Evening Approaches 1924

Oleksa Novakivskyi created this landscape painting, "Evening Approaches", with oil on cardboard. Novakivskyi’s work exists in the context of early 20th century Ukrainian art. He helped create a unique artistic environment in Lviv by founding his own art school, in which he aimed to foster a sense of national identity. The landscape is rendered in thick brushstrokes, a Post-Impressionist technique used widely at the time. The composition suggests a specific place; the Carpathian Mountains which are steeped in Ukrainian national identity. This image might well speak to the politics of regional identity. At the time, Ukraine was divided between empires and national identity was a vibrant topic among artists and intellectuals. Novakivskyi’s dedication to teaching and his focus on Ukrainian themes certainly positioned him as a key figure in the development of Ukrainian art as a means of cultural expression. To understand this work better, researchers might explore the history of Ukrainian art institutions and cultural movements. Art offers a window into the social and political dynamics of its time.