To the History of the Restoration of St. Sophia of Kyiv: Documents From the Personal Archive of Adrian Prakhov in the Repository Collection of the National Conservation Area «St. Sophia of Kyiv» (1881–1896)

Newly uncovered documents from the personal archive of Adrian Prakhov, a prominent Ukrainian art critic and archaeologist, shed light on the restoration history of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during the late 19th century (1881–1896). These documents clarify the discovery and preservation of mosaics in the main dome and frescoes depicting Saints Adrian and Natalia, previously misattributed to Prakhov. They also reveal that Prakhov was invited to strengthen artworks initially discovered by P. Lebedyntsev, the archpriest of St. Sophia Cathedral. Additionally, the documents provide insights into the circumstances surrounding the creation of sketches for the composition 'Christmas' on the west wall of the cathedral's central nave and detail the main types of restoration work, including estimates for clearing mosaics and an unrealized project for painting a new porch. The study employed editorial archeography methods, including codicographic description and critical analysis, to introduce these documents into scientific circulation, significantly expanding knowledge about the restoration process.

Korniienko, V., Kupriiec, I.,. (2021). To the History of the Restoration of St. Sophia of Kyiv: Documents From the Personal Archive of Adrian Prakhov in the Repository Collection of the National Conservation Area «St. Sophia of Kyiv» (1881–1896). Archivi Ukraїni, 162–193. https://doi.org/10.47315/archives2021.328.162