Retrospective Study of the Development of Art Education in the First Half in Ukraine of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of the article is to carry out a retrospective analysis of the formation and development of art education in the first half of the twentieth century, to identify the leading trends and periods, the factors of its evolution, and to clarify the influence of socio-cultural, historical, and pedagogical conditions on the formation of the content, forms, and methods of artistic training during the specified period. Research methods. The study employs analysis and synthesis to process scholarly sources and archival materials on the development of art education in the first half of the twentieth century; historical-pedagogical and retrospective methods to identify the main stages, trends, and factors of its formation; and the chronological method to systematize pedagogical phenomena in their temporal and substantive dimensions. Results. The article provides a retrospective study of the development of art education in Ukraine in the first half of the twentieth century, emphasizing the complex influence of historical, cultural, socio-political, and pedagogical factors on the formation and work of art institutions in different regions of the country. The influence of global historical events - revolutions, civil conflicts, the First and Second World Wars - on the activities of art educational institutions and the professional development of artists-educators is analysed. The article substantiates the importance of the historical context for the modern reform of art education, integration of cultural heritage into the educational process, development of national consciousness and formation of civic identity. The results of the study are aimed at applying the achievements of Ukrainian artists and educators in the modern educational space, in particular, in the development of new curricula, methodological recommendations, and innovative pedagogical approaches. Conclusions. The analysis of the development of art education institutions in Ukraine in the first half of the twentieth century makes it possible to distinguish several key periods that closely correlate with changes in the country’s political system. The educational structure of that time was under the direct control of state authorities. Despite radical changes in the political regime during the Soviet period, European models of artistic trends continued to prevail in art education. The activities of higher education institutions were preserved, while a number of other institutions were reorganized, merged, or closed. The periods of “Ukrainization” had a positive impact on the formation of cultural thought: Ukrainian schools and other educational institutions were opened on an ethnic basis, textbooks were published, and instruction in the native language was practiced. At the same time, the communist authorities determined the main directions of development in the pedagogical and artistic spheres, continuing to carry out regulatory and propaganda activities. Throughout the specified period, art education institutions underwent reforms; however, they remained influential and key centers of art education.