Taras Shevchenko

Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) was born a serf (slave). This Ukrainian artist, poet and writer wrote poetry in a blend of vernacular Ukrainian and Old Church Slavonic that established the literary Ukrainian language. His poetry has contributed significantly to the development of a Ukrainian national consciousness. As an artist, Shevchenko produced over a thousand works, including many portraits and landscapes. He was also an accomplished engraver.

from the biographical dictionary, Saints, Sufis and Yogis, available through lulu.com