Hryhoriy Shevchenko: Photographer from the Village of Kerelivka
Discovering the photographic legacy of poet Taras Shevchenko's grandnephew
By Mykola Babak Foundation
With the support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation & Aid for Artists
Hryhoriy Shevchenko with his Guests (20th Century) by unknownMykola Babak Foundation
Taras Shevchenko's Grandnephew
Born in Kerelivka (also called Kyrylivka before 1929), Hryhoriy Shevchenko was the grandnephew of the renowned poet Taras Shevchenko. He inherited a deep connection to his birthplace and a passion for his motherland (in the photo H. Shevchenko is in the middle of the bottom row).
The Village of Kerelivka (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
A Lineage of Light
From childhood, Hryhoriy grew up surrounded by reverence for word, light, and truth. His choice of photography became a natural continuation of his lineage — a way to preserve the dignity of ordinary Ukrainians and reflect their inner strength.
The Kerelivka Windmills (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Capturing Social Change
Hryhoriy Shevchenko's photography emerged as a key tool for documenting social change. His work combines reportage accuracy with subtle artistry, capturing the rhythm of movement and plasticity of human figures.
Khata (a traditional Ukrainian house) in Taras Shevchenko’s Homeland (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Early Life of Hryhoriy Shevchenko
Unfortunately, details about the childhood and youth of H. Shevchenko have not been found. However, it can be assumed that he received his primary education at the Kerelivka parish school.
Odesa
H. Shevchenko's artistic journey took him to Odesa, where he honed his skills at an art school, displaying a remarkable talent for painting. In Odesa he met Vira, who was of German origin. Later, they got married and around 1889 moved to Kerelivka - Hryhoriy's homeland.
Chumak Traders (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Family Support
Since 1908, Vira Joachimivna’s German relatives from the Odesa region sent her family food parcels each year. Chumaks delivered flour, grains, oil, and lard, resting two days in Kerelivka. The richest parcel arrived at Easter, when the whole family gathered to celebrate.
Hryhoriy Shevchenko's Daughters (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
The Shevchenko Daughters
Hryhoriy and Vira Shevchenko had three daughters: Yevheniya (born 1898, in the photo to the left), Halyna (born 1900, to the right), Kateryna (born 1910, in the center), and a son who passed away shortly after he was born.
From Painting to Photography
Hryhoriy Shevchenko initially excelled in painting landscapes and portraits after arriving in Kerelivka. A dissatisfied client and a desire for more realistic images led him to abandon his brushes and paints for a tripod camera, marking a shift in his artistic expression.
Girls near the Well (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Photographers' Status in Ukraine
In early 20th-century Ukraine, photographers held high status, especially in rural communities. Wealthy and famous people, artists, in particular Count Branytsky and his family, aristocrats from the Engelhardt family, M. Lysenko, O. Koshyts and others visited H. Shevchenko.
Bazaar in the Village of Kerelivka (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Identifying H.Shevchenko's Photos
Hryhoriy Shevchenko often marked his photographs with his name or a personal seal. This makes verifying his work relatively straightforward. Here, "Shevchenko" is visible in the lower left corner, added using a photocopy.
Shevchenkiana
The photographer from Kerelivka, Hryhoriy Shevchenko, frequently focused on "Shevchenkiana," creating photo reproductions of his great ancestor's portrait. He also produced postcards and images connected to Taras Shevchenko's life and death.
Taras Shevchenko Portraits
Hryhoriy Shevchenko created photographic reproductions of portraits of his prominent ancestor Taras Shevchenko, in particular based on the works of photographer Heinrich Johann Denier.
Here was the House of T.G. Shevchenko. (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
The Cult of Taras Shevchenko
Shevchenkiana in postcards and photographs of Hryhoriy Shevchenko has an extremely important historical and artistic significance, because these pictures are one of the few documentary evidences of the formation and rooting of the cult of Taras Shevchenko in Ukrainian culture.
This online exhibition was created with the support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and Aid for Artists.
Artistic Influences
In his work, H. Shevchenko highlighted the Ukrainian theme, following the traditions of such great masters of Ukrainian painting as T.Shevchenko, S.Vasylkivsky, M.Pymonenko, K.Trutovsky, A. Kuindzhi, I. Repin, O. Murashko, V. Orlovsky, S. Svitoslavsky, etc.
Hryhoriy Shevchenko's photographs immortalize early 20th-century Ukrainians, offering a unique glimpse into their lives and culture. These portraits offer a valuable record of a bygone era.
Wedding Feast (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Rural Vision
H.Shevchenko's photographs preserved his artistic vision of the Ukrainian rural landscape. He captured scenes of windmills, bazaars, weddings, and village life, including archetypal village beauties in wreaths, jewelries and national clothes.
Windmills (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Vanishing Windmills
H. Shevchenko photographed windmills extensively, reflecting how common milling once was here. In the early 19th century, up to 30 windmills operated near Kerelivka. Today, only one survives—standing by the road to the village of Budyshche.
Haystacking (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Rural Life Through the Lens
A distinct group of photographs shows agricultural labor: threshing and winnowing with steam engines, harvesting, herding cattle, and trampling hemp. Others focus on daily life—rural landscapes, boat trips, street scenes, bazaars, and women talking by a well in Kerelivka.
Wedding Group (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Wedding Moments
Several wedding photographs have survived: an image of a wedding dance performed only by girls, a portrait of the bride, photographs of the wedding feast, and groups of girls with the newlyweds.
Сows in the Pond (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Shevchenko's Photographic Range
H. Shevchenko's photography showcases a broad range of genres and subjects. His work includes both staged and documentary photos, reproductions, and collages, each reflecting the unique characteristics of the seasons.
Peasant Family (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Shevchenko's Mastery
Analyzing the photographic legacy of H. Shevchenko reveals a true master of the medium. He worked with equal skill on complex group scenes, everyday life, and landscapes, as on photographic reproductions that demanded precision, technique, and refined artistic taste.
H. Shevchenko's Tragic End
During World War II, H. Shevchenko was arrested by Nazi troops in Kerelivka. Rather than be executed by the occupiers, he chose to end his own life, throwing himself into a well as an act of defiance.
Old Man from the Village of Pochapyntsi (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Photographic Legacy of Hryhoriy Shevchenko.
Around 100 of Hryhoriy Shevchenko's photographs and photopostcards survive today. These are preserved in the National Taras Shevchenko Museum in Kyiv, the Kobzar Museum in Cherkasy, and in the collection of Mykola Babak Foundation.
Hryhoriy Shevchenko in a Horse-Drawn Cart (20th Century) by Hryhoriy ShevchenkoMykola Babak Foundation
Shevchenko: A Unique Vision
Hryhoriy Shevchenko remains one of the most distinctive yet little-known Ukrainian photographers of the early 20th c. His images combine documentary precision with artistic sensitivity, capturing rural life, labor, and traditions as a unique visual record of a vanished world.
The author of this story is Veronika Ganiechko.
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