Taras ShevchenkoTaras Shevchenko (1814-1861) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, and artist, widely regarded as the founder of modern Ukrainian literature and a central figure in the nation's cultural identity. Born a serf, he was freed in 1838 and trained at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. His novella The Artist, written in 1856, draws on his own experience of art, servitude, and freedom. Read More Read Less