First experience of participation of Kyiv women’s secondary educational institutions in state and international exhibitions of the late 19th – early 20th centuries

Abstract

Based on extensive archival materials and published sources, this study examines the participation of Kyiv women’s secondary educational institutions in All-Russian and international exhibitions of the late 19^th – early 20^th centuries. The research focuses on their involvement in the All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition of 1896 in Nizhny Novgorod and the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, through which the evolution of institutions’ presentation activities from national to international level is traced. Through detailed analysis of exhibition materials, the study reveals that the Kyiv-Fundukley, Kyiv-Podil gymnasiums, St. Olga’s Gymnasium, and the Institute of Noble Maidens demonstrated different approaches to exhibition participation. While the institutions under the Department of Empress Maria’s Establishments showcased their students’ practical skills in arts and crafts, St. Olga’s Gymnasium (under the Ministry of Public Education) focused on presenting theoretical works and research. The exhibited works encompassed various forms of painting and needlework – from basic techniques to complex artistic creations – which testified to the thoroughness of the educational process.

The research highlights how institutions demonstrated a high level of training of their students through carefully planned participation in the exhibition. Also, it shows the success of the schools’ participation in the exhibition was confirmed by awards, commercial success of the works and subsequent invitations to prestigious exhibitions. In general, participation in the exhibition demonstrated a high level of women’s education in Kyiv and the effectiveness of the pedagogical methods. The papers show a process of establishing positive image by schools in the eyes of the public through international exhibitions which gained recognition at the imperial level. The study also examines how these exhibition activities helped integrate these institutions into the broader social and cultural life of the period.