Archive
«The Ethnology Notebooks» 2018 year, issue 5 read »
2012 year, issue 3 read »
The Ethnology Notebooks. 2020. # 4 (154). С. 757–1012 DOI... read »
2009 year, issue 5-6 read »

« 2025. # 5 (185)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2025. № 5 (185), 1199—1209

UDK76:7.04:2-135-055.2:929А.Бокотей

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

THE IMAGE OF A WOMAN IN ANDRIY BOKOTEY’S GRAPHIC WORKS OF THE 1960s: DEFINING ARTISTIC DOMINANTS

SMAKOVA Lyudmyla

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-1793
  • Lecturer, postgraduate student, 
  • Lviv National Academy of Arts, 
  • Department of Art Glass, 
  • 38, Kubiyovycha Str., 79011, Lviv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: lyudmila_smakova@lnam.edu.ua 

Abstract. Introduction. The article explores the little-studied early graphic works of Andriy Bokotey from the 1960s, focusing in particular on the representation of the female image. It also outlines the socio-historical context of the 1960s in the USSR, the informal school of Karlo Zvirynskyi, and the artist’s reference to folk traditions.

Problem Statement. The absence of an in-depth art historical analysis of Bokotey’s selected early works in current academic discourse has highlighted the need for their detailed study.

Purpose.The aim of the research is to identify the artistic dominants in Andriy Bokotey’s graphic works of the 1960s.

Methods. The study employs comparative, formal, iconographic, stylistic, contextual, and typological methods of analysis. 

Results. The article focuses on three main types of female imagery in Bokotey’s graphic art: the woman in domestic space, the model as an artistic object, family members. Works such as Mrs. Bronya, The Housewife, The Pianist, Seated Model, and Sister Mariia, among others, are examined in detail. The analysis reveals key artistic dominants in the depiction of women: laconic expression, decorativeness, psychological depth, and expressive generalization of form. Special attention is given to the use of monotype and linocut techniques, which enabled the artist to achieve high expressiveness. 

Conclusion. The research confirms the synthesis of influences from Karlo Zvirynskyi’s school and the expressionist tendencies of Roman Selskyi in Bokotey’s graphic works. This is manifested in a departure from realistic canons in favor of formal simplification, the use of line and plane, and a shift in emphasis from external idealization to internal content and psychological depth of the image. For the first time, this study offers a systematic analysis and publication of archival materials, helping to fill a gap in the study of Andriy Bokotey’s legacy and Lviv graphic art of the 1960s, and contributing to further exploration of the artist’s creative phenomenon.

Keywords: the works of Andriy Bokotey, Lviv graphic art, image of a woman, composition, stylistics, iconography, artistic and imagery dominants.

Received 8.09.2025

REFERENCES

  • Lahutenko, O. (2007). Graphein. Graphics: Essays on the history of Ukrainian graphics of the 20th century. Kyiv. Retrieved from: https://irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/cgi-bin/ua/elib.exe?C21COM=S&I21DBN=UKRLIB&S21CNR=20&S21P03=FF=&S21STR=ukr0004970 (Last accessed: July 31, 2025) [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (1992). Lviv graphics 1945—1990: Traditions and innovation. Kyiv: Naukova dumka [in Ukrainian]
  • Vavrukh, M. (2018). Lviv graphics of the second half of the 1960s — early 1970s through the prism of national self-identification and its influence on the generation of artists of the late 20th — early 21st centuries. Ethnololy notebooks, (2) 140, 508—515. ISSN 1028-5091. DOI: https://nz.lviv.ua/archiv/2018-2/31.pdf (Last accessed: April 21, 2025) [in Ukrainian].
  • Som-Serdiukova, O. (2020). Karlo Zvirynskyi and his «underground academy»: Reflections of cultural memory. ART-Platforma, 2 (2), 117—137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51209/platform.2.2.2020.117-137 (Last accessed: August 2, 2025) [in Ukrainian].
  • Bratyuk, N. (2020). Expressionist tendencies of the 1960s in the work of the followers of Karlo Zvirynskyi’s school: Petro Markovych and Zenoviy Flynta. Ethnololy notebooks, (4) 54, 892—906. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2020.04.892 (Last accessed: August 2, 2025) [in Ukrainian].
  • Matkovska, I. (2017). The influence of the worldview and artistic principles of Roman Selskyi and Karlo Zvirynskyi on the formation of the creative personality of Zenovii Flynta. Visnyk of the Lviv National Academy of Arts, 31, 284—294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.573925 [in Ukrainian].
  • Mysiuha, B. (2019). The hermetic circle of Karlo Zvirynskyi. Drohobych: Kolo [in Ukrainian]. 
  • Fedoruk, O. (2008). Maestro of artistic glass Andriy Bokotey: A monograph. Kyiv: Lybid [in Ukrainian].
  • Sydorenko, V. (2008). Visual art from avant-garde shifts to contemporary directions: Development of visual art in Ukraine in the 20th—21st centuries. Kyiv: VKh [studio]. Retrieved from: https://www.mari.kiev.ua/sites/default/files/inline-images/pdfs/Sydorenko.pdf (Last accessed: April 21, 2025) [in Ukrainian].
Our authors
Yaroslav Taras. Head of Department, Professor, Doctor... read »
Boliuk Oleh - kandidate of sciences in arts, Doctoral... read »
Roman Radovych. Researcher, Ph.D. in History. read »
Oksana Kis. Senior scientific employee, candidate of... read »
Traditional folk clothes of velikobychkovsky hutsuly of XIX — the first half of XX century
In the study based upon numerous field materials, literature sources as well as ethnographic, historio-cultural and regional museum collections has been performed complex analysis in traditional folk clothes by Hutzul population of Velyky Bychkiv village in Transcarpathian region. Detailed descriptions of femi­nine and masculine clothing complexes of the mentioned area have been presented. In characterizing of those main attention has been paid to the detail of cut in separate components of dress; cut of feminine shirt has been added as an illustration.
Read »

Boikos’ pandemonium: categories of evil deceased
In the article have been presented some research-work on peculiarities of Boikos’ traditional demonological notions as for so-called evil deceased; on the basis of field records and ethnological literary sources quite a number of scum categories have been defined as well as essential habits, modes of behavior and functions of these personages of people’s demonology.
Read »

On bessarabian and moldavian ukrainians in the studies of historical ethnography
The article has thrown some light upon a sum of scientific findings got during XIX to XXI cc. in historio-ethnographic studies of Bessarabia and Moldavian Ukrainians. In the pre­sent paper has been given author’s answer to the problem of lacking progress as for the numerous themes concerning Ukrainians. State and achievements of the research-works in Ukrainians’ material and spiritual culture by the scientists of Moldavia and Ukraine through the years of independence has been exposed.
Read »

Daily bread baking of ukrainians in the south-western ethnographical region at the late XIX to early XXI cc.
The paper has dealt with analytic study in prescriptions, signs, customs, methods, ways of selection, procurement and some peculiarities in usage of subsidiary means — water, firewood and leaves in bread baking. The final aim of the mentioned actions had been (and still is) selection of the means and ingredients fit, by their characteristics, for the backing of bread. The paper has demonstrated dependence of bread backing subsi­diary means criteria from the folk nutritional standards and world outlook stereotypes as well as from regional social and economic, natural and geographical factors and peculiarities of material culture.
Read »