By Mykola Babak Foundation
With the support of the Bohdan Gawrylyshyn Family Foundation
Yaryna (20th Century) by R.V.SamiilenkoMykola Babak Foundation
The Plot
Created in December 1957 by Rostyslav Samiilenko, this naive painting recreates the archetypal plot of Mykola Pymonenko’s classic work, "Seeing off the Cossacks" (1902). It captures a moment of transition between the safe world of home and the unknown world of war.
Yaryna (20th Century) by R.V.SamiilenkoMykola Babak Foundation
The Mystical Horse
In Ukrainian folklore, the horse is a mystical guide. The raven color hints at fate's inevitability, bridging family life with war's eternal shadows. This dark messenger represents the anxiety of destiny.
Figure of a Girl
The female figure, covering her face with her hands, is a universal symbol of mourning. Her embroidery emphasizes purity and lost hope for a wedding. This silent grief reflects the tragedy of a life interrupted, where tradition meets the cold reality of a very lonely fate.
Ukrainian Home: A Symbolic Cosmos
White houses symbolize order and family in Ukrainian culture. The church represents spiritual protection for life's difficult journeys, connecting earthly existence to a hopeful future.
Old Father
This figure embodies experience, representing the transfer of responsibility to younger generations, a key theme in the broader narrative of farewell and transition.
The painting illustrates a stanza from Taras Shevchenko's poem "The Blindman / The Captive" (1845). Yaryna represents loyalty, suffering, and a love that can overcome any fate.
Yaryna (20th Century) by R.V.SamiilenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Shevchenko's Echo
Leads the horse by the reins
And cries Yaryna;
The old father walks beside,
Teaching his son...
This verse from Taras Shevchenko's poem "The Blind" / "The Captive" provides the painting's narrative, echoing the sorrow and transition depicted.
Yaryna
This plot is often titled "Yaryna", after the heroine of Taras Shevchenko's poem. Folk artist Yakylyna Yarmolenko masterfully translates the literary image onto canvas, transforming the story of one girl into a universal symbol of loyalty, suffering, and the resilient hope.
Yaryna (20th Century) by R.V.SamiilenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Symbolic Colors
The master works with a limited but contrasting palette. Colors are not mixed on the canvas to obtain complex shades, but are used as symbolic markers: white houses are a symbol of purity, red details are life and energy, blue church domes are a spiritual landmark.
Yaryna (20th Century) by R.V.SamiilenkoMykola Babak Foundation
High Naivety
This painting exemplifies the "high naivety" style of the Kyiv region. It blends masterful technique with folk art purity, preserving the cultural identity of Ukrainians.
The author of this story is Veronika Ganiechko.
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