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Taras Shevchenko

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Anton Golovaty near Neva

Taras Shevchenko. Anton Golovaty near…

Taras Shevchenko. Anton Golovaty near Neva. Sketch.
[1843, january – beginning of May. St. Petersburg]. Pencil on paper. 18,9 × 12,7 cm
Taras Shevchenko National Museum, № g-646.

On the back – "The death of Ivan Mazepa". After poem K.F. Ryleev "Vojnarovsky". Sketch.

Obviously, there is a this sketch for portrait of Anton Golovaty conceived by Shevchenko, which he recalled in a letter to Y.G. Kukharenko on January 31, 1843:

"I think draw as he is sadly stand near Winter palace, behind the Neva and beyond Neva by fortress where Paul Polubotok died. Judge for yourself how it will do better, because I myself really want to call Golovaty to the world".

Ataman Black Sea cossack troops Anton Golovaty interesting Shevchenko, probably after the publication in 1839 essay by G.F. Kvitka-Osnovjanenko [Kvitka-Osnovjanenko G. : material for history of Little Russia // Otechestvennye zapiski. – 1839. – № 10]. It was reminiscent in a poem "To Osnovjanenko", in the original version of which the poet recalls Golovaty. He remembered him in other works. Certain information about Golovaty Shevchenko could get from Y.G. Kukharenko, acting commander of the Black Sea cossack host, a writer who, apparently, appealed to the artist asking him to picture Golovaty. With Kukharenko Shevchenko personally met in St. Petersburg in 1840, corresponded with him. In the above cited letter, the portrait was to be lithographic and pervasive subscribers among the Black Sea Cossacks. The letter also requested Shevchenko send a Cossack uniform for a conceived portrait. It is unknown whether received Shevchenko Cossack clothes, but Kukharenko handed artist portraits of Golovaty. In a letter to Shevchenko on 18 December 1856 he wrote: "Have survived brother, even though a portrait of Golovaty sent me to you in St. Petersburg? If so, then have come, please […] his relatives probably want" [Letters to Taras Shevchenko. – K., 1993. – P. 77].

Figure of Golovaty wear some match the description, in essay of Osnovjanenko:

"Clothes – a mixture of Polish and Tartar, in bright high heels boots […] in a cloth uniform colors of contemporary sea one, the green chekmen with decorations by way of his army, colonels alum and white cherkeska with a throw back sleeves".

Dated by time of writing a Shevchenko's letter to Kukharenko, but not later go to Ukraine in May 1843.

First mention with the name "Sketch of a man full-length" [Catalog of V. Tarnowski's Museum of Ukrainian antiquity / arranged by B.D. Grinchenko. – Chernigov, 1900. – T. 2. – P. 192. – № 420].

For the first time reproduced and commented in 1932 by A.P. Novitsky [Shevchenko T. Complete Works. – [X., 1932. – T. 8]. – P.46. – № 339. – T. 149].

Storage areas: not later 1885 – a collection of V. Tarnowskі, from 1899 – V. Tarnowski's Chernihiv museum of ukrainian antiquities, from 1925 – Chernihiv Historical Museum, from 1933 – Gallery of pictures by T.H. Shevchenko (Kharkiv), from 1948 – National Museum of T.H. Shevchenko (Kyiv).

V. A. Sudak

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1961, Vol. 7, part 2, № 284 (image); T.H. Shevchenko Complete works in 12 volumes. – Kyiv: Naukova Dumka, 2003, v. 7, p. 452 – 453 (note).

Additional images