The Correspondence between Taras G. Shevchenko and Lazarevsky Brothers

Abstract

The article analyzes epistolaries as one of communication means between famous Ukrainian poet and artist Taras G. Shevchenko and three elder brothers from Lazarevsky family (Vasil, Mykhailo and Fedir M.). These epistolaries have been published in the periodicals of the second half of XIX – the early XX centuries. The article also reviews some archaeographic editorials, devoted to T. G. Shevchenko and written by the other Lazarevsky family representative – О. М. Lazarevsky, famous historian and archaeographist. Consideration is also given to significative and informative fragments of memoirs about T. G. Shevchenko left by Fedir and Mykhailo Lazarevsky and published in “Kievskaya Starina”. The author distinguishes main directions, principles and highlights of such epistolary contacts and clarifies the role of this correspondence as well as the role of Lazarevsky brothers themselves in Shevchenko’s personal destiny. The author determines archival destiny of some original letters and the contribution of Shevchenko’s friends and familiars to the publication of them. It is also determined that some of original letters were published with the help of Shevchenko’s talent admirers, editorial boards and regular emloyees of the Osnova and the Kievskaya Starina periodicals, artists from the second half of XIX – the early XX centuries.