Oleksii Shovkunenko (1884-1974) was a Ukrainian painter and graphic artist, born in Kherson. He graduated from the Russian Academy of Sciences (1908), studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1909-1917). Teachers of the subject: K. Kostandi, G. Ladyzhenskyi, D. Krainev, V. Savinskyi. Participated in group (since 1918), republican (since 1927), all-Union (since 1939), and foreign (since 1932) exhibitions. Gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris (1937), silver medal at the International Exhibition in Brussels (1958). Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (1941). People's Artist of the USSR (1944). Active member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1947). Professor (1935). Laureate of the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR named after T. Shevchenko (1970). Awarded the Order of Lenin and 3 orders of the Labor Red Banner, medals, an honorary certificate of the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR.