Transcending Linguistic and Cultural Boundaries: A Story of Friendship Between Ira Aldridge (1807–1867) and Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861)
Transcending Linguistic and Cultural Boundaries: A Story of Friendship Between Ira Aldridge (1807–1867) and Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861)

Summary/Abstract: The text presents the unique friendship between ira Aldridge (1807–1867), the rst Africa–American tragedian and Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861), Ukrainian artist, poet and painter. They met for a short time in 1858, when Aldridge came to St Peters- burg to play Shakespeare with a German troupe. Since their lives’ experiences were similar – Aldridge su ered from racial discrimination, while Shevchenko was born as a serf – their friendship was instantaneous. Shevchenko appreciated Aldridge’s theatri- cal skills and Aldridge highly valued Shevchenko’s art. Aldridge’s portrait painted by Shevchenko is a memento of their meetings and friendship and is exhibited in the Moscow Tretiakov Gallery.

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