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Kostiantyn Bohayevsky

Kostiantyn Fedorovych Bohayevsky was a Feodosia-based watercolorist of the first half of the 20th century. Together with Vikentiy Russen, he is considered one of the "chroniclers of the medieval history of Crimea": his watercolors of the 1920s captured the state of Crimean Tatar architectural monuments of southeastern Crimea in the period between the two world wars.

Overview

Bohayevsky created watercolor images of the Karagoz and Kolets mosques in the 1920s. His works, created approximately 80 years after Russen, make it possible to trace changes in the condition of the monuments: in Bohayevsky's watercolors the minaret of the Karagoz Mosque is already without its finial, while the Kolets Mosque has suffered destruction. In 1926 the artist took part in archaeological excavations on the territory of the Khan Uzbek Mosque.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Creative method: watercolor, which differs significantly in style from Russen's lithographs and pencil drawings, yet both artists depicted the very same landmark monuments.
  • Chronology of works: the 1920s — several decades after Russen (1840s), which makes it possible to compare the state of the mosques across different periods.
  • Archaeological activity: in 1926 he took part in excavations on the territory of the Khan Uzbek Mosque in Staryi Krym, which is confirmed by watercolors depicting these places.
  • Significance: Bohayevsky's watercolors are one of the few sources of information about medieval Crimea. Together with Russen's works, they constitute a unique visual chronicle of the Crimean Tatar architectural heritage.