Poet Taras Shevchenko: biography of the poet

In 2014, Ukraine celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Shevchenko. The great poet and artist has long become one of the national heroes of this country. Taras Shevchenko, whose biography is set out in this article, struggled with the oppression of autocracy and serfdom. It was a hard road, which had to suffer many. Rejection and exile are the common fate of artists who did not want to put up with power. Taras Shevchenko shared it in full measure. The biography of this outstanding Ukrainian poet and artist shows this. You will learn a lot of interesting things about it by reading this article. And surely you will agree with the fact that the great man was the poet Taras Grigorievich Shevchenko. The biography with the photo gives some idea of it.

Origin and childhood TG Shevchenko

The future poet and artist was born on February 25, 1814 in with. Morintsy of the Kiev province (today it is the Cherkassy region). His father was a serf peasant who belonged to the landowner PV Engelgardt. Parents of Taras moved to the village in 2 years. Kirillovka. Here the future poet and artist spent his childhood. In 1823, the mother of Taras died, then the father married for the second time. The chosen one was a widow who already had three children. Father Shevchenko died in 1825, when the boy was only 12 years old. So became an orphan Taras Shevchenko. His biography was marked at that time by many difficulties. The child was forced to live the hard life of a homeless child. Fortunately, the world is not without good people. Taras lived first with the teacher, the sexton, then with the neighbor's painters. Taras Shevchenko in the school of the sexton learned to read and write, and with the basics of drawing met at the painters.

The life of the landowner Engelhardt

In 1828, he became servant of the landowner Engelhardt in the village. Wilson. Taras was at first a cook, and then a Cossack. In 1829, he served in Vilna, in the house of the landowner, and later in Petersburg, after Engelhardt moved to the capital (this happened in early 1831). The landlord, after discovering Taras's ability to draw, decided to send him for training, and then make a home painter of the boy. So in 1832 he got to V. Shiryaev, workshop master, Taras Shevchenko. His biography continues a new stage in his life. One of Shevchenko's paintings is presented below. The work is called "Katerina". The painting was written in 1842.

Familiarity with famous artists

Taras Shevchenko on holidays visited the Hermitage. In the Summer Garden, he copied the statues. Here Taras met in 1836 with IM Soshenko, a Ukrainian artist. He introduced the young man V. Grigorovich, the secretary of the Academy of Arts, as well as the painters K. Bryullov and Venetsianov, the poet V. Zhukovsky. The great importance in the fate of Taras had these acquaintances.

The discovery of freedom

Several attempts were made to free Shevchenko from serfdom. Let's briefly describe some of them. At first Briullov went to Engelhardt for talks, but without success. The landowner certainly wanted a ransom. Then Venetsianov went to him in order to agree on the price. Taras Shevchenko was comforted and pleased about the care of such prominent figures of Russian art. However, at times he fell into despair, sometimes even into despair. The young man cursed his share, and the tenacity of the landowner discouraged him.

In her autobiography Shevchenko wrote that Zhukovsky, having previously conspired with Engelhardt, asked to paint a portrait of him from Bryullov in order to play this portrait in a private gallery. Bryullov agreed and soon the portrait was ready. With the help of Vielgorsky, Zhukovsky arranged a lottery, and so Shevchenko got freedom. As a sign of deep gratitude and special respect for Vasily Andreevich, he dedicated this poet to one of his greatest poetic works ("Kateryna").

So, on April 22, 1838, the freedom of Shevchenko was bought for 2500 rubles. In the same year he entered the Academy of Arts. Here Shevchenko became a student of KP Bryullov.

The flowering of the poetic talent of Shevchenko

The best years in the life of Taras can be considered 1840-1847 (in the photo above - Shevchenko's self-portrait, made by him in 1840). At this time, his poetic talent blossomed. The biography of Taras Shevchenko is marked by the creation of many works. In St. Petersburg in 1840 appeared the first collection of poetry of this poet ("Kobzar"). He laid the foundation for a new era in the history of the literature of the Ukrainian people. "Gaydamaky" is the largest work of Shevchenko, she appeared in 1842. Among other significant works of this period are the 1838 poem "Katerina", 1842 "Blind", 1844 "Bezalanny", 1845 "Naiminka", as well as the drama of 1843 "Nazar Stodolya". Political poems that appeared at that time were "Dream" (in 1844) and "The Caucasus" (in 1845). They expose the autocracy, imbued with a revolutionary spirit. The call of the people to overthrow the autocracy is openly expressed in the political will of Shevchenko - the poem "How shall I die ..." (1845).

