Ivan Maksimovich Soshenko born June 2, 1807 in Boguslav in Kiev. His grandfather, a tradesman, tanners Kindrat Soha, left behind a small legacy. Father - Maxim Soshenko through constant hardships and threats enslavement was forced to move with his family to Zvenyhorodka.

Considerable influence in shaping Soshenko was his grandmother, who has taught in 8 years Soshenko ratification. Then Ivan Soshenko attended the clerk, where he learned to write Latin and read the Psalms, which he knew by heart and then in 60 years. At age 13 he was sent to the famous Vilshany ikonomalyara Stephen Prevlotskoho that agreed to Soshenko of free maintenance. This young artist he worked in the household. Later, he even received a salary for their work. In 1823 Soshenko starts to work independently and a good first order was for Mly Church ("Black spot"), which was later his reputation as an artist skilled in the whole district. He also drew pictures for Matusova, Lebedinsky monastery.

Soshenko introduced to Taras Shevchenko in 1836 in St. Petersburg. Soshenko was one of the first who drew attention to the artistic talent of Shevchenko. Introduced Soshenko Shevchenko with such famous people as Eugene comb, Vasily Grigorovich, Alex Gavrilovic Venetsianov and others. Some time Soshenko Shevchenko and had to live in one apartment. After graduation last lived in Ukraine. Soshenko subsequently met with Shevchenko in flats in 1846 and in Kiev in 1859, they are also much copied. In May 1861 Soshenko accompanied the coffin Shevchenko to Cannes. Landscape Soshenko

Based on "prosheniya" in the Board of the Academy of September 29, 1834 and a special "Uvolnytelnoho Letter" November 12, 1834 W. G. sign "ticket Imperial Academy of Arts' permission Soshenko as" postoronneho disciples "to study the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Learn Soshenko was quite difficult. Apparent given craft painter School and constant concern for a piece of bread. Special patronage I. Soshenko had professors from the Academy Venetsianov Alexei and Alexei Yegorov, whose advice helped artist. During training Soshenko creates a number of genre and historical paintings, portraits, landscapes, has been monumental mural paintings, copying classical art. At this time Ivan Soshenko acquainted with Peter Petrovsky, Grigory Mikhailov, Peter Zablotsky, Apollo Mokritskiy.

In July 1839 Soshenko leaves work to Nijinsky district school, where he later met again Shevchenko. After graduation he was awarded a certificate for the title free neklasnoho artist. The first private order plot Liberation of St. Peter from prison, despite the long and hard work of the artist, were rejected prude-customer. Due to ill health was forced to move to Nemirova work in the gymnasium. Among his pupils was then Huyskyy sculptor, Strashynskyy portrait, landscape Orlovsky, who later became a professor at the Academy of Arts. For earnings at this time Soshenko copied the work of art galleries Potocki, and three pictures of "Waterfall," "Morning," "Evening" were sold for 300 rubles, slightly helped the artist during his illness. There are scientific assumption that the order managing the estate of Mr. John H. Abaza Soshenko executed copy (possibly copy) portrait Sofia Potocki work lamp. He also, at deyakymym evidence, painted portraits of their elderly parents while visiting them in Zvenigorod summer For eight years after retirement in Nemirov Soshenko, fulfilling orders rural churches had only a single great work - for the altarpiece of the convent "Dormition of the Mother of God", large size, and the figures in human growth. Soshenko worked on the image a half years.

In July 1856 Soshenko moved to teach in Kyiv Kyiv II school, where he had served for 20 years. Working in high school he was constantly interested in the history of art, reports on the annual exhibitions at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. I read a lot of literature, including Kolbe and Kugler. On one of the pieces Soshenko recalls Sava Chaly - "Cossack camp" (1846), as well as watercolor "Banduryst" (1847). Soshenko also drew several Ukrainian landscapes, portraits created Khmelnytsky Mazepa shingle and Hontyhy, loved to paint portraits of old people. July 19, 1867 during a trip to his native Boguslaw John Soshenko died above the Ross, at whose birth. Buried in Korsun....