Artistic and Aesthetic Environment of Piarists School in Volyn (18th − the First Third of the Nineteenth Century)

The purpose of exploration is to outline the components of artistic and aesthetic environment of educational institutions of the Order of Piarists in Volyn during the 18th – the first third of the nineteenth century. Research methodology. Eleven major publications (articles and monographs) of Ukrainian, Russian and Polish authors were discussed on this topic. Most of them have generalizing and mediate character regarding the subject of this scientific exploration. Only rich factual material of the monographs of the Polish researcher A. Moshynskiy was widely used by authors. Results. It is determined, that the artistic component played a remarkable role in the educational activity of the Order of Piarists in the territory of Volyn. It was found out, that it was provided with a wide spectrum of means, which included not only the aesthetic potential of the architecture buildings of their complexes - churches, buildings of monasteries and colleges, built by the famous Baroque and Rococo architects (some of them are now recognized as monuments of European level architecture), but also their interiors, which are decorated by prominent Western European artists. It is shown that artistic decoration of the Piarists collegium in Liubeshiv was made by an outstanding Polish artist of the second half of the eighteenth century Karol Lukash Gubel. It is emphasized, that although the buildings of the colleges should be primarily functional, however their artistic content testified about the desire of the Order's leadership to create such educational environment, in which artistic and aesthetic tastes of students and their ideology would be brought up, as well as active civic position. It is proved, that the functioning of libraries and school specialized classrooms, museums, educational auditoriums, decorated not only wall murals, with depictions of significant historical events and personalities of Piarists Order, but also with picturesque portraits of its outstanding representatives, as well as former students, that became the famous figures of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth – statesmen, writers, scientists, etc., became an integral part of the creation of artistic and aesthetic environment of the Piarists school in Volyn during the 18th – the first third of the nineteenth century. Novelty. Because of the absence of a comprehensive study, it was made an attempt to explore the question of the components of the artistic and aesthetic environment of educational institutions of Piarists Order in Volyn during the 18th - the first third of the 19th century. Practical importance. The article will enrich the national pedagogy, cultural studies, religious studies with new knowledge about cultural and educational vector of activity of the Roman Catholic Piarists Order in the territory of Volyn