A. Ivanova, M. Lezviiev. Stucco Decoration of the Hotel Interior

The inscription in Ukrainian below the photograph reads: "Stucco Ornament / Lobby of the Hotel in Nalchyk, Ivanova" (no date given). As in some other cases with materials from Antonina Ivanova's archive, there is disagreement about authorship. For example, on other photographs of this object, the captions indicate that the authors are Antonina Ivanova and Mykhailo Lezviiev, and the date is 1937 (the date varies, with 1936 being an option). In addition, one of the photographs indicates that Mykhailo Lezviiev modelled the sculpture after Antonina Ivanova's sketches. In our opinion, the latter version is the most complete and reliable, primarily since the original sketches for this work exist in the Gallery's archives, and their stylistic peculiarities suggest that they were made by Antonina Ivanova herself. Moreover, since Mykhailo Lezviiev was a sculptor, given the rational division of labour in their joint work, it is advisable to indicate Antonina Ivanova as the author of the sketch and Mykhailo Lezviiev as the executor. As for the specifics of the subject matter and style of these reliefs, they depict Kabardian men and women, animals of the local fauna (another photo shows stylised antelope-like animals that, according to taxonomic parameters, do not correspond to either Caucasian species of chamois or deer). The ornaments the artists use to decorate the interior are stylised variations of classical antique and local motifs. The following publications discuss these and other issues related to the artists' collaborative practice in more detail: Khorunzha, H., & Maksymiv, M. (2022). Boychukist Mykhailo Lezviiev: Unknown heritage (Works from the collection and archive of Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery). Obrazotvorche Mystetsvo [Fine Arts], 3–4, 94–97. Kyiv and Khorunzha, H., & Maksymiv, M. (2023). Boychukist Mykhailo Lezviiev: Unknown heritage (Works from the collection and archive of Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery). Obrazotvorche Mystetsvo [Fine Arts], 1–2, 82–85. Kyiv.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery