EN
The paper is devoted to the analysis of the reaction of Ukrainian artists of the early 20th century to Taras Shevchenko's personality and legacy. It is proven that it was a totally new reception of Ukraine's great poet, so different from the 19th century interpretations. Its course evolved in two directions: criticism of the cult of the poet as a phenomenon impeding the development of Ukrainian literature, and reflections on the poet from the perspective of modern assumptions on the worldview and aesthetics.