Taras Hrygorovych Shevchenko (1814 - 1861)

1. Taras HrygorovychShevchenko (1814 - 1861)

2. Тaras Hrygorovych Shevchenkowas born on the 9th of March 1814 in the village of Moryntsy Kyiv Region. His parents were serfs of the rich landlord V.V. Еngelgart and very soon they moved to the neighboring village of Кyrylivka

3. In 1822 Taras began to study. His was taught by the priest. In two years Таrаs learnt how to read and write. He also got some knowledge in Mathematics.Taras read church books and not only them. After his mother's death in1823 and his father's death іn 1825Таrаs orphaned. Already at that time Taras began to draw. Taras liked drawing so much and dreamt of becoming a painter.He was searching Forthe teacher of Arts. But all his attempts failed, he returned to the village of Kyrylivka and had to become a shepherd boy.

4. At the end of 1828 or at the beginning of 1829Таrаs was taken tothe landlordV. Engelhard”s house in the village of Vilshany. In autumn 1829 Taras Shevchenko became “a room painter “ in the house of his master.

5. In Vilno Shevchenko served as a houseboy.Already at that time he used to paint very much in his free time. He showed an unusual talent in painting. That's why Taras was sent to study painting. He was evidently taughtby Yan-Batist Lampy, who wsa staying in Vilno during 1829-1830.

6. After the beginning of the Polish uprising in1830р. the Vilno military governor had to retire. Engelhart went to Petersburg. At the end of February 1831 Taras Shevchenko went to the capital too. In 1832 Engelhart sent Taras to the workshops of master Shyriayev in Petersburg for the term of four years to study painting.

7. In 1835р.Shevchenko got acquainted with the pupil of the Academy of Arts I. Soshenko.He did everything he could to make Taras”s life easier and introduced Taras to Hrebinka and Hrygorovych who allowed Shenchnko to attend lessons of painting in the Society of Encouraging Artists. (1835). Shevchenko takes part in the painting of the walls of the Velykyi Theatre and other Petersburg theatres together with the other students..

8. Some time later Shevchenko got acquainted with К. Briullov andV. Zhukovskyi. They were very much impressed by Taras”s talent and in 1838, they bought out Shevchenko from his owner. К.Briulov V.Zhukovsky

9. On May 21 1838 Shevchenko became a student of the Academy of Arts.He studies under the guidrnce of К. Briulov. He becomes one of his favourite students. Shevchenko gort silver medals for hispaintings “The beggar-boy, who gives bread to the dog”(1840),”Tsyganka- vorozhka”(1841), ”Kateryna”(1842).

10. Shevchenko was successful in the genre of portrait painting. М. Lunin А. Lahodа

11. Taras Shevchenko started to write poems in 1837. Some of his first poems were published in 1838 in the Ukrainian Album “Lastivka” His first collection of poems “Kobzar” was published in April 1840.

12. In 1841 Shevchenko's historical poem “Gaidamaky” was published. In 1842 Shevchenko wrote his famous historical poem “Hamaliya”. By the end of February 1843 historical drama “Nazar Stodolia’ written in Russian came to the public. In 1844 — 1845 it was staged by amateurs of the Medical Academy in St. Petersburg.

13. The second addition of “Kobzar” was issuered in `1844.All these works by T. Shevchenko belong to the early period of his literary activity. At that time Taras considered himself as a peasant poet and a poet-patriot.

14. The new period in Shevchenko's biography lasted from 1843- 1847. It was connected with his two voyages to Ukraine. Collections of works “Three Summers” included poems (1843 — 1845). These years of poet's life and activity were named the period of “three years”.Shevchenko's works written in 1846 — 1847 belong to this period as well.

15. The first Shevchenko's voyage to Ukraine lasted for about eight months.Having left St. Petersburg in May 1843, the poet visited hundreds of towns and villages in Ukraine (his native Kyrylivka, Кyiv,Poltava Region, Khortytsia,Chygyryn etc.). During his voyage around Ukraine Taras talked with peasants, got acquainted with a great number of representatives of intelligent Ukrainians and educated landlords Т.H.Shevchenko.St. Oleksandr Cathedral in Кyiv

16. During his visit to Ukraine Shevchenko wrote two poetical compositions in Pussian: poem “Тryzna” (1844р.Published in the magasine “Mayak” under the name“Bestalannyi”) and the poem “Digged Tomb”. Having returned to St. Petersburg at the end of 1844 Shevchenko was very much impressed by everything he saw in Ukraine. Shevchenko wrote some of his works (for example, poem “Dream”), which determined his fate as a poet.

17. In spring 1845 Shevchenko was named an out of class artist by the Council of the Academy of Arts. He returns to Ukraine again. Shevchenko travels a lot(Poltava, Chernigiv,KyivRegions,Volyn, Podillia).He works for Kyiv Archiological Comission,writes down Ukrainian folk songs ,makes drawing of architectural monuments,portraits and landscapes. In 1845 his works“Yeretyk”, “Slipyi”, “Naymychka”, “Kavkaz”, “I mertvym I zhyvym… “When I die, please berry me” (“The Testament”) and others comes out. All these poems of 1843 — 1845 were collected in the Album “Three Summers”. In 1846 Shevchenko created the ballads“Lileia” and “Rusalka”, а 1847р. He thinks over a new addition of“Kobzar”, including his works of 1843 — 1847.

18. In spring 1846р. in Kyiv Shevchenko meets with М. Kostomarov, М. Hulak, М. Savych  and  other members of secret Кyrylo-Mephodiy society (which was founded in December 1845 -January 1846) enters this organization. His works of the period of"three years" had indisputable influence on the position of society.In March 1847 the society was raided. Arrests began. Shevchenko was arrested on April, 5 1847 and 17th was brought to Petersburg and in a time was put into prison into  the casemate .

19. In June1847 Shevchenko was brought to Orenburg and then to Orsk castle where hr ought to serve as a soldier.In Orsk Taras violated the tsar “s order not to write poems царську заборону писати. He secretary wrote his poems and other works into small notebooks.By the end of 1849 —at the beginning of 1850 he copied those poems into a handmade book, which was later named “Small Book”There were 21 works in this book.

20. In April 1850р.Shevchenko was arrested as it was forbidden to write and draw in the prison. After some time he was transported to Mangyshlak peninsular. It was in the middle of October 1850.

21. Seven years of staying in Novopetrovsk Fortress were the most hard in the life of the poet. After the death of Mykola ,I (February 1855)poet's friends(F.Tolstoy and others) the process of Taras”s freedom began. Only in May 1857р.Shevchenko was officially allowed to retire from the military service. Though he was forbidden to live in the capital.In August 1857Shevchenko left Novopetrovsk Fortress having the aim to settle in St. Petersburg.

22. At the end of March 1858 Shevchenko came to Petersburg.The literary society of the capital warmly met the poet.He took an active part in the social life of the country, became one of the founders of of the literary fund, made speeches at the literary meetings, helps public schools. In summer 1859 Shevchenko visited Ukraine.He met his brothers and a sister in Kyrylivka. He had a desire to settle in Ukraine.He was looking for the plot for building the house. But in July near the village of Prokhorivka he was arrested. He was freed in a month and proposed to go to Petersburg.

23. During these years Shevchenko worked very much. He dedicated himself to painting. In 1860 he was given the name of Academician by the Counsel of the Academy of Arts. In January 1860 the collection of 17 poems under the name “Kobzar” was published.

24. Taras”s health became poor because of the exile. At the beginning of 1861 he got poorly ill. On March10 1861 Shevchenko died T. Shevchenko was berried on the Smolensk graveyard. But in two months his friends moved the tomb of T. Shevchenko to Ukraine, awhere he was berried on the Chernecha (now Tarasova) Hill near Kaniv.

25. Grave of Taras Shevchenko