New Year in the Carpathians

Volodymyr Tsvilyniuk is a Ukrainian painter born in 1954.

UFDA digitised New Year in the Carpathians (1987) by the artist from the collection of the Regional Communal Museum of Local History in Borshchiv.

At the centre of the composition is a festive procession of carollers or mummers moving along a snow-covered road. The participants are dressed in traditional Ukrainian winter clothing (sheepskin coats, fur hats) and carnival costumes. One can make out a character wearing a crown (resembling the King from the traditional Ukrainian Nativity puppet theatre, the Vertep), figures in masks (including traditional animal masks), while on the left in the background a white figure with a scythe is visible — the traditional figure of Death.

The background of the painting creates a distinctive winter atmosphere. Snow-covered hills and mountains rise in the distance, with the flickering lights of homes scattered among them, lending a sense of cosiness and festivity that has enveloped the whole village.

The artist employs an expressive painting technique with bold, textured brushstrokes. The painting beautifully conveys the spirit of Ukrainian traditions, vivid emotion, and the mystical magic of the winter holidays.