Kateryna is a story of a maiden whose love is betrayed by a Muscovite or ‘Moskal’ – an epithet that was often used as a pejorative for Russian soldiers or Russians generally. The poem was written by Taras Shevchenko, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets. He is what Goethe is to Germany, William Shakespeare is to England, and what Alexander Pushkin is to Russia. Nicolas Tolmachev has created some provocative illustrations for Kateryna. About the author Taras Shevchenko: One of the key figures in Ukrainian history, Taras Shevchenko was a leading figure in 1800s Eastern Europe. His work spans writing, art & folklore, and is now available in illustrated, English editions. About the illustrator Nicolas Tolmachev: Nicholas was born in Brovary, a small town near Kyiv. He taught himself how to draw and at age 20 he won a study grant for the National School of Fine Arts in France, Paris’ most prestigious fine arts school. After gaining fame in Paris, Nicholas came back to Ukraine.
Author
See also: Тарас Шевченко (Ukrainian) Taras Shevchenko was a prominent Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure, as well as folklorist and ethnographer. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature. Shevchenko is also known for many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator. He was a member of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood and an academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Shevchenko has had a unique place in Ukrainian cultural history and in world literature. Through his writings he laid the foundations for the creation of a fully functional modern Ukrainian literature. His poetry contributed greatly to the growth of Ukrainian national consciousness, and his influence on various facets of Ukrainian intellectual, literary, and national life is still felt to this day. [https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/... Shevchenko National Prize]