Travel around Ukraine and their reflection in creativity

Taras Grigoryevich in May 1843 went to Ukraine. Here he stayed about a year. In February 1844, the biography of Taras Shevchenko was marked by the return to St. Petersburg. In the spring of 1845, he graduated from the Academy of Arts, becoming an "unskilled (that is, free) artist." Shevchenko again went to Ukraine. He wanted to settle in Kiev. Taras Grigorievich worked at this time in the Kiev Archaeological Commission artist. He traveled a lot throughout Ukraine. The revolutionary aspirations of the writer and poet reinforced the impressions of trips to Chernigov, Poltava, and Kiev gubernias. Everywhere Taras Grigorievich observed the plight of the peasants. They were created during the trips anti-serf poetry, included in the album "Three years". Taras Shevchenko read these works to friends and acquaintances, let them rewrite. At that time, the criticism of Petersburg and even Belinsky condemned and did not understand the Little Russian literature, and especially Shevchenko. In his poetry, they saw a narrow provincialism. However, the homeland immediately appreciated it. This is indicated by the warm reception of Shevchenko during the journey he accomplished in 1845-47.

Cyril and Methodius Society, arrest and exile

Taras Grigorievich in 1846 entered the secret Cyril and Methodius Society. It was founded by students and teachers of Kyiv University in late 1845. This society consisted of young people who were interested in the development of various Slavic nationalities, including the Ukrainian one. By the denunciation of the provocateur in April 1847, it was uncovered by the police. 10 people, his participants, were arrested. They were accused of organizing a political society. All of them were punished. Particularly got Shevchenko for created by him illegal poems. He was exiled to the Orenburg region under strictest supervision. In addition, Nicholas I added personally from himself that Shevchenko should be prohibited from writing and drawing. The first serious problems of Taras Grigorievich, connected with alcoholism, refer to this time. Zaporoi Shevchenko already then were well known. During the investigation into the secret society V. Belozersky, one of its members, justified Shevchenko, saying that he wrote his poems in a state of intoxication and did not have any daring intentions at all. But these testimonies did not save the poet. The biography of Taras Grigorovich Shevchenko continues already in exile.

Life in the Orsk fortress, participation in the expedition

Taras Grigoryevich got to Orsk fortress, which was a deserted backwater. Taras Shevchenko after a while wrote a letter to Zhukovsky asking for a petition only in one - the right to draw. Count Taras in this sense was busy with Count A. Tolstoy and Gudovich, but they could not help Shevchenko. Taras Grigorievich appealed to Dubbelt, the head of the 3rd branch, but nothing helped. Until the liberation was not lifted the ban on drawing. However, some comfort to the artist was given to him in the expedition of 1848-49. On the study of the Aral Sea. Thanks to the humane attitude of VA Obruchev and Lieutenant Butakov, he was allowed to copy local folk types and types of the Aral coast. In total, Shevchenko created 350 watercolor portraits and landscapes. He captured the scenes of soldier life, the life of the Kazakh people. However, in St. Petersburg soon became aware of this indulgence. Butakov and Obruchev were reprimanded by denunciation, and Taras Shevchenko was exiled in 1850 to a deserted slum, Mangyshlak, in the Novopetrovsk fortification. And here it was strictly forbidden to paint.

Years spent on. Mangyshlak

Very difficult for Taras were the first 3 years of stay here. Then it became easier, mainly thanks to the kindness of the local commandant Uskova and his wife, who fell in love with Taras Shevchenko for the attachment to their children and soft nature. Shevchenko lived in the barracks, although one officer suggested that Taras Grigorievich settle in his apartment. However, in the most difficult years the poet Taras Shevchenko did not lose heart, whose biography was marked by a number of difficult tests that fell to his lot. He tried to replace the forbidden drawing with modeling, and also began to study photography, which was, by the way, very expensive at that time.

Liberation of Shevchenko

In 1857 Taras Grigorievich Shevchenko was finally released. The biography of the poet and artist would probably have developed differently, if not for the numerous petitions for him. Tolstoy and his wife AI. Tolstoy. Shevchenko stayed in Novopetrovsky fortification from October 17, 1850 to August 2, 1857. He was released after the death of Nicholas I.

Life in Petersburg, the growth of revolutionary sentiments in creativity

It was difficult and long to return Taras from exile. He was detained in Nizhny Novgorod, banned from entering both capitals. Friends, however, have made it possible for Shevchenko to settle in Petersburg. He arrived here in the spring of 1858. Here the poet and artist became friends with the authors of "Contemporary", as well as with NA. Dobrolyubov, N.G. Chernyshevsky, M.L. Mikhailov, N.A. Nekrasov, A.N. Ostrovsky , etc. Even more angry and sharp notes began to sound in his satire. The 3rd branch again established strict supervision over the poet. Shevchenko stayed in exile for ten years, from June 1847 to August 1857. However, this did not break the will of the poet and did not change his revolutionary convictions. Poems and poems of the "slave of the muse" (this is how Shevchenko called his works, which were created in exile and hidden during searches) are characterized by the growth of revolutionary sentiments. The accusatory verdict of the poet to the tyrants, as well as the call for reprisals against them, are heard in the cycle of 1848 "Kings". During the link Shevchenko also created realistic stories written in Russian. This "Princess" in 1853, "Musician" 1854-1855, works of 1855 "Gemini", "Captain", "The Unfortunate" and 1856 "Artist". All of them contain a lot of details from the biography of the author, are permeated with anti-serf attitude.

However, the hard years spent in exile, as well as ingrained alcoholism, undermined Shevchenko's health and weakened his talent. Unsuccessfully ended his attempts to create a family (actress Riunova, peasant Lukerya and Harita). Until the end of his days Taras Shevchenko was left alone. A brief biography should not cover private life in detail, but we will tell about the last attempt of Shevchenko's marriage separately below.

Return to the homeland, a new arrest and the last years in St. Petersburg

Shevchenko stayed in Petersburg for a short time, from March 1858 to July 1859. Then he again went home. Taras Grigorievich had an idea to acquire a mansion above the Dnieper. He chose a beautiful place on the Black Mountains. However, Shevchenko was not destined to settle here. Once he read his poems in an unfamiliar company, and the local governor immediately notified the governor about it, informing that Shevchenko had agitated against the authorities. Again arrested Taras Grigorievich, ordered to leave his homeland and return to St. Petersburg under the supervision of the 3rd branch. A short biography of Taras Shevchenko allows you to omit the details of life in St. Petersburg, since this time turned out to be not very fruitful for him. Shevchenko, distracted by a lot of artistic and literary acquaintances, drew little and wrote in recent years. Almost all free from the invited evenings and lunches he gave the engraving, his new hobby. Then Shevchenko even became an academician in engraving on copper. This title he received in 1860.

The last attempt to get married

A short biography of Taras Shevchenko for children usually omits this moment, but by 1860 the last attempt of Shevchenko to marry. By the summer of this year, he was left alone in St. Petersburg - all friends of Shevchenko departed. The poet was especially keenly aware of loneliness. Attention attracted him Lukerya Polusmakova, serf girl. Shevchenko often met with her. Lukerya was literate and more developed than Kharita Dovgopolenkova, another peasant woman, whom the poet had once carried away. Perhaps she was more cunning. The girl was able to understand that Taras Grigoryevich is an enviable groom. She accepted his offer without hesitation. Lukerya and Taras for a long time were a bride and groom, but after a while there was a break. His reasons remained unclear, as did the moral appearance of L. Polusmakova.

Disease and death

Poet Taras Shevchenko, whose biography is already coming to an end, met the beginning of 1861 with a seriously ill (disorder of the heart, liver, dropsy, rheumatism). However, until the last he hoped for a cure. In letters to Bartholomew, his second cousin, he wrote that he would come to the Ukraine in the spring and be sure to recover at home. However, on February 26, 1861, the day of her birth, Shevchenko died in Petersburg. The grave and museum of Taras Shevchenko in Kanev (Ukraine) today are among the most revered places for the Little Russian people.

But not only in Ukraine they honor this great man. The biography of Taras Shevchenko in Russian, although not included in the school program on literature in Russia, but his personality, as well as creativity, and in our country is very popular. His name is familiar to many of us. One of the greatest inhabitants of Ukraine is Taras Shevchenko. Biography in Russian this poet is probably interested in many of you.