Odesa Renames Vira Figner Street to Yevhen Bukovetsky Street

Yevhen Bukovetsky (1866–1948) was a prominent Ukrainian painter, significantly influencing the artistic milieu of Odesa in the early 20th century. Born and raised in Odesa, he studied at an art school under the guidance of Kyriak Kostandi and Hennadiy Ladyzhensky. After returning from Europe, where he enhanced his skills, he settled in Odesa in 1891, and just a year later, his painting «At a Rich Relative's» was showcased in the Pavel Tretyakov Gallery, marking an important recognition of his talent.

His home at 27 Knyazha Street became a cultural hub where artists, writers, and scholars gathered. Among his frequent guests were Kyriak Kostandi, Korney Chukovsky, Alexei Tolstoy, Volodymyr Filatov, aviator Serhiy Utochkin, and historian De Ribas. Bukovetsky created a series of portraits of prominent Odesans, establishing his reputation as the city’s «main portraitist». His images served as prototypes for characters in the works of Ivan Bunin and Alexander Kuprin.

After the 1917 revolution, he remained in Odesa, opened an art studio, participated in establishing the Kyriak Kostandi Art Society, and began teaching at the Odesa Art School in 1937. During World War II, he continued his work and preserved the artistic heritage. In 2017, his house at 27 Knyazha Street became the «Parade Bukovetsky» museum-photo studio.