Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (Ukrainian: Тарас Григорович Шевченко, Ukrainian pronunciation: [tɐˈraz‿ɦrɪˈɦɔrowɪt͡ʃ ʃeu̯t͡ʃɛnko]; Russian: Тарас Григорьевич Шевченко, romanized: Taras Grigoryevich Shevchenko; 9 March 1814 – 10 March 1861) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure, folklorist and ethnographer. 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.