SEVERYN BORACZОK’S MONUMENTAL PAINTINGS IN THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS IN HLYNIANY: ICONOGRAPHY AND STYLE

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to conduct a study of the monumental paintings created by the Ukrainian post-impressionist artist Severyn Boraczоk in the Greek Catholic Church of St. Nicholas in the town of Hlyniany, Lviv region, within the context of the development of Galician sacred art of the 1930s, taking into account iconographic, stylistic, and cultural-historical aspects. For the first time, an attempt is made to analyze the iconographic program and stylistic features of the polychromes, which combine the traditional structure of sacred wall painting with modern artistic tendencies. The article examines key compositions, including The Resurrection of Christ, The Descent from the Cross, The Nativity of Christ, The Appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary Magdalene, Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, and The Sermon on the Mount. Special attention is given to the iconographic and stylistic characteristics of the dome paintings, as well as to the ornamental frames that form an integral program of church decoration. The uniqueness of these works is emphasized, since this is the only sacred site in Galicia where S. Boraczоk’s monumental polychromes have survived, bearing the artist’s signature. The article highlights issues concerning the painting technique and the challenges of preservation, which underscore the relevance of restoration research. The scholarly novelty of this study lies in the introduction of the first comprehensive analysis of the Hlyniany polychromes, their iconographic and stylistic features, into academic discourse. It is concluded that S. Boraczоk’s paintings demonstrate a synthesis of a traditional iconographic program with modernist artistic techniques: a clearly structured composition, the use of diagonal arrangements, attention to the emotional expressiveness of figures, and an academically precise rendering of forms. The analysis of the Hlyniany ensemble opens new perspectives for both further exploration of S. Boraczоk’s sacred legacy and a more comprehensive study of the artist’s oeuvre.