Tale

Taras Shevchenko. Tale. Paper, etching 21,6 × 17,7; 25,4 × 20,2; (36,2 × 42) cm. [St. Petersburg] [Not later VIII] 1844. Taras Shevchenko National Museum, inv. number g-903.

Right below the image signature and date: Shevchenko // 1844. Middle name: Tale. Below it – description of Shevchenko etching:

- And whence and where God drive you, the Lord Muscovite? and where did tobacco got: is it with hellebore? because we know you, guys!

- From the same Russia go to other world, missis death!.. and tobacco is truly from Lubny…

Date of etching refined on the basis of advertisement in newspaper "Northern Bee" from 24 Aug 1844, where the etching "Tale" was mentioned third among the four already completed.

In the literature also known as "The Soldier and Death" ["The Art and art industry", 1900, № 3, p. 65].

Storage areas: Central Museum of Taras Shevchenko, Kyiv.

In 1911 exposed in an exhibition of works of art Shevchenko in Kiev (catalog, № 72); in 1939 – on the Republican Shevchenko's anniversary exhibition in Kiev (catalog, № 148).

Etching board belonged K. Swidzinski, and after 1855 there was a library Krasinsky in Warsaw. Current location of etching board is not known.

L.I. Vnuchkova

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1961, Vol. 7, part 1, № 96 (picture), p. 40 (note).