Mykola Yakovych Lebid (', ', 5 May 1936 – 29 March 2007) was a
Ukrainian painter, graphic artist, designer, Honored Artist of Ukraine, professor. Known for exquisite
watercolor painting
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin 'water'), is a painting method"Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to the S ...
s,
graphics
Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...
, design,
medallic art
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...
and award symbols. He was awarded the Mykola Ostrovsky Prize in 1986.
Biography

Mykola Lebid was born on May 5, 1936, in the village of Kustyne,
Sumy region
Sumy Oblast (), also known as Sumshchyna (), is an oblast (province) in northeast Ukraine. The oblast was created in its modern-day form, from the merging of raions from Kharkiv Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, and Poltava Oblast in 1939 by the Presidi ...
,
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...
(now
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
).
His father, Yakiv Stepanovych Lebid (1896-1947), was a railroad worker, served in the Red Army during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and died of wounds shortly after the war. His mother was Yevdokiya Kyrylivna Lebid (Radchenko) (1898-19??). There were six children in the family. Two older brothers died during the
Holodomor
The Holodomor, also known as the Ukrainian Famine, was a mass famine in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians. The Holodomor was part of the wider Soviet famine of 1930–193 ...
of the 1930s. The elder brother, Danylo Lebid, who was faithful to his military oath, went missing in November 1943. Before that, he was awarded two
medals "For Courage". After the war, the sisters Halyna, Mariia, and the youngest child Mykola lived with their mother. In the postwar years of 1944-1954, he graduated from Znob-Novgorod High School
In 1957, he passed the exams for the
Leningrad Higher School of Art and Industry named after V. Mukhina and defended his diploma with honors in 1963. He was taught by Serhii Osypov, Modest Shepilevskyi, and Mykola Borushko.
He worked as a design artist at the Ukrdipromebli Institute and the Institute of Technical Aesthetics in Kyiv (1964-1967). Нe was the chief artist of Ukrtorgreklama (1966-1973). Since 1967, he has been a member of the
National Union of Artists of Ukraine (NUAU).
In 1992, Lebid was awarded the distinguished title of Honored Artist of Ukraine. In 1999, the Kyiv organization of the NUAU nominated him for the honorary title of People's Artist of Ukraine.
In the last years of his life, Mykola Lebid passed on his skills to students of the Institute of Interior Design and Landscape (
). He passed away on March 29, 2007 in Kyiv, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.
Works of Art
Mykola Lebid's watercolor paintings are among the best created in this technique by contemporary artists. Are written
alla prima
Wet-on-wet, or ''alla prima'' (Italian, meaning ''at first attempt''), direct painting or au premier coup, is a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint. Used mostly in oil pain ...
, extremely transparent, passionate and at the same time are in logical design, rhythm and composition. Both in painting and in design Mykola Lebid does not copy the objects of nature, but expresses the regularities by all means available. Mykola Lebid's watercolors have been exhibited at numerous solo and group exhibitions.
The artist's paintings are held in private collections in Ukraine, the USA, Great Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Canada, Germany, the UAE, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, and other countries
The artist is the author of the
Khreshchatyk
Khreshchatyk (, ) is the main street of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. The street is long, and runs in a northeast-southwest direction from European Square (Kyiv), European Square through the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Maidan to Bessarabska Sq ...
festive street lighting in 1967-1977. He designed and supervised the industrial production of a series of lamps for public institutions; musical instruments for Chernihiv and Zhytomyr musical factories (in particular, the famous piano "Ukraine"); children's wooden toys and souvenirs produced in the 1960s and 1970s at the Chernihiv and Kyiv factories. Mykola Lebid is the author of the artistic and design of the
"Olimpik" and "Olimpik-401" radio receivers (1977).
Mykola Lebid designed gold and silver cutlery, gift sets made of semi-precious stones (by "Ukrsamotsvity" factory), watches, film scopes, loudspeakers, etc. The products were awarded copyright certificates by the USSR Council of Ministers and were produced by the industry from the 1970s to the 2000s.
Since the 1980s, Mykola Lebid has also been engaged in environmental and
landscape design
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space between landscape architecture and garde ...
. In particular, he designed the Complex of Ukraine at the
12th World Festival of Youth and Students
The 12th World Festival of Youth and Students was held from 27 July to 3 August 1985 in Moscow, capital city of Soviet Union. The festival was attended by 26,000 people from 157 countries. The slogan of the festival was "For anti-imperialist solid ...
in Moscow (1985, M. Ostrovsky Prize in 1986
), local history museum of
Varva (1986-1990), memorial "Defenders of the Motherland" in
Borova (1987), the Central Park in the city of
Belgorod
Belgorod (, ) is a city that serves as the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River, approximately north of the border with Ukraine. It has a population of
It was founded in 1596 as a defensiv ...
(Russia, 1988), a restaurant in Dubai (UAE, 1996), etc.
In the field of graphics, in 1980-1983, Mykola Lebid developed the corporate identity of the "Science" sports club of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and later a series of commemorative medals and signs commissioned by the Kyiv radio factory "Slavutych" (1982-1989). The gained experience was useful to him when in 1999 the
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada ( ; VR), officially the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, is the unicameralism, unicameral parliament of Ukraine. It consists of 450 Deputy (legislator), deputies presided over by a speaker. The Verkhovna Rada meets in the Verkhovn ...
announced a competition for the creation of state awards of independent Ukraine, where Mykola Lebid became the author of the
state award Order "For Courage" and about twenty other departmental awards.
Selected works
* a series of watercolor paintings in own exquisite technique. Рainted throughout his life
* musical instruments for the Chernihiv and Zhytomyr music factories, including the famous piano "Ukraine" (1966–68);
* festive lighting design of
Khreshchatyk
Khreshchatyk (, ) is the main street of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. The street is long, and runs in a northeast-southwest direction from European Square (Kyiv), European Square through the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Maidan to Bessarabska Sq ...
street (1967–77);
* children's wooden toys (1968–71);
* souvenirs "1500 years of Kyiv", inlaid with straw (1973);
* gold and silver cutlery (1974);
* souvenirs for the "Ukrainian Gems" factory (1975);
* radio receiver
"Olimpik", "Olimpik-401" (1977);
* "Stop Test" device (USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements medal), electronic digital clocks, F-7 film scope, household loudspeakers, portable tourist gas stove (1975-79);
* Social and Cultural Complex of Ukraine in Moscow (1985, co-author,
World Festival, diploma, M. Ostrovsky Prize in 1986);
* a memorial "Defenders of the Motherland" (
Borova 1987);
* Lenin Park (1987) and Children's playtown (1988;
Belgorod
Belgorod (, ) is a city that serves as the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River, approximately north of the border with Ukraine. It has a population of
It was founded in 1596 as a defensiv ...
,
Russian Federation
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
);
* a series of commemorative medals and badges (1982–89);
* design of a restaurant in Dubai (UAE, 1996);
* graphics – "Old Tallinn" (1965), "Flowering Time" (1966), "Rus" (1967), "Begonia" (1980), "Morning in the Mountains" (1983) etc.;
Author of state awards and departmental honours
*
Order "For Courage", 3 classes (''1995,
State Award of Ukraine)''
* Badge of Honor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (''1995,
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
)''
* Badge "For Distinction in Service" (''1995,
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
)''
* Badge "The Best Firefighter" (''1995,
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
, Ministry of Emergency Situations of Ukraine)''
* Badge of Honor of the Security Service of Ukraine (''1996, Security Service of Ukraine)''
* Badge "Cross of Glory" (''1997,
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
)''
* Badge "Honorary Border Guard of Ukraine", logo, series of souvenirs (''1997,
State Border Guard Service)''
* Honorary Jubilee Award of the Supreme Arbitration Court of Ukraine (''2001, Supreme Arbitration Court of Ukraine)''
* Medal "For Courage in Protection of the State Border of Ukraine" (''2000,
State Border Guard Service)''
* Medal "For Meritorious Service" in the Border Guard Service of Ukraine, 4 classes (''2002,
State Border Guard Service'')
* Medal "For Peacekeeping Activity" (''2003,'' ''
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, the i ...
'', ''
Ministry of Defence
A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
)''
File:Mugnist-1.jpg, Order "For Courage" 1st class
File:Mugnist-star.jpg, alt=Order "For Courage", Star of the Order "For Courage", 1st class
File:Хрест Слави.jpg, Badge "Cross of Glory"
File:Почесний прикордонник України (1997).jpg, Badge "Honorary Border Guard of Ukraine"
File:Медаль За миротворчу діяльність. Косово (2003).jpg, Medal "For Peacekeeping Activity"
Media
File:Nerod V. The author of honorary signs and awards. Day, newspaper (April 5, 1997) (rus) (About artist Mykola Lebid).jpg, Nerod V. The author of honorary signs and awards. Day, newspaper (April 5, 1997) (rus) (About artist Mykola Lebid)
File:Zagorodnya Z. And the brush will answer with music Kyivska Pravda. - 1998. - March 19-25.jpg, Zagorodnya Z. And the brush will answer with music Kyivska Pravda. - 1998. - March 19-25
File:Patsera N. The family of presidential awards has expanded Kievskiye Vedomosti. - 1996. - May 24.jpg, Patsera N. The family of presidential awards has expanded Kievskiye Vedomosti. - 1996. - May 24
File:Cheberyako N. And on that embroidered towel Vecherniy Kyiv, newspaper - 1986 - October 9.jpg, Cheberyako N. And on that embroidered towel Vecherniy Kyiv, newspaper - 1986 - October 9
File:Tymchenko S. Light-winged creativity Kyiv Polytechnic, newspaper. - 2002. - April 18.jpg, Tymchenko S. Light-winged creativity Kyiv Polytechnic, newspaper. - 2002. - April 18
Citations
General sources
''This article is a partial translation of the corresponding article in the Ukrainian Wikipedia,
:uk:Лебідь Микола Якович''
# ''Ігор Кромф.'
Наймасовіша нагорода за подвиги: 25 років ордену «За мужність»// Прямий - 2020, 29 квітня
2006]
# ''
:uk:Селівачов Михайло Романович, Селівачов М.,'' Микола Лебідь // Ант. Вип. 16-18. — К., 2006. — С.107
''Сопов О., Торгоненко А..'' // Енциклопедичне видання "Нагороди МВС України" - 2016- С.8-12, 14-19, 52-55, 66
''Сопов О., Торгоненко А..'' Піонери відомчих відзнак // Іменем закону. - 2011-03-31, №13# ''Лазаренко В.'' Історія створення медалі «За мужність в охороні державного кордону України» // Нумізматика і Фалеристика. - 2008, N21
# ''Лазаренко В.'' Почесна Відзнака Президента України - від відзнаки до державної нагороди (1992-2002 рр.) // Нумізматика і Фалеристика. - 2008, N22
# Николай Яковлевич Лебедь. Фотоальбом // в журн. «Ландшафт плюс». - М. - 2005, №1
# Геральдика як засіб відродження історичних традицій України // 24 карати. - 2005. - Осінь-зима
# ''Вольвач П., Ляшко В..'
(
ttps://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/25493979.html з аудіозаписом радіоефіру // Радіо Свобода - 18 травня 2004
# Микола Лебідь // Хто є хто. Київ та регіони. - 2003-2005. - Випуск V, VI
# ''Walter Belanger.'' Mykola Lebid // Contempoartukraine. Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Studios — Ukraine, Contempoartukraine, 2004, #3 — p. 28-33 (in English and Ukrainian)
# Довідник членів Національної спілки художників України - К., 2003. С.189
# Tymchenko S. Light-winged creativity // Kyiv Polytechnic, newspaper. - 2002. - April 18
# ''Лазаренко В.'' Из истории награждения за выслугу лет (Пограничные войска Украины, 2002 г.) // Нумізматика і Фалеристика. - 2002, №4
# ''Загородня 3.'' Пензлем крилатої душі // Міліція України. - 2000, №4
# ''Никитюк І.'' Нова прикордонна символіка та її автор // Кордон. -1999, №1
# Відзнаки Президента України. К. Мистецтво. -1999
# Zagorodnya Z. And the brush will answer with music // Kyivska Pravda, newspaper. - 1998. - March 19-25
# Довідник членів Спілки художників України - К., 1998. С.83
# ''Бузало В.'' Відзнаки особливого ґатунку. Історія створення // Міліція України. - 1997, №1
# ''Куфрик Б.'' Як народжуються державні нагороди? // Експрес. - 1997. - 3-11 травня
# ''Nerod V.'' Author of honorary distinctions and awards // Day, newspaper - 1997. - April 5
# ''Нерод В.'' Поєднання знання і таланту// Іменем закону. - 1997. -17 січня
# Нагороди України. Історія, факти, документи. У 3-х томах. - К. - 1996, т.З
# Patsera N. The family of presidential awards has expanded // Kievskiye Vedomosti, newspaper. - 1996. - May 24
# ''Бузало В.'' Нагороди незалежної України //Українська Газета. - 1996. - 22 лютого
# Нет ордена в своем отечестве? // Киевские ведомости. - 1995. - 27 апреля
# Пам’ятки України. Спеціальний випуск на замовлення Президента України. 1995. №2, стор.15
# Cheberyako N. "And on that embroidered towel..." // Vecherniy Kyiv, newspaper. - 1986. - October 9
# ''Шуйская Г.'' Приглашает «рушник» //Правда Украины. -1985.-25 июля.
# ''Фоменко К.'' Приглашает «рушничок» //Комсомольское знамя. - 1985. - 27 июля
# ''Петруня О.'' «Рушник» запрошує гостей // Прапор комунізму. -1985. - 28 липня
# ''Шуйская Г.'' Приглашает рушничок // Правда (Москва). - 1985. - 25 июня
# Довідник «Українські радянські художники» - К., Мистецтво, 1972. С.256
External links
* official instagra
@mykola.lebid.art
articleon the website artchive.ru
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebid, Mykola
Ukrainian male artists
Ukrainian contemporary artists
21st-century Ukrainian painters
21st-century Ukrainian male artists
20th-century Ukrainian painters
20th-century Ukrainian male artists
Ukrainian watercolourists
Ukrainian male painters
Ukrainian designers
Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design alumni
Soviet artists
Soviet painters
1936 births
2007 deaths
People from Sumy Oblast
Ukrainian artists