Images of Kyiv Region and Volhynia in Travelogue “Across Western Lands, Old and New” by V.L. Kign-Dedlov

This study examines the representation of Malorossiya (Little Russia) and Volhynia spaces within the travel narrative “Across Western Lands, Old and New” by V.L. Kign-Dedlov (1856–1908). The research is conducted through a semiotic-imagological analysis to address gaps in contemporary Russian humanities regarding spatial liminality, particularly Ukrainian themes. The novelty lies in analyzing elements of spatial imagery specific to Kyiv region and Volhynia, which have received limited attention from literary scholars thus far. It demonstrates that representations of these regions are characterized by travesty-like forms and contentual conflictuality due to their multicultural nature encompassing Russian, German, Polish, Little Russian, and Jewish identities. Additionally, it identifies a theme of uncertainty and centrality both anthropologically and spatially. This ambiguity is especially evident in depictions of Volhynia as an intermediate topography between Malorossiya and Belarus. Furthermore, the study highlights how the author juxtaposes sacred historical landscapes with provincial and banal present-day realities, emphasizing nostalgia for past glories.