Катерина 1910

This is Mykhailo Boychuk’s ‘Katerina’, a work residing in the Lviv National Art Gallery. The artwork presents a woman holding a child in a muted palette, which evokes a solemn and reflective mood. The composition is structured around vertical lines, creating a sense of order and stability. Look at the way the figures are rendered with smooth surfaces and stylized forms, resembling early Byzantine art. Boychuk’s engagement with Byzantine art goes beyond mere imitation. Note how he has used the visual language of early Christian art to communicate modern ideas about community, motherhood, and national identity. The flattening of space and simplification of form is a conscious effort to move away from Western academic traditions. By incorporating elements of Ukrainian folk art, Boychuk situates the image within a specific cultural context. The artwork's formal qualities are an integral part of its broader cultural and philosophical discourse, serving as a visual metaphor for the values and beliefs that Boychuk sought to promote. Art is not static, its capacity for new readings is endless.