Interrupted rendezvous (2)

Taras Shevchenko. Interrupted rendezvous. A copy of the picture by K.P. Briullov.
[1840 – 1841, no later than early May]. Watercolour. 23,1 × 18,8 cm
State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), № 6962 – p.

Inscription in ink on mat: Taras Shevchenko from K. Briullov. Below left in pencil: Shevchenko's gift to V. Zhukovsky. On the right by hand of Hermitage senior keeper A.K. Somov marked: Coll W. Goukowsky. And[re] Somoff. The back mat with a pencil inscription: Shevchenko's gift to Zhukovsky.

Watercolors are the second copy of a picture by K.P. Briullov (1827 – 1830. Cardboard, watercolor, graphite pencil. 23 × 18,7 cm. The State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), № 3171), known with the name "Interrupted rendezvous" ("Water is running above"). Briullov's original was the property of V.A. Vladyslavlyev, then transferred to a count P.K. Ferzen [Somov A.K. Briullov and its importance for the russian art. – SPb., 1876. – p. 35; Atsarkyna J.E. Carl Briullov: Life and Works. – M., 1963. – p. 455]. This is one of two images «Schevchenko – "Portrait de Kriloff, une scene"» – is «une scéne», named in the V. Zhukovsky's letter to the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm IV, on June 7, 1848 (see comment to portrait of I.A. Krylov) [Fomin A.A. Poet and king // Russian bibliophile. – 1912. – № 7 / 8. – p. 73].

Dated tentatively, given the fact that Shevchenko copied Briullov's watercolor for Zhukovsky, probably after work another copy for Vladyslavlyev's almanac "Morning Dawn", but no later than early May 1841, when Zhukovsky went abroad to Düsseldorf and never returned home.

In the Russian Museum directories picture registered with the name "Scene in wells". Perhaps one of the copies Shevchenko named "Italian at fountain" in February 1888 was exhibited at the Exhibition for the benefit of architects' widows and orphans in the Academy of Arts [Gorlenko V. Pictures and prints of Shevchenko // Kievan antiquity. – 1888. – № 6. – p. 82]. With this or similar name it has entered the literature. K.V. Shyrotsky calls it "Italian in wells" [Shyrotsky K. C.Briullov and T. Shevchenko // Ukrainian life. – 1913. – № 12. – p. 54-59]. In catalogs of Russian Museum funds (St. Petersburg) registered with the name "Scene in wells". Such discrepancies in titles caused to researchers who did not know that there are two copies of a Briullov's watercolor, consider their as various works [Eisenstok I. Shevchenko's literary legacy fate // Literary legacy. – 1935. – № 19/21. – p. 483; Raevsky S.E. Life and art of Taras Shevchenko. – X., 1939. – p. 43; Vladimirski G.D. Predecessors of Russian realist painters // Imaginary art. – 1939. – № 2 / 3. – p. 17.]. .

For the first time the existence of two copies by Shevchenko of a Briullov's watercolor "Interrupted rendezvous" said M.I. Matsapura [Matsapura M. New in heritage Shevchenko // Ukraine. – 1951. – № 8. – p. 30].

Storage areas: property of V.A. Zhukovsky, since 1937 – the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg).

V.O. Sudak

After publication: T.H. Shevchenko Complete Works in 12 volumes. – K.: Naukova Dumka, 2003, v. 7, p. 78 – 79 (image), p. 381 – 382 (notes).