A rare edition autographed by Lermontov from the looted estate of Shenshin

PENZA. An autograph of the poet was found in the Lermontov library.

A revision of archives and library collections is a source of unexpected discoveries, an opportunity to learn more about the history of national culture. The inspectorate of the regional library’s storerooms in Penza made it possible to find a rare edition — the volume of the works of Francois Rene de Châteaubriand, which had previously belonged to the county governor of the nobility, Vladimir Shenshin.

The circle of friends of the hospitable and highly educated owner of the estate in Dalniy Volkovo included famous scientists and writers. Among the latter are Fet and Turgenev. One of the friends of Shenshin’s youth was Lermontov, who dedicated the poem “To a Friend of V. Sh.” To Vladimir Alexandrovich. It was published in the "Domestic Notes" 18 years after the death of the poet. Tomik