Mykolai Orlenko

The Secession style was the last style with the highly expressed artist’s individuality not only in architecture, paintings but also in lighting devices. One of the sources of the European Secession was the Japanese art: the inspiration that Japanese artists drew from nature, using its lines and forms was quickly assimilated by their European counterparts. The original features of Secession style in Ukraine present not only in facade’s composition, decor but also in original lamps – for example in the interiors of the House of Chimaeras (in the entrance hall) or of the Kachkovsky Clinic stairwell, connected with the idea of “Gesamtkunstwerk” – the total space of art. During the time of Vladislav Gorodetsky, the author of the House of Chimaeras all the lamps in his own unusual house were designed by the author. During the restoring of the House with Chimaeras specialists of the “Ukrrestavratsiya” corporation restored and reconstructed interior’s elements according to the author’s drawings or in the same style.

The article deals with the specifics of lighting of stave churches of Ukraine and stone temples, erected or rebuilt during the 19th century. It explains how the approach to the lighting of Orthodox churches changed during the Synodical period. The Ukrainian experience of solving the issue of lighting of restoration and reconstruction objects was described. The specifics of lighting the interiors of church structures is illustrated by the examples of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the Saint Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonese. The specifics of lighting of restoration objects is based on the need to combine the conformity to the authentic view of light fittings (according the photos from the archive) and modern lighting technologies, so in many cases light fittings are manufactured in the limited quantity under the author’s drawings.