ШЕВЧЕНКОЗНАВЧІ ПИТАННЯ В ЕПІСТОЛЯРІЇ СПІВРОБІТНИКІВ ВСЕУКРАЇНСЬКОЇ АКАДЕМІЇ НАУК ТА ІНСТИТУТУ ТАРАСА ШЕВЧЕНКА 1920–1930-х РОКІВ

Abstract

The article analyzes about 80 letters of Ukrainian scientists of I. Aizenshtok, D. Bagalyi, O. Doroshkevych, S. Yefremov, A. Krymskyi, V. Miiakovskyi, M. and O. Novytski, M. Plevako, P. Rulin and others. They are important source for studying their biographies, clarifying creative intentions and efforts, keep the addressee’s mood and their reactions to events or circumstances. The epistolary expanding the directions of the development of Shevchenko studies in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the difficulties of organization scientific work in the Kyiv branch of the Taras Shevchenko Institute. The letters contein new information about the peculiarities of the preparation of the Complete Collected Works of Taras Shevchenko (1927–1929; 1935–1937). The probable dates of the arrangement of the volumes, the history of the discovery and researching of the letters (vol. 3, 1929) and artistic works (vol. 8, 1932) are writing in letters. For the first time, a review of the fourth volume of the collection (the diary of the poet, 1927) by historian Mykhaylo Slabchenko is published (letter to Serhiy Yefremov dated April 4, 1927). In particular, the letters supplement information about the publication of a series of memoirs (1930–1931) dedicated to the poet, and "Kobzar" (1931) with illustrations by V. Sedlyar. From a number of ideas of Shevchenko scholars, the correspondence contains evidences about the preparation of the "Dictionary of Shevchenko’s Familiars", monographs by M. Novytskyj about the company of mochymords, collections by V. Mijakovskyj about the Cyrylo and Methodius brotherhood, the funeral and reburial of the poet etc. From the letters of M. and O. Nowytski it first became known about the plan of the scientists republish the work of O. Konyskyi "Taras Shevchenko-Hrushivskyi: a chronicle of his life and work" (1898, 1901) at the beginning of 1930’s. In the letters of O. Novytskyi a primary role is assigned to a part of Shevchenko’s creativity that was little studied at the time - painting, first of all, in mastering the etching technique. The fact of cultural and political orientation – the misunderstanding of Ukraine in the Russian world – did not go unnoticed by researchers of Shevchenko's Word (Peter Rulin's letter dated August 21, 1926). All reviewed letters are stored in Kyiv archives and mostly have not been printed. During the preparation of the article several of them were discribed for the first time and, if necessary, attributed.