Hutsuls in photographs of the first half of the 20th century: a collection of photographs of the National Archives of Poland

The National Archives of Poland preserves a unique collection of photographs, which contains a unique view of Hutsul life. This ethnographic group, living in the Carpathians, on the borders of Ukraine, Poland and Romania, has always impressed with its cultural diversity and refined tradition.

The name of the photo artist, the author of these photos, Mykola Senkovskyi, was known in interwar Galicia and far beyond its borders thanks to his unique photos and postcards of the Hutsul theme. It is interesting that the native of Dnieper managed to create unparalleled photographs of these places, which were distributed throughout Europe in the form of postcards.

The photos of this collection allow us to step into the world of Hutsul life at the beginning of the last century. We see images of rural landscapes, traditional houses and Hutsul families that have preserved their customs and culture.

Among these photos there is a picture popularly called "Chukutikha with a cradle", which won the grand prize at the International European Photo Exhibition in Paris in 1931. In the same year, Mykola Senkovsky made the first photometric panorama of the Chornohirsky Range, taken from Mount Kostrych.

One of the interesting aspects of this collection are the detailed photographs of Hutsul clothing and jewelry. Men, women and children in embroidered shirts, in traditional keptars and hearts, young women in artistically embroidered scarves, old women in kerchiefs, the heads of older men are covered with hairy rivets, the younger ones - horned jumirs or richly decorated rattans.

This collection is an important testimony of Hutsul ethnic self-awareness. The unique pictures highlight the individual and collective features of this ethnographic group, reflecting their pride and preservation of traditions.

The collection of Hutsul photographs from the beginning of the 20th century from the National Archives of Poland serves not only as a source for scientific research, but also as an important element of cultural heritage that helps preserve history and identity.

Source: audiovis.nac.gov.pl