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 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).