Decorative Panel 

Vsevolod Maksymovych made this decorative panel with oil paint. Although undated, the artwork's fusion of symbolist and art nouveau styles places it within the early 20th century. Maksymovych was a Ukrainian artist working at a time when national identity was being asserted through cultural expression. The stylized figures and exotic setting evoke a dreamlike vision, reflecting a broader European fascination with orientalism and the "primitive". The panel blends Ukrainian folk motifs with pan-European aesthetic trends, questioning the dominance of western artistic norms. The artwork can be seen as part of a conscious effort to create a distinct Ukrainian cultural identity, challenging Russian imperial influence. To fully understand this, research into Ukrainian artistic circles, the history of Ukrainian modernism, and the socio-political context of the time would be invaluable.