Taras Shevchenko

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko"). At that time serfs' patronymic names were not identified in documents (for example, see the text of a "free-to-go" document from 22 April 1838: ""). During Shevchenko's lifetime in Ukrainian texts two variants were used: "" (see the letter of Hryhory Kvitka-Osnovyanenko from [http://izbornyk.org.ua/shevchenko/lystydo01.htm 23 October 1840]: "") and "" (the letter of same author from [http://izbornyk.org.ua/shevchenko/lystydo01.htm#r1842 29 April 1842]: ""). In Russian it is accepted to write «Тарас Григорьевич Шевченко», in Ukrainian—«Тарас Григорович Шевченко», in other languages—transliterating from the Ukrainian name, for example "''Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko''.}} (; ; 9 March 1814 – 10 March 1861) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure, folklorist, and ethnographer. He was a fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts and a member of the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius. He wrote poetry in Ukrainian and prose (nine novellas, a diary, and his autobiography) in Russian, making him one of many iconic figures which belong to several Slavic language cultures.

The town of Aktau in Kazakhstan was named after Shevchenko in the period of Soviet authority. His literary heritage, in particular the poetry collection ''Kobzar'', is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and to some degree also of the modern Ukrainian language. Provided by Wikipedia