In the early 1890s, an academician, battle painter, and teacher Nikolay Samokish, together with a painter Sergey Vasilkovsky, prepared materials for the publication of an art book about the life and history of hetman Ukraine ‘From Ukrainian Antiquity.’ One of the largest publishers in Russia, Adolph Marks, agreed to publish it.
This art book includes 20 art illustrations by Vasilkovsky, as well as battle and everyday sketches of Samokish. Archeologist, writer and expert in the history of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, Dmitry Evarnitsky (later — Yavornitsky) worked on historical descriptions. The professor popularized the scientific archeology, and made a significant contribution to the formation of local studies through history. For example, it was he who was one of the first scientists engaged in the history of the Zaporozhian Cossacks and who began to study it comprehensively.
Vasilkovsky created documentary portraits of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny, army commander Adam Kisel, Uman garrison commander Ivan Gonta, as well as generalized characters of a military scribe, a Cossack officer — ensign and other Cossacks. The painter depicted historically accurate clothes, weapons and military attributes and emphasized the pride and determination of the portraits’ heroes.
Samokish made the vignettes for framing the portraits in the book. He depicted heroic battles: the conquest of the Polish Uman by the Haidamaks, the victory of the Cossacks over the Turks near the Ukrainian Khotyn — as well as defensive fortifications and scenes from the daily life of the Zaporozhian Sich.
The art book “From Ukrainian Antiquity” preserved the everyday life of the Zaporozhian Sich golden times, its spirit and atmosphere, about which Evarnitsky wrote in the explanatory text:
This art book includes 20 art illustrations by Vasilkovsky, as well as battle and everyday sketches of Samokish. Archeologist, writer and expert in the history of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, Dmitry Evarnitsky (later — Yavornitsky) worked on historical descriptions. The professor popularized the scientific archeology, and made a significant contribution to the formation of local studies through history. For example, it was he who was one of the first scientists engaged in the history of the Zaporozhian Cossacks and who began to study it comprehensively.
Vasilkovsky created documentary portraits of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny, army commander Adam Kisel, Uman garrison commander Ivan Gonta, as well as generalized characters of a military scribe, a Cossack officer — ensign and other Cossacks. The painter depicted historically accurate clothes, weapons and military attributes and emphasized the pride and determination of the portraits’ heroes.
Samokish made the vignettes for framing the portraits in the book. He depicted heroic battles: the conquest of the Polish Uman by the Haidamaks, the victory of the Cossacks over the Turks near the Ukrainian Khotyn — as well as defensive fortifications and scenes from the daily life of the Zaporozhian Sich.
The art book “From Ukrainian Antiquity” preserved the everyday life of the Zaporozhian Sich golden times, its spirit and atmosphere, about which Evarnitsky wrote in the explanatory text:
