PATHWAYS OF RAFAEL VOLYNSKYI’S FORMATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE KHARKIV ARTISTIC MILIEU OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Abstract

Relevance. The study of Kharkiv’s artistic environment of the 20th century requires the inclusion of artists whose work shaped the city’s visual culture but has remained outside comprehensive scholarly consideration. Among such figures is Rafael Volynskyi (1923–1992), a multifaceted artist and representative of the Kharkiv school of graphic art, whose legacy is still only fragmentarily represented in Ukrainian art-historical discourse. Examining his oeuvre is essential for reconstructing the artistic map of Kharkiv in the 20th century and for clarifying the processes that shaped the development of the local artistic milieu. The aim of this article is to introduce Rafael Volynskyi’s artistic legacy into scholarly circulation and to analyze it within the context of Kharkiv’s artistic life of the 20th century. Materials and Methods. The study is based on materials from the private archive of the Volynskyi family, including documents, sketches, photographs, and artworks by the artist. Archival materials from the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts, periodical publications, reference sources, and the results of field research conducted in city institutions are also utilized. The research methodology combines historical-cultural, figurative-stylistic, and systemic approaches, employing methods of analysis, synthesis, generalization, and systematization. Results. The article уточнює the biographical circumstances of Rafael Volynskyi’s life, reconstructs the stages of his professional education and artistic formation, and outlines the context in which his artistic personality developed. The multivector nature of his artistic practice is revealed, encompassing graphic art and book illustration as well as monumental and decorative works, wood carving, and sculpture. Conclusions. Rafael Volynskyi’s artistic legacy constitutes an important component of Kharkiv’s artistic process of the 20th century and requires further scholarly examination. The introduction of the artist’s lesser-known works into academic circulation makes it possible to refine understandings of the Kharkiv artistic school, expands knowledge of local artistic practices, and foregrounds the issue of preserving and researching the heritage of 20th-century artists.