Self-portrait 1840

Taras Shevchenko. Self-portrait. [1840, January – February. St. Petersburg].
Oil on canvas. 43 × 35 cm (oval).
Taras Shevchenko National Museum, № zh-104.

The circumstances of this work creation described in his memoirs F.P. Ponomarev:

"In late 1830 and early 1840's we almost departed. He lived on the island at the 5 th line in Arenst's house, and I at the Art Academy, where he had a studio […] This workshop was the one room with mezzanine. In this mezzanine my poor Taras stayed during his severe illness […] At this time he painted with oil paints self-portrait (a picture from it made by K.O.Brozh on wood and engraved by Academician L.A.Syeryakov)" [Russian antiquity. – 1880. – No. 3. – S. 589 – 590; Ponomarev F.P. Taras Shevchenko // Memories of Taras Shevchenko. – K., 1982. – S. 67].

The above engraving contained in the same book of "Russian antiquity", where published quoted memoirs by Ponomarev. Images accompanied by the signature: "Taras Shevchenko in 1840". Engravings by L.A.Syeryakov was placed also in album issued to commemorate his memory [Seryakov L.A. Russian figures in portraits. – SPb., 1886]. In explaining of the album publisher and "Russian antiquity" editor M.I.Semevski stated: "The enclosed picture T.H.Shevchenko is an accurate snapshot of the original lap portrait painted thus Shevchenko in 1840, owned by the Russian antiquity editors'" [Ibid. – S. 175].

Shevchenko lived with Ponomarev in the second half a November 1839 and left his home no later than March 5, 1840. Given the disease, it is reasonable dated self-portrait January – February 1840 [Zhur P. From the biography of Shevchenko 1831 – 1845 pp. // Proceedings of twelfth Shevchenko scientific conference. – K., 1964. – S. 151 – 153] Also found that "in connection with reform of the Academy of Art in February 1840 for all students who lived in an academic building (and Ponomarev as well), were moved out of it" [Zhur P. Shevchenko's Petersburg. – K., 1972. – P. 85 – 89]

For a long time, there were multiple versions of self-portrait dating: winter 1840 – 1841 [Shevchenko T. Complete Works in 10 vols. – K., 1961. – T. 7, part 1. – P. 15. – № 28], before September 21, 1840 [Palamarchuk T.P. Some scientific attribution and dating of paintings T.H.Shevchenko // Questions of Shevchenko. – K., 1978. – 71 – 74], 1843 [Gasko M. In circle of Gogol and Shevchenko's friends. – K., 1980. – S. 237 – 243]

Storage areas: property of "Russian antiquity" editors; later – A.P. Bakhrushyn, after his testament of 1905 – State Historical Museum (Moscow); since 1930 – Institute of Taras Shevchenko; from 1932 – Gallery of pictures by T.H.Shevchenko (Kharkiv); from 1940 – Central Museum of T.H.Shevchenko (Kyiv); from 1948 – State Museum of T.H.Shevchenko (Kyiv).

Shows:

1911. Moscow. School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture [Exhibition in memory T.H.Shevchenko // Kievan mail. – 1911. – 21 February];

1930. Kharkiv. Taras Shevchenko Institute [M. Panchenko Shevchenko exhibition 1930 // Literary Archives. – 1930. – No. 1 / 2. – S. 129];

1939. Kyiv. Shevchenko Jubilee Exhibition [Republican Shevchenko Jubilee Exhibition in Kiev: Product-guide. – K., 1941. – P. 24. – № 112];

1951. Moscow. Art Exhibition of USSR [Imaging Arts Exhibition of Ukrainian SSR. Painting, Sculpture, Graphics: Product. – Kiev, 1951. – S. 104];

1964. Kyiv – Moscow. Shevchenko Jubilee Exhibition [Jubilee art Exhibition on the 150-year anniversary of the birth of T.H.Shevchenko: Product. – Kiev, 1964. – P. 6];

1968. Prague. Shevchenko exhibition [Taras Ševčenko: Výstava o životĕ a díle. – [Prague 1968]. – № 8 / 1];

1979. Kyiv. Together Forever [Imaging Arts Exhibition of Ukrainian SSR, devoted 325-year anniversary of reunion Ukraine and Russia, from the USSR and RSFSR museums. – Kiev, 1979. – S. 19];

1984. Kyiv. Shevchenko-artist. 170-th birthday [Shevchenko-artist: Exhibition Catalogue. – K., 1986. – P. 6];

1985. Kyiv. Museum of Kyiv. Shevchenko-portrait (no directory).

I.M.Verykivska

After publication: T.H.Shevchenko Complete Works in 12 volumes. – K.: Naukova Dumka, 2003, v. 7, p. 50 – 51 (image), 370 – 371 (notes).