Three Ages

Fedir Krychevskyi was a Ukrainian artist and educator, one of the founders and the first rector of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts.

The artist was one of the leading figures in Ukrainian art, celebrated for his exceptional talent and versatility. Over the course of his prolific career, he produced nearly a thousand works. Fedir Krychevskyi's art includes narrative compositions, portraits, landscapes, and drawings.

He was born in 1879 into a feldsher's (rural medical assistant's) family. Due to limited financial means, the children had to pave their own way in life. Fedir excelled in a four-year school and wished to study painting, a passion supported by Count Vasyl Kapnist. At the count's estate, Fedir gained exposure to a gallery of Cossack portraits, a collection of paintings and graphics, and a rich library, where he began copying Ukrainian portraits.

In 1896, the young artist enrolled in the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. Later, in 1903, he was admitted to the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he joined the studios of Ilya Repin and Dmytro Kardovsky. However, due to health issues and financial hardship, he had to leave his studies temporarily. He returned home, taught himself painting, and worked extensively outdoors, later resuming his formal education.

From 1913, Krychevskyi worked in Kyiv, teaching at an art school (1913-1917) and, starting in 1914, serving as its director. In 1917, he took part in establishing the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and was chosen as its first rector, dedicating all his energy and organizational skills to fostering the Academy's development. He later taught at the Kyiv Art Institute.

In June 1939, Krychevskyi and his brother Vasyl were both awarded the degree of Doctor of Art Studies. In 1940, they also received the title of Honored Art Workers of the Ukrainian SSR, making them the first in Ukraine to hold these distinctions.

At the onset of the Second World War, Krychevskyi remained in Kyiv. In the summer of 1943, the artist relocated to Königsberg to join his brother Vasyl. As Soviet forces advanced, he attempted to flee westward but was apprehended when his train was overtaken. Arrested as a suspected collaborator, Krychevskyi faced interrogation, but no evidence against him was found. Nonetheless, he was stripped of all titles and honors and exiled to Irpin. He tragically succumbed to starvation during the famine of 1947.

The artist was posthumously rehabilitated twelve years after his death. In 1959, the first exhibition of his works was held in Kyiv. Most of Krychevskyi's paintings are preserved in the National Art Museum of Ukraine.

Fedir Krychevskyi's original paintings include such iconic works like "Three Ages" (1913), "Self-Portrait in the Svytka (Traditional Coat)" (1923-1924), and "Sunny Morning in Shyshaky" (1936). 

Krychevskyi's triptych "Life" stands as a quintessential example of Ukrainian modernism. This masterpiece seamlessly blends elements of Art Nouveau with the traditions of Ukrainian religious art. Each panel of the triptych reflects universal themes of existence—love, achievement, and loss—imbued with profound emotional depth. Krychevskyi's paintings for sale are available on the UFDA website and at numerous auctions worldwide.

His early works are considered the most valuable and celebrated part of his artistic legacy. Influenced by Gustav Klimt and Ferdinand Hodler, these pieces seamlessly merged Secessionist aesthetic principles with the rich traditions of folk art and icon painting, creating a unique and enduring artistic expression.

A distinctive expression of the artist's creative credo, embodying his lifelong commitment to art and its high aesthetic standards, is seen in Self-Portrait in a White Sheepskin Coat (1932). In this work, Fedir Krychevskyi, during a difficult period marked by the repression of Ukrainian culture, succeeded in affirming the profound dignity of the Ukrainian artist through the depicted image.