‘Ruins of St. Nicholas Cathedral’ displayed at the Valuy Museum of History and Art, was created by the famous Belgorod artist Joseph Bobenchik.
The future painter was born in 1940 in Poland. Soon, the family moved to Dnepropetrovschina. After graduating from high school, Bobenchik entered the Kharkov State Art school, and then at the Ukrainian Polygraphic Institute named after I.Fedorov in Lvov.
In the 1970s, Joseph Bobenchik worked in the Houses of Arts of Dzintari, Palanga, Chelyuskinskaya, and Goryachiy Klyuch under the direction of artists Arkady Arsenyev, Nikolai Babin, Oleg Maslyakov, In 1975, he joined the Artists' Union.
From 1992 to 1994, Bobenchik was elected Chairman of the Board of the Belgorod regional organization of the Union of Artists of the Russian Federation. He worked in the field of iconography, poster and easel painting, applied graphics, and art. A number of posters of the artist were published in a large print-run in the Panorama, Sovetskiy Khoudozhnik, Soyuzmarka central publishing houses of Russia, they were published in magazines, and art albums.
Joseph Bobenchik’s creative work is based on his interest in historical figures and events of bygone eras. His works are owned by the Exhibitions Division of the Union of Artists of Russia and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Belgorod State Art Museum, Finnish Broadcasting Company and the Alexey Klykov Gallery in France, in private collections in Moscow, Tomsk, Cuba, and the United States. The master was awarded prizes and diplomas arranged by competitions, the Secretariat of the Union of artists of Russia, regional and city cultural departments, and the government medal 850 Years of Moscow Jubilee. In 1998, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia.
The theme of faith and Orthodox shrines has always been present in the works of Joseph Bobenchik. He created " St. Nicholas Cathedral ruins in Valuyki’ in 2006 before the restoration work had been started to restore the Church after longstanding desolation.
During the existence of Valuyki Assumption Nicholas Monastery which belongs to the oldest monastic institutions of the Belgorod eparchy, St. Nicholas Cathedral was the main temple structure on its territory.
Joseph Bobenchik captured the inner lining of the temple walls with the remains of frescoes on his canvas, as well as arched ceiling vaults. The artist used a warm color palette and ochre-greenish tones. Light streams through the window openings, you can see the foliage of trees, and the sky is visible through the hole where the roof was.
The painting turned out to be prophetic. In June 2005, the Board of Trustees was established to restore the Church. On September 4, 2011, after repair and restoration work, it was solemnly opened and consecrated for the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod, the Wonderworker.
The future painter was born in 1940 in Poland. Soon, the family moved to Dnepropetrovschina. After graduating from high school, Bobenchik entered the Kharkov State Art school, and then at the Ukrainian Polygraphic Institute named after I.Fedorov in Lvov.
In the 1970s, Joseph Bobenchik worked in the Houses of Arts of Dzintari, Palanga, Chelyuskinskaya, and Goryachiy Klyuch under the direction of artists Arkady Arsenyev, Nikolai Babin, Oleg Maslyakov, In 1975, he joined the Artists' Union.
From 1992 to 1994, Bobenchik was elected Chairman of the Board of the Belgorod regional organization of the Union of Artists of the Russian Federation. He worked in the field of iconography, poster and easel painting, applied graphics, and art. A number of posters of the artist were published in a large print-run in the Panorama, Sovetskiy Khoudozhnik, Soyuzmarka central publishing houses of Russia, they were published in magazines, and art albums.
Joseph Bobenchik’s creative work is based on his interest in historical figures and events of bygone eras. His works are owned by the Exhibitions Division of the Union of Artists of Russia and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Belgorod State Art Museum, Finnish Broadcasting Company and the Alexey Klykov Gallery in France, in private collections in Moscow, Tomsk, Cuba, and the United States. The master was awarded prizes and diplomas arranged by competitions, the Secretariat of the Union of artists of Russia, regional and city cultural departments, and the government medal 850 Years of Moscow Jubilee. In 1998, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia.
The theme of faith and Orthodox shrines has always been present in the works of Joseph Bobenchik. He created " St. Nicholas Cathedral ruins in Valuyki’ in 2006 before the restoration work had been started to restore the Church after longstanding desolation.
During the existence of Valuyki Assumption Nicholas Monastery which belongs to the oldest monastic institutions of the Belgorod eparchy, St. Nicholas Cathedral was the main temple structure on its territory.
The foundation stone was laid on May 22, 1906, and consecrated on September 1, 1913, in memory of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the monastery and the reigning Romanov dynasty. The Grand opening of the Cathedral was attended by pilgrims from distant areas of Russia and Ukraine. In the 1920s, the Church was closed. In 1935, a penal colony for minors was operating on the territory of the monastery buildings, while the main Church was empty being dilapidated.
Joseph Bobenchik captured the inner lining of the temple walls with the remains of frescoes on his canvas, as well as arched ceiling vaults. The artist used a warm color palette and ochre-greenish tones. Light streams through the window openings, you can see the foliage of trees, and the sky is visible through the hole where the roof was.
The painting turned out to be prophetic. In June 2005, the Board of Trustees was established to restore the Church. On September 4, 2011, after repair and restoration work, it was solemnly opened and consecrated for the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod, the Wonderworker.
