Kyiv Drawing School

Kyiv Drawing School (Київська рисувальна школа; Kyivska rysuvalna shkola). A pioneering art school in Kyiv that for one generation (1875–1901) played a crucial role in the development of art in Russian-ruled Ukraine. Founded and directed by Mykola I. Murashko, and known widely as ‘the Murashko school,’ it was first a private and then a city school. Murashko tried to create a publicly accessible school where anyone could develop their artistic abilities, regardless of age, gender, and social status. A significant number of his students were from poor families and studied for free; some received scholarships. Most of the financial support for the school came from Ivan Tereshchenko, a generous patron and collector of arts hailing from the famous sugar factory dynasty. Over 25 years (1875–1900) Tereshchenko spent 150 thousand rubles on the setting up and maintenance of the school. After several relocations, the school was housed from 1891 until its closure in 1901 in a newly constructed building at 47 Volodymyrska Street, occupying 17 rooms on the third floor. Murashko’s pedagogical approach emphasized a balanced integration of professional artistic training with general education. Through regular excursions to the scenic outskirts of Kyiv in spring and fall, he cultivated students’ observational skills and aesthetic appreciation of nature.

A progressive teaching system and the incorporation of a wide range of academic disciplines into the school’s curriculum allowed Mykola I. Murashko to attract leading educators and to foster many talented artists. The school’s faculty included such established artists such as Murashko, Hryhorii Diadchenko, Mykola Pymonenko, Khariton Platonov, and Ivan Seleznov. During its 26 years of existence, the school produced approximately 2,000 graduates hailing from diverse social backgrounds, including soldiers and peasant families. Its more distinguished students were Fedir Balavensky, Kazimir Malevich, Serhii Kostenko, Oleksander Murashko, Ivan Izhakevych, Hryhorii Svitlytsky, Mykhailo Zhuk, Kostiantyn Kryzhytsky, and Fotii Krasytsky. The school received support from renowned artists such as Mykola Ge, Ivan Kramskoi, Vasilii Surikov, Ivan Shishkin, Ilia Repin, Mikhail Vrubel, and Jan Stanisławski who donated their works to the school. At the invitation of Adrian Prakhov and Vrubel, the school’s teachers and pupils took part in the restoration of the frescoes of the Saint Cyril Church of the Saint Cyril's Monastery (1883–84) and in the painting of Saint Volodymyr's Cathedral (1885–96) in Kyiv. Teachers and students also visited exhibitions of established artists and organized their own. Exhibitions of various Ukrainian and Russian artists were also held at the school.

In May 1901 the Murashko Drawing School closed due to the unresolved status of its graduates and insufficient funding. Although the school’s long-term patron, Ivan Tereshchenko, had provided substantial annual financial support, his will allocated 200,000 rubles to establish a new art school in Kyiv and made no provision for the Murashko Drawing School—a decision that dealt a severe blow to Mykola I. Murashko. Later that year, the Kyiv Art School was established at a new location (2 Bulvarno-Kudriavska Street), with much of its faculty drawn from the former Kyiv Drawing School.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murashko, N. Kievskaia risoval'naia shkola, 1875–1901: Vospominaniia starogo uchitelia (Kyiv 1907)
Murashko, Mykola I. Spohady staroho vchytelia (Kyiv 1956)
Turchenko, Iu. Kyїv'ska rysuval'na shkola (Kyiv 1956)

Serhiy Bilenky

[This article was updated in 2026.]