Maria Oksentiyivna Prymachenko (1908 - 1997)

Maria Oksentiyivna Prymachenko

Maria Oksentiyivna Prymachenko (Russian: Мария Авксентьевна Примаченко) was a Soviet and Ukrainian artist of the twentieth century. She is known as a bright representative of primitivism. Self-taught Maria Prymachenko painted more than 800 paintings during her long life.

Maria Prymachenko drew inspiration from folk folklore and filled her works with symbolic content. She achieved international recognition early on, but refused to move to the capital and lived all her life in her native village. In addition to painting, the artist was fond of embroidery and painted ceramics, as well as illustrated books by Ukrainian writers and poets.

People's Artist was in favor of the authorities. She was awarded with numerous honorary titles, orders and medals. Maria Prymachenko was constantly visited by well-known cultural workers. Her paintings were constantly exhibited at international exhibitions. Most of Prymachenko's paintings are now kept in the National Museum of Ukrainian Decorative Folk Art.