We are glad to present the new release of the photo project “In memory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” to you.

Today’s issue will be devoted to the review of photos from Museum of Ukraine (Pavlo Pototsky’s Collection).

As recollected by his contemporaries, Pavlo Pototsky was extremely energetic person “despite his respective age”. He was always ready to “eagerly share his knowledge and his materials with those who needed them”. “To talk to him was a real pleasure, especially for those who were interested in history and old times”.

The Museum of Ukraine was set up in the second half of the 1920s as a structural unit of the State Historical and Cultural Preserve known as “All-Ukrainian Museum Town”. It started functioning by virtue of the Agreement reached between the People's Commissariat of the Ukrainian SRR and Pavlo Platonovych Pototsky, the owner of the original historical and art collection.

According to the document, the collector took the lead of the newly-established structural unit.

Numerous memorial items, picked up by Pavlo Pototsky during the period of forty years, were accomodated in building №6 of the Metropolitan choirmen of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Collection of the Museum of Ukraine consisted of a huge amount of books, paintings, engravings, artistic furniture, lithography, artistic furniture, porcelain and crystal, archival documents, different types of armament, maps, numerous art and literature works related to the life and creative activities of Taras Shevchenko, etc. One could see there many European etchings, “Picturesque Ukraine” album of 1844, a big Meissen china set for the dozens of persons, pottery from Mezhyhirya faience factory, paintings by Mykola Pymonenko and Mykola Samokysh, letters and Hetman Universals, Taras Shevchenko’s paintings and personal books, over forty “Kobzars” (books of poems) published in different years, guns, sabers, daggers, etc.

The exhibition was quite popular, in the early 1930s. It was often visited by foreign official delegations and tourists.

However, due to the changes in the cultural life of the country in 1930s and aggressive Sovietization of museology sphere, Pavlo Pototsky’s Collection could not be preserved in full. In 1934, the “Museum of Ukraine” was transferred to Kyiv Taras Shevchenko All-Ukrainian Historical Museum, later –Central Historical Museum. The Museum of Ukraine continued to operate and invite visitors until 1937, when Pavlo Pototsky’s Collection ceased to exist as one integral exhibition whole.

Arrested in July 1938 on trumped-up charges, Pavlo Pototsky, the founder of the Museum of Ukraine, died on August 27, 1938, in Lukyanovka Prison in Kyiv.

In the next release of “In memory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” project, you will see the photos of the staff of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town, made in the 2nd half of the 1920s - 1930s.

Captions to the photos:

1. Exposition hall of the Museum of Ukraine (Pavlo Pototsky’s Collection). Late 1920s - early 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-F-9405]

2. Pavlo Platonovych Pototsky, 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-N-1491]

3. A group of foreign visitors to the All-Ukrainian Museum Town is standing against the southern facade of the Gate Church of the Trinity of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and to the right of building №6 (Museum of Ukraine), 1930s. Standing 3rd from the left is Volodymyr De Parma, sitting 2nd from the left is Pavlo Pototsky. [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-N-1491]

4. A foreign delegation to the All-Ukrainian Museum Town, Volodymyr De Parma and Pavlo Pototsky, as staff members of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, are standing against the background of the eastern facade of the Gate Church of the Trinity, 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-N-1509]

5. Exhibits from Pavlo Pototsky’s Collection. Captions to the works (from left to right) “Night work of the hunting team”, “Watchman and watchman’s assistant”, “Trace of war. Ruined prayer room” [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-N-1736]

6. Cabinet with the art and literature works related to the life and creative activities of Taras Shevchenko, Museum of Ukraine, late 1920s - early 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve,inv. № KPL-N-3061]

7–11. Exhibits from Pavlo Pototsky’s museum collection, late 1920s - early 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. № KPL-N-1737, KPL-N-1920, KPL-N-1942, KPL-N-3061]