On March 9-10, the so-called Shevchenko Days are held in Ukraine and other countries, honoring the great Ukrainian Shevchenko on his birthday and death anniversary. Remembering his legacy, for the Kremenets-Pochaiv State Historical and Architectural Reserve, Shevchenko’s watercolor, which depicts the Dormition Cathedral of the Pochaiv Lavra, interior, 1846, is particularly valuable.
In the fall of that year (September-October), the artist made several watercolors: near the Pochaiv Lavra, in the courtyard, and one inside the Dormition Cathedral. This recording gives us the opportunity to see what the interior was like at that time. There are no paintings on the ceiling, vaults, and walls, only gilding decoration at the top of the columns, thanks to which clear forms of the architectural plan are visible. The main altar of the cathedral (rococo), which was made by Matviy Poleiovsky and Vasyl Bernakevych, is lost now. However, the works of Luka Dolynskyi have survived and, centuries later, adorn the walls of the majestic temple.
The complex of buildings of the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra is an architectural monument of national importance (security number 190029).
In the photo: watercolor by T. Shevchenko from 1846 and a modern photo of the Dormition Cathedral.