G.A. Potemkin

Taras Shevchenko. Portrait of G.A. Potemkin. Engraving (10,7 × 9,5 cm) placed between pages 144 – 145 of the book "Russian generals" by N.A.Polevoj.

Grigory Potemkin (1739 – 1791) – Prince, the Russian state and military leader, General Field Marshal. G.A. Potemkin Shevchenko mentioned in the poem "Blind" under the nickname "Hairy person".

D.A. Rovinsky notes that good and similar portrait of G.A. Potemkin was made in Iasi by painter J.-B. Lampi and engraved by James Walker in 1789, and all other copied from this type [Rovinsky D.A. Detailed dictionary of Russian engraved portraits. – St. Petersburg, 1889. – T. 2. – S. 1547].

Looking at portraits of G.A. Potemkin, engraved by type Lamps – Valkera, researcher gives a description of a portrait, placed in a N.A.Polevoj's book, without mentioning names names of artist and engraver [Ibid. – S. 1550].

Shevchenko in his work on a portrait could also use a copy by V.L. Borovikovsky with his original teacher – Viennese painter J.-B. Lampi, located in a private collection of Prince N. Bobrynsky (now kept in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg), and engraved by James Walker in 1789, that Shevchenko could see in the Public Library in St. Petersburg [Palamarchuk G.P. Portraits painted by famous artist // Visual art. – 1981. – № 2. – P. 20].

N.P. Prokopenko

After publication: T.H. Shevchenko Complete Works in 12 volumes. – Kyiv: Naukova Dumka, 2003, v. 7, p. 188 – 189 (image), p. 419 (note).