THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE ARTISTIC DESIGN OF BOOKS BY THE 'UKRAINIAN PUBLISHING HOUSE' BY O. SUDOMORA, S. GORDYNSKYI, M. LEVYTSKY

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the artistic component of the activities of the “Ukraine Publishing House” in Krakow-Lviv and its contribution to the development of Ukrainian book graphics. For this purpose, the available bibliographic sources and the analysis of the Jagiellonian University Library collections were used. The research methodology is based on historical and descriptive, historical and chronological methods and formal and stylistic art historical analysis. Results. The features of the artistic design of book editions by prominent Ukrainian artists Okhrim Sudomora, Sviatoslav Hordynskyi, and Myron Levytskyi are analyzed. During the Second World War, from 1939 to 1944, the UV played an important role in preserving and supporting Ukrainian culture in the occupied territories, particularly in the cities of Krakow and Lviv. Artists such as Mykola Butovych, Edward Kozak, Olena Kulchytska, Ohrim Sudomora, Sviatoslav Hordynskyi, Myron Levytskyi, and Robert Lisowski collaborated with the publishing house and created iconic illustrations for its publications. This cooperation allowed UV to become the largest center of Ukrainian-language book publishing during the war. The findings of the study emphasize that the activities of the UV contributed to the preservation of Ukrainian culture during the war and isolation from Soviet territory. Collaboration with artists allowed the publishing house to form a multi-style image of the Ukrainian book, although it did not always achieve a high level of illustration quality. Further research on the activities of the UV remains relevant due to the importance of this period for Ukrainian book publishing and art.