Bohdan Khmelnytsky before Crimean khan
Taras Shevchenko. Bohdan Khmelnytsky before the Crimean khan. Sketch. Paper, crayons (28.2 × 36 cm). [Nizhny Novgorod]. [No sooner than 22.IX 1857]. Taras Shevchenko National Museum, inv. g – 613.
Below – ink inscription by hand Chestahivsky: Khmelnytsky the khan. Top right is marked: number 109.
Dated on the basis of entries in the Shevchenko's diary for September 22: "After dinner, as well as before dinner, lying and reading "Bohdan Khmelnytsky" by Kostomarov" and September 23, 1857: "Weather constantly nasty. I always lie and read "Zenobii Bogdan", from which it is clear that at this time Shevchenko studied the history of the life and work of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. Proof of this is also a letter by Br. Zaleski to Shevchenko on November 5, 1857: "I hasten to send first few words to you by mail the in the hope that they will catch you in Nizhny over your Bohdan Khmelnytsky…" ["From the correspondence Shevchenko with different persons", "Kyiv antiquity", 1897, Vol. III, p. 471].
An outline for this sketch – see figures number 91, 92.
In the "Catalogue of V. Tarnowski's museum of ukrainian antiquities" [vol. II, Chernigov, 1900, p. 189, № 384] dates from 1859 – 1861 with name "Khmelnytsky and his son before the Crimean khan."
Registered as № 117 in a Chestahivsky's list.
A. Rusov in the article "Collection of drawings Shevchenko" ["Kyiv antiquity", 1894, Vol. II, p. 184] mentions among the works of Shevchenko picture "Khmelnitsky with Khan", which allegedly professor A. V. Prakhov did not return to his previous owner – V. P. Kakhovski. Is it impossible to establish, meant O. Rusov one of three known figures on this subject (see number 90, 91, 92), or any other, the fourth picture.
Storage areas: property of A. A. Kozachkovsky, V. P. Kakhovski, S. D. Brazol, V. Tarnowski's Chernihiv museum of ukrainian antiquities – № 384, Chernihiv Regional History Museum, Gallery of pictures Shevchenko, Kharkiv.
N. P. Prokopenko
After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete Works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1963, v. 10, № 90 (image), p. 49 – 50 (note).