Krichevsky Vasily

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, architect, master of decorative and applied arts. Was one of the inventors of the so-called “Ukrainian” national style in architecture. A lot of buildings were built on the artist’s projects, in particular the house of widow of the engineer Gostinnopolsky (1890), the building of Shopping arcade (1890s), Krichevsky’s own house in Kharkov (mid-1900s), the House of Poltava Province Zemstvo in Poltava (1903), the Tenement house on Streletskaya street in Kiev (late 1900s — 1910s), T. G. Shevchenko Memorial Museum in Kanev (1930s).

He was a brother of the painter Fedor Krichevsky, and father of the artists Nilokay and Vasily Krichevskys.

Born in Vorozhba (now Sumy Oblast), Ukraine in 1872.

The artist studied in the district school in Lebedyn, in Kharkov Railway Technical School, where he acquired first drawing skills. Krichevsky took lessons of drawing and watercolour by the professor S. I. Zagoskin at Kharkov Technological Institute.

The artist lived in Kharkov, in Kiev (since 1906), in Caracas (since 1943).

Since 1892 – worked as an assistant of Kharkov architect Alfred Shpigel, later — as a designer at the Roads and Buildings Service under the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov Railroad and at the Design bureau of the architect A. N. Beketov.

In 1916–1917 – collaborated with Odessa and Kiev film studios; designed 12 films.

In 1913–1915 – worked as an art director in the weaving workshop in the village of Olenevka near Kiev.

In 1917 – was one of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts (since 1924 — Kiev Fine Art Institute), where he became a professor.

In 1917–1941 – delivered lectures on architecture and composition.

Created and designed the symbol of the Ukrainian People’s Republic — Trident — by the order of the Central Rada.

He died in 1952 in Caracas, Venezuela.