Artists and architects
Mykola Pymonenko
March 21, 1862 — April 8, 1912
- Genre painter
Master of genre painting who celebrated Ukrainian village life. Born in Priorka, he spent his whole life in Kyiv, teaching at Murashko’s Drawing School and the Kyiv Polytechnic.
Biography
Mykola Pymonenko was born in 1862 in Priorka, then a suburb of Kyiv, into the family of the icon painter Korniliy Pymonenko. As a boy he helped his father paint churches, and from 1876 he studied at Mykola Murashko’s Kyiv Drawing School, where he later taught. Together with Mykhailo Vrubel he worked on restoring the murals of St Cyril’s Church, and in the 1890s he painted images for St Volodymyr’s Cathedral.
Pymonenko became one of the best-known genre painters of his time: “Victim of Fanaticism”, “Idyll”, “Rivals” and “Haymaking” portray the Ukrainian village with sympathy and humour. In 1904 he became an Academician of painting. From 1900 until his death he taught drawing at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, and he was among the founders of the Kyiv Art School.
The artist lived at 28 Hoholivska Street, on the estate of his father-in-law, the painter Volodymyr Orlovsky; a memorial plaque (1952) marks the house. Pymonenko died in Kyiv in 1912 and is buried at Lukianivske Cemetery. Since 1959 a Kyiv street (formerly Monastyrska) has borne his name, and many of his paintings are in the National Art Museum of Ukraine.
Kyiv in their life
- Priorka — the artist’s birthplace.
- 28 Hoholivska St — his home for the rest of his life; memorial plaque of 1952.
- Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (37 Beresteiskyi Ave) — he taught drawing here from 1900.
- St Volodymyr’s Cathedral — images painted in the 1890s.
- Mykoly Pymonenka Street — named after him in 1959.
- Lukianivske Cemetery — his grave.
