Artists from Western Belarus

The term ‘Western Belarusian art school’ indicates the difference in ways the Belarusian art was developing after 1921.

Western Belarus, the territory, which was under Polish rule (1921–1939), with a population of over 5 million, did not have its own art educational institution The principal role in the development of Belarusian art in Western Belarus was played by Vilna (Vilnius), the historical capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, especially by Vilna University re-established in 1919. There were also the Warsaw School of Arts and the Krakow Arts Academy and art schools in neighbouring countries. Ferdinand Ruszczyc (1870–1936) studied at St. Petersburg Academy of arts and became later an outstanding landscape painter. Yazep Drazdovich (1888-1954), another no less important artist in Western Belarus and the antipode of ‘aristocrat’ Ruszcic, nick-named ‘Local Leonardo da Vinci’ due to his versatile aspirations, was an adherent of Historical Romanticism and outer-space theme. Pavel Yuzhik (1874–1944), a countryside intellectual, painted portraits and landcapes in an Impressionistic manner. Piotr Siarhievich (1900–1984) can be defined as a versatile artist. He depicted genre scenes and historical events, landscapes, created a portrait gallery of Belarusians of the 20th century: peasants, workers, artists, intellectuals, and clergy. Siarhei Vishneŭsky (1909–1992) was also inclined towards ‘democratic’ portrait painting. His works were very professional and depicted human psychology in the best realistic traditions.

Close attention to the life of ordinary people was the characteristic feature of works by the artists of Western Belarus. Even in landscapes by Dzmitry Krachkoŭsky (1910–1991) one can feel keeping with the inner world of his compatriots.