Symbolism and allegory, as well as sculpture, reliefs and decorative elements play a significant role in Lviv Art Nouveau architecture. These elements often reflect philosophical, national and cultural themes. Facades in the Art Nouveau style are characterized by high ornamentation, a wealth of details and a variety of mascarones.
Mascarones in the Art Nouveau architecture of Lviv are usually located on the facades of buildings in the form of sculptural faces or grotesque figures. They perform both decorative and symbolic functions, adding an aesthetic highlight and evoking certain emotions in observers. Mascarones can convey a wide range of emotions and fulfill a variety of roles depending on the architectural context.
Changes in style and ornamental approach were observed in different periods of the development of Lviv Secession. The change in style from ornamental secession to rational led to transformations in the use of decorative elements, but mascarones remained relevant, adding character and individuality to architectural compositions.
In Lviv architecture, there are various typological groups of mascarones, which reflect the architectural styles and aesthetic preferences of that time.
In Lviv in the 19th–early 20th centuries. mascarones, which depict paired images of male and female figures, were a common element of architectural and decorative art. They symbolized unity and harmony between the two halves. Male masquerades reflected strength, courage and had a protective function for the building.
On the facades of buildings on the streets of Lviv, you can see different images of mascarons. For example, the relief face of a young man in an oval cartouche medallion, the composition of which is complemented by an element of the fashion of that time – a bow under the chin and garlands of laurel leaves – a symbol of glory, honor and significance, can be seen on the facades of tenements on the street. K. Levytskoho, 102 (1906–1908), Snopkivska, 31 (circa 1910), O. Stepanivna, 12 (circa 1910) and Ya. Holovatskyi, 22 (circa 1910). These identical images are obviously close to the image of an important personality of the beginning of the 20th century. and possibly depict the outstanding Polish pianist, conductor and composer Ignatius Jan Paderewski.
The attic of the tenement house on the street A. Gorska, 5 (arch. A. Osten, sk. T. Orkasevich, 1913) decorated with masquerades with the image of a young man with a mustache and the collar of a shirt and outerwear around his neck. The facade of this building is distinguished by sculptural decoration on the theme of the uprising led by T. Kostyushka, executed by T. Orkasevich. The relief faces may reflect the portrait image of the owner, and accordingly the customer of the decoration on the facade, the then resident of the city – Shymon Malohleb.
In some cases, masquerades reproduce female images in ethnic headdresses. These images are often accompanied by a necklace and other elements of an ethnic costume, which has a symbolic meaning. Often, the size of beads and the number of strings of beads determined the social status of a woman. On Lviv mascarones, the necklace is sometimes supplemented with dukach (“coins”). Such masquerades demonstrate the variety of types of urban life in Lviv at that time.
Embossed mascarones with female figures with a pronounced chin, narrow mouth and thin nose are common in the decoration of many Art Nouveau houses.
Embossed mascarones with female figures with a pronounced chin, narrow mouth and thin nose are common in the decoration of many Art Nouveau houses. For example, the facades of buildings on Bogomoletsa, Hrytska Chubai, and Rudansky streets are decorated, as well as the partitions between the windows of the second floor of the tenement house on the street. D. Vitovsky, 5a (arch. K.-Yu. Dranevich, architect Yu. Shebesta, 1906). The artistic image is complemented by elements of an ethnic costume – a cap, a collar tied with a ribbon and three rows of corals on the neck. Another ethnic female image with a necklace and dukaches around the neck decorates the bracket of the balcony of the third floor of the tenement house on the street. M. Voronoi, 3 (architect K. Otto or Ya. Shultz, 1908-1909). Relief faces are rhythmically repeated on the plane of the facade of the tenement houses. They are complemented by a favorite motif of Art Nouveau – winding lines descending downwards, creating a special atmosphere on the exterior plane.
In general, Lviv masquerades of the 19th and early 20th centuries. reproduce different images and types, using attributes to emphasize their characteristic features and expressiveness.
According to the materials:
Lidiya Kukil “Mascarons in the Architecture of the Late Lviv Secession in 1908-1914 in Ukraine: Ideas and Manifestations”
Photo: Heritage Bureau in Lviv, City History Center
