Chykyta-Aral island

Taras Shevchenko. Chykyta-Aral island. Watercolour on paper. [17.V 1849].

The name defined by similarity of terrain shown in picture to island that described in the diary Butakov:

"The island is surrounded aground on it and a huge number of nest cormorants, swan, and the women-birds, which were already cubs of different ages… Swans, cormorants and gulls myriad. The island is covered with lowland and shells, reeds growing on it and spread of tamarisk bushes" ["Day notes of navigation A. I. Butakov on the Aral Sea in 1848 – 1849 years", Tashkent, 1953, p. 33].

According Butakov expedition did survey the island 17.V 1849 [see ibid., 33]

First reproduced in the journal "Painting and sculpture" (1938, № 3, p. 18) as property of P. Potocki titled "Unknown watercolor Shevchenko. On the shore of the Aral Sea".

The current location of the original is not known. Reproduced by the mentioned source.

L. I. Vnuchkova

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete Works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1962, vol. 8, № 44 (image), p. 26 (notes).