Before the Rain

Leonid Illich Chychkan was a Ukrainian artist, Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (1969), professor of the Kyiv State Art Institute (1971). Born on August 21 (according to other sources, August 2), 1911 in Katerynodar (now Krasnodar, Russia). In 1933, he graduated from the Krasnodar Art College. He received further art education at the Kharkiv (His teachers were S. Prokhorov, M. Kozyk) and Kyiv Art Institutes (teacher O. Shovkunenko). Participant of World War II. Starting in 1952, he was a teacher at the Kyiv Art Institute. He worked in the field of easel painting. He created landscapes (mainly Carpathian landscapes), portraits, and genre paintings. It was in them that the artist achieved artistry. He participated in numerous art exhibitions. Among his works are "Still Life with Daisies" (1950s), "Still Life with Gladiolus and Kosiv Ceramics" (1974), "Evening in the Meadow" (1960s), "On the Pasture" (1960s), "Poppies" (1974), "Shells" (1975), "Still Life with Fish" (1950s) , and many others. He died in Kyiv on December 13, 1977. The painter's works are presented in museum, gallery and private collections in Ukraine and abroad.