Akmysh Tau

Taras Shevchenko. Akmysh Tau. Watercolour (17.8 × 30.5 cm). [VII – 8.VIII 1851].

Akmysh Tau mount is located in the central part of North Ak-Tau.

Location of original is unknown. Described by literary sources. Reproduced by autotype of 1914 ["Russian bibliophile", St. Petersburg, 1914, № 1, between pages. 40 – 41], see also number 2, 4, 8, 17.

Obviously, below on the landscape sheet, as can be seen in reproduction, was the inscription: Ak-Mysh-Tau. Drawn from nature by Shevchenko.

Watercolor done in violet-yellow tone [see. "Art and printing", 1911, № 3, p. 141, № 22].

Dated by roughly defined residence time of the expedition in the North Ak-Tau.

The same area from closer distances shown Br. Zaleski in etching "Chalk mountains" with next explanatory text:

"In the mountains Kara-Tau are different types of granite and crystalline rocks; Ak-Tau mountains ("White Mountain") consists entirely of chalk and marl. The latter is definitely a picturesque mountain than the first, they pulled out a long and crooked spine divided into separate groups as a huge fantastic ruins of some unknown forts, towns, magnificent palaces… sunlight, illuminating them, breaking through the clouds, reject these mountains a variety of colors and give them time enchanting beauty. At night, by moonlight, the terrain becomes another species, it becomes even more spectacular" [album «La vie des steppes Kirghizes», Paris, 1865, p. 61].

Mount Akmysh Tau from another point shown by Br. Zaleski also in etching "Mountain ridge Ak-Tau". Giving an explanation for this etching, Zaleski writed:

"Some of these mountains have different names: mountains shown by us in Kyrgyz called Usyr Tau, Akmysh Tau, Kayrak Tau. Like everything strand, these individual mountains surrounded by desert, where small flocks of sheep difficulties find themselves herbal food" [ibid, p. 63].

Picture of the mountains in this part of the Ak-Tau see number 8, 9, 83, 85, 86, 89, 90. The self-titled picture is made during Kara-Tau expedition, see number 12.

Storage areas: property of L. M. Zhemchuzhnikov, V. V. Kochubej, V. P. Kochubej.

In 1911 was displayed at the exhibition of art works of Taras Shevchenko in Kiev (Product, № 57).

I. M. Verykivska, G. P. Palamarchuk, N. P. Prokopenko

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete Works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1964, Vol. 9, № 11 (image), p. 11 – 12 (note).