Ivan Sergeyevich
Turgenev
1818-1883
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a renowned Russian writer, poet, playwright, and publicist of the 19th century. His works include six novels, numerous short stories, novellas, plays, poems, prose poems, and articles. Some of his most famous works include “Mumu” and “Fathers and Sons”. Turgenev was born on October 28, 1818, in Orel in a noble family. He began his education at the family estate in Spasskoye-Lutovinovo under the guidance of German and French tutors. Later, the family moved to Moscow, where he attended boarding schools and later entered Moscow University. He transferred to St. Petersburg University to study philosophy. After completing his studies, he travelled abroad to study literature and philosophy and travelled extensively throughout Europe. His first poems were published in 1838. In 1841, he defended his philological dissertation, but soon dedicated himself entirely to writing. During this period, Turgenev met V. Belinsky, whose influence can be seen in his work. In 1847, he began publishing stories from the “Notes of a Hunter” series, which brought him recognition. At the same time, he also wrote plays (“Where It’s Thin, It Breaks” and “A Month in the Country”) and translated works by Byron and Shakespeare. In 1852, following the publication of an obituary for the death of Gogol, Turgenev was exiled to his family estate. There, he wrote the novella “Mumu”, which later became a symbol of his literary legacy. After this, he published novels such as “Rudin”, “The Noble Nest”, “Fathers and Sons”, and “The Day Before”, which cemented his position as one of Russia’s greatest writers. Other notable works by Turgenev include “Asya”, “Bezhin Meadow”, and “Spring Waters”, all written in the 1860s and 1870s. From the 1860s onwards, Turgenev also lived abroad, promoting Russian literature and translating works by other Russian classics such as Pushkin and Tolstoy into foreign languages. In 1879, Turgenev received the honourary title of Doctor of Oxford for his contributions to literature. In the last years of his life, Ivan Turgenev, a prominent Russian writer, suffered from a serious illness and died on August 22nd (September 3rd), 1883, in Bougival, France. His remains were interred at the Volkovsky Cemetery in St. Petersburg, where he became a symbol of Russian literature and had a significant impact on the world of literature. In Moscow, a commemorative plaque has been placed on the building where Turgenev frequently stayed.
Address: Moscow, Gogolevsky Boulevard, 10, building 1
