B. Sukhanov-Podkolzin

Taras Shevchenko. Boris Sukhanov-Podkolzin. Sketch. Stained paper, Italian pencil, chalk (25.4 × 34.5 cm). [St.Petersburg]. [No sooner III 1859]. Taras Shevchenko National Museum, inv. g – 835.

In memories on Shevchenko B. Sukhanov-Podkolzin, talking about what he had to repeatedly pose for the figure of Cossack see in the picture "Mermaids", said:

"Cossack for some reason did not work well to Taras and washed off mercilessly… For me the image of Cossack happened a long time lying on the couch, dangling arm and a leg, sometimes in a very uncomfortable and even painful posture» [B. Sukhanov-Podkolzin, Memories on Taras Shevchenko by his accidentally disciple, "Kyiv antiquity", 1885, Vol. II, p. 234].

The similarity shown in the sketch of a person to portrait of Boris Sukhanov-Podkolzin, performed Shevchenko in 1858, posture, which shows the head of the person portrayed in the sketch, artistic manner of performance figure, typical for this time of Shevchenko and the same paper on which drawn this sketch and sketches of mermaids (see number 107, 108, 109) is the basis for determining the portrayed person and dates for the picture.

In 1928 figure was acquired in Kyiv museum and recorded in the inventory of books called "Bust of sleeping boy".

In 1930 it was introduced to the literature studies as a portrait of V. I. Sternberg [see "Catalogue of painting works of Taras Shevchenko, exhibited in the Gallery", Kharkov, 1934, p. 18; A. Beskin, Shevchenko as an artist, "Art", Moscow, 1939, № 2, p. 5, 24, and others]. The reason for this was mentioned in the story Shevchenko "Artist" that the hero of the story painted a portrait of sleeping Sternberg, although the person shown in this figure, has no similarity with known portraits of V. I. Sternberg [see V. Sudak, Portraits of work Shevchenko, "Soviet Ukraine", 1961, № 3, p. 187 – 190].

Storage areas: property of A. V. Prakhov, M. A. Prakhov, Ukrainian Historical Museum, Kyiv, Gallery of pictures Shevchenko, Kharkiv, Taras Shevchenko Central Museum, Kyiv.

In 1939 exposed at the Republican Shevchenko Jubilee Exhibition in Kyiv (Product, № 107).

V. O. Sudak

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete Works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1963, v. 10, № 36 (image), p. 25 (note).