While Taras worked for the Baron, he traveled around Russia and Poland. In 1831 Schevchenko visited St. Petersburg where Ehgelhart sold him to the painting constructor Shirayev. That time Taras's talents fully developed, but he got stock for seven years painting murals. Later Taras Schevchenko was discovered by the Ukrainian artist Sochenko and poet Zhukovsky, who introduced him to the famous Academy of Arts. Sochenko, Zhukovsky and Brullov raised money, by selling a portrait of Zhukovsky painted by Brullov on the auction and bought Taras his freedom. Brullov helped him to get in the Academy of Arts. There Schevchenko won a lot of prizes and was allowed to publish his work in Ukrainian. Most of the work Taras Schevchenko wrote in Ukrainian language, but the Czarist governments would never permitted to publish any work in the foreign language, so only Kobzar was published in Ukrainian at that time. It was the first book published in Ukrainian language. In 1845 Taras Schevchenko graduated from the Academy. After the graduation he went to Ukraine with the group of archeologists and fell in love with a daughter of the sexton from whom he had to suffer his whole childhood. This relationship did not last for long because of Schevchenko's origin, her family forbidden their marriage. In 1846 Taras joined a secret society of Ukrainian nationalists, which was discovered a year later. Schevchenko was sent to the army and was not allowed to write or paint. Life was very hard in the army, but the general, who was in command felt bad for him and tried to make Taras's life in the easier. At that time it was difficult to find a blank paper, and it was very expensive, but the general somehow managed to get some paper for Taras to write on. In 1850 he petitioned the Czar through the county Orlov to free Schevchenko to paint. The result was terrifying, Schevchenko was transferred to the different regiment for seven more years, but his health was damaged, so Taras survived this service only for three years.
