IMAGES OF PAGAN GODS OF VOLODYMYR’S PANTHEON IN THE EUROPEAN ARTISTIC TRADITION

Abstract

The article considers a comprehensive analysis of the visual interpretation of the pagan gods of the pantheon of Prince Volodymyr The Pantheon of Prince Volodymyr in the context of European artistic tradition and modern visual culture. The study focuses on the formation, transformation and artistic reinterpretation of mythological images originating from the early Slavic religious system and subsequently acquiring new meaning in cultural and artistic discourse. The symbolic meanings and archetypal characteristics of the main deities of the pantheon are analyzed, as well as their role in the formation of worldviews of early medieval society. Since authentic visual images of these characters have not survived, their images were reconstructed through a combination of historical interpretations, comparative mythology and artistic imagination, which led to a multi-level reinterpretation in different historical periods. Particular attention is paid to the influence of European mythological and artistic traditions, in particular ancient, medieval and romantic visual models, on the formation of modern images of Slavic pagan characters. As a result, hybrid visual systems arise, combining historical, mythological and fantasy elements. In contemporary art, in particular in digital illustration, concept art and fantasy design, pagan images function not as static historical figures, but as dynamic archetypes, constantly reinterpreted within the framework of modern visual language. They become symbolic constructions that reflect universal themes: power, nature, cosmic order and human existence. The study demonstrates that mythological images of pagan gods remain a living and changing semiotic system that combines ancient mythological thinking with modern artistic practice and continues to influence the formation of visual culture.