Coin Ukraine 2019 #11 Panteleimon Kulish

Description

Panteleimon Kulish

The commemorative coin is dedicated to Panteleimon Kulish, the famous writer, publicist, ethnographer, historian, literary critic, translator, and public figure. Panteleimon Kulish was one of the most colorful Ukrainian literary figures of his time. He invented the phonetic spelling that became the basis of the systematized contemporary Ukrainian spelling; he wrote the first Ukrainian historical novel (The Black Council); he was the father of Ukrainian literary translations (he translated works by Shakespeare, Byron, Heine, Goethe, Schiller and was the first to translate the Bible into Ukrainian). Panteleimon Kulish actively promoted the idea that it was vital for the public to understand the need for the Ukrainian literature and language to evolve. Without their normal functioning in every area of life, he believed, it would be impossible for Ukraine to make progress.

above and to the left is Ukraine’s small coat of arms. Below and to the left, against a smooth backdrop are the legends УКРАЇНА/2/ГРИВНІ/2019 (Ukraine/2 hryvnias/2019); below is the mint mark of the NBU’s Banknote Printing and Minting Works. To the right are an embroidered towel and a quote from Kulish’s letter to his wife, Hanna Barvinok: ЗОВСІМ/ ІНША БУЛА Б РІЧ,/ ЯКБИ МИ ЄДИНИМИ/ УСТАМИ І ЄДИНИМ/ СЕРЦЕМ ТРУДИЛИСЬ/ НАД ПРОБУДЖЕННЯМ/ СУСПІЛЬНО-/ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ/ СВІДОМОСТІ/ В УКРАЇНІ (It would be a radical improvement if we united our minds and hearts in awakening the people of Ukraine to their social and national identity).

there is Panteleimon Kulish’s portrait; to the left are letters; to the right are the years 1819/1897 marking the writer’s life, and the legend ПАНТЕЛЕЙМОН/ КУЛІШ (Panteleimon Kulish).