This dissertation is the first comprehensive research dedicated to the life and creative activity of the outstanding Ukrainian artist of the late 19th – first third of the 20th century I. Driapachenko. It is the research of the artistic legacy of I. Driapachenko (1881–1936), in particular the overview of his paintings and graphic works of various stylistic, thematic and genre areas.
Scientific novelty of this work lies in the clarification of biographical data regarding I. Driapachenko, a detailed study of the specific features of the artist's style, on the basis of which a visual examination of his works has been carried out with identification of their authorship. Over thirty artist's paintings have been introduced into scientific field, with thirteen paintings attributed. Based on the conducted research, a catalogue raisonné of the artist's paintings has been developed.
The master's creative activity fell on hard times, both for Ukraine, and western European countries. At the turn of the century, there were crucial geopolitical, socio-cultural, and art-related changes taking place, which, along with transformations in the artistic worldview of I. Driapachenko, resulted in the proposed periodization of his artistic activity.
The first period (1894−1911) was about the development and heyday of the young artist's skills when studying at the Kyiv Drawing School, the MSPSA, and the Higher Art School at the IAA in St. Petersburg. M. Murashko, M. Pymonenko, I. Repin, V. Savinsky, V. Serov and P. Chystiakov were Driapachenko's teachers.
The second period (1912–1915) was about the upgrade of professional skills and the application of the latest artistic techniques learned during study in Italy, France, Spain, and Germany. At the same time, the artist was engaged in plein air painting.
The third period (1916–1917) accounted for the creative activity of I. Driapachenko in the Military Art Detachment. It was the service that required certain personal qualities from the artist in the process of meeting creative challenges. At that time, the artist was mostly engaged in graphic works.
The fourth period (1918−1936) stood out for I. Driapachenko's addressing folk topics. Also, the artist was actively engaged in teaching activities.
Based on empirical and theoretical research methods, a comprehensive art history approach, structural, figurative, artistic and stylistic features of the master's works have been studied. Specific features inherent in Impressionism have been revealed in the landscapes made by I. Driapachenko. The presence of a synthesis of styles in the paintings of the portrait genre, in particular a combination of realistic traditions and Art Nouveau, have been highlighted. In the context of involving foreign and Ukrainian artists in the World War I, I. Driapachenko's war-themed paintings and graphic works have been analyzed.
During the research of painting techniques on the example of works related to the portrait genre, the specific features of I. Driapachenko's artistic style have been revealed, as well as changes in his signature and dating of paintings within thirty years. This made possible to carry out a visual examination of the portraits attributed to I. Driapachenko, and to identify forgery.
The catalogue raisonné shows the scale of losses in the master's artistic legacy during the World War II.
Taking into account the vast scope of thematic preferences of the artist, various stylistic methods and genre topics, the significance of I. Driapachenko's creative activity for the history of the Ukrainian fine art.
Personal contribution of the dissertator consists in organizing biographical data related to I. Driapachenko, defining stylistic, thematic, and technical features of his painting, attributing a number of artist's works, visual expertise of his paintings, and compiling a catalogue raisonné that includes three hundred and forty-nine authentic master's works.
To outline the significance of I. Driapachenko's pedagogical activity, define his influence on the development of creative identities of his students, biographical data have been systematized, and the works of artists M. Horenko, I. Ishchenko, A. Tereshchenko have been investigated for the first time.
Practical significance of the research findings lies in clarifying and organizing data related to the life and creative activity of I. Driapachenko, attributing and introducing previously undiscovered paintings of the artist into scientific field. The content of the dissertation can be used in theoretical generalized works related to the history of Ukrainian fine art, in museum and scientific papers, in the development of educational programs and textbooks related to the theory and history of fine art, for attribution of I. Driapachenko's artistic works. Content of this research may be helpful in raising the issue of recovering Ukrainian cultural treasures illegally exported during World War II.
