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« 2026. # 4 (190)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 4 (190), 940—949

UDK 7.01+7.072.3]:7.038.16(477)”19″

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

  • Received: 11.07.2026
  • Accepted: 14.07.2026
  • Published: ??.??.2026

ROMAN YATSIV: THE PHENOMENON OF RESEARCHER OF UKRAINIAN ARTISTIC MODERNISM

KUPCHYNSKA Larysa

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6461-4819
  • Candidate of Art History, Associate Professor,
  • Director Research Institute for Art Library Resources;
  • Vasyl Stefanyk National Scientific Library
  • of Ukraine in Lviv,
  • 2, Stefanyk Str., Lviv, 79000, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: oklarysa@gmail.com

Abstract. Roman Yatsiv belongs to the iconic figures of the Ukrainian humanitarian discourse of the last quarter of the 20th century  — the beginning of the 21st century. His many years of systematic work are aimed at researching, conceptualising, and popularising national art. The researcher’s scholarly output encompasses hundreds of articles in periodicals dedicated to well-known and lesser-known figures, as well as phenomena of the 20th-century artistic process. They constitute a significant component of numerous exhibition project catalogues. A distinct vector of Yatsiv’s activity is the preparation of monographic and popular science publications dedicated to prominent personalities of the past century. Each of them is distinguished by an original methodology and specific narrative style. This body of work is supplemented by reference publications, some of which are implemented as personal projects. A critical understanding of individual creative achievements, ideas, and phenomena of the 20th century prompted the researcher to systematically reconstruct the Ukrainian art theory of that period. This intention resulted in the accumulation of key theoretical works by domestic intellectuals and the publication of a fundamental anthology of 20th-century Ukrainian art history thought. Given contemporary challenges, an urgent task is to comprehend Yatsiv’s place and role in the history of national culture. The purpose of the publication is a comprehensive disclosure of the researcher’s scholarly and educational concept of activity. The analysis of the scientist’s heritage proves that his multi-vector work is dedicated to solving the most pressing and acute problems of modern art history. The researcher’s merit lies in the integration of dozens of names into the domestic cultural and scholarly discourse. Yatsiv’s reimagining of artists’ creativity, ideas, and phenomena within the national context has become a solid foundation for the formation of modern cultural identity.

Keywords: Roman Yatsiv, 20th-century art, modernism, art criticism, art history, art theory.

REFERENSES

  • Yablonska, V. (Comp.). (2006). Roman Yatsiv: A Bibliographical Index. Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Ovsiychuk, V. (2006). Creative Inspirations of Roman Yatsiv. Roman Yatsiv: A Bibliographical Index / Comp. by V. Yablonska. Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Sydor, O. (2006). Creative Individuality of Roman Yatsiv. Roman Yatsiv: A Bibliographical Index / Comp. by V. Yablonska. Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Holod, I. (2006). A Word About a Colleague. Roman Yatsiv: A Bibliographical Index / Comp. by V. Yablonska. Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Skrynnyk-Myska, D. (2013). Roman Yatsiv and a revival of lost sences. The Ethnology Notebooks, 2, 322—326 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (1998). Ukrainian intellectuals on Europe’s map of art in the early decades of the 1900s. Memoirs of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, CCXXXVI, 185—224 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. M. (1992). Lviv graphics 1945—1990: tradition and innovation. Kyiv: Naukova dumka [in Ukrainian]
  • Yatsiv, R. M. (1994). Lviv graphics 1945—1990: tradition and innovation: Dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Art History: speciality 17.00.04 «Fine Art». M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (1996, 1997). An Artist and Ukrainian Business Life of the 1920—30-th: Visual Identification of Relationship. The Ethnology Notebooks, 6, 358—366; 1, 37—49 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (Auth.-Comp.). (1993). Robert Lisovskyi (1893—1982): Catalog of the exhibition of works, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the artist’s birthday. Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (2000). On Father and on Life. Myron Yatsiv (1929—1996): Life and Creative Work / [Comp. M. Kryvenko].Lviv: Misioner [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. (2001). Fields of forces in Ukrainian Art Déco. Art Studies 2000, 1, 65—70 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. M. (2012). From the Compiler. Ideas, senses, interpretations of fine art: Ukrainian theoretical thought of the XX-th century: Anthology / Comp. R. М. Yatsiv R. Lviv, ІІ, 14—17 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yatsiv, R. М. (2021). From the Compiler. Ideas, senses, interpretations of fine art: Ukrainian theoretical thought of the XX-th century: Anthology / Comp. R. М. Yatsiv R. Lviv, ІV, 18—20 [in Ukrainian].
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