons by adding the rude and unprofessional performance to their separate elements which is not typical for the artist; this fact causes major difficulties when considering these icons to be integral works of Ivan S. Yizhakevych.This paper is illustrated by pictures of icons “Blessed Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus” and “Christ Enthroned” as well as their schematic images including the analysis of author and non-author renewals.