Death of Socrates

Taras Shevchenko. Death of Socrates. 1837. [St. Petersburg].
Watercolour, ink, brush, pen. 24,5 × 32,3 cm
Taras Shevchenko National Museum, № g-316.

Left bottom author's date and signature in ink: 1837. Шевченко.

The picture shows a death of condemned ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. With glass in hand with the poison, he makes a speech to his students. On Academic Exhibition 1836 exhibited painting "Death of Socrates" by P.M. Shamshin [Art newspaper. – 1836. – № 5. – S. 11].

Socrates as "very wise man" Shevchenko mentioned in the stories "Captain's wife" and "Artist".

In the literature suggested that this picture is a copy of the work of another artist [Burachek M. Gallery of Shevchenko's paintings in Kharkov // Literary newspaper. – 1933. – 15 April].

Reproduced for the first time and commented in 1932 by A.P. Novitsky [T. Shevchenko Complete Works. – [Kharkiv, 1932. – T. 8]. – P. 24. – № 197. – Tab. 20].

Together with other works entered the collection of A.F.Onegin.

Storage areas: collection of A.F. Onegin (Paris); since 1928 – Pushkin House of the USSR (Leningrad); from 1930 – Taras Shevchenko Institute; from 1932 – Gallery of pictures by T.H. Shevchenko (Kharkiv), with 1948 – State Museum of T.H. Shevchenko (Kyiv). More on storage – in the comments "Death of Lucretia.

Exhibitions:

1930. Leningrad. Exhibition of A.F. Onegin's collections [Pushkin House. Exhibition of A.F. Onegin's collections. – L., 1930. – S. 5];

1930. Kharkiv. Shevchenko exhibition [M. Panchenko Shevchenko exhibition 1930 // Literary Archives. – 1930. – No. 1 / 2. – S. 130];

1964. Kyiv – Moscow. Shevchenko Jubilee Exhibition [Jubilee art exhibition on the 150-year anniversary of the birth of T.H. Shevchenko: Product. – Kiev, 1964. – S. 5].

I.M. Verykivska

After publication: T.H. Shevchenko Complete Works in 12 volumes. – K.: Naukova Dumka, 2003, v. 7, p. 32 – 33 (image), p. 363 (notes).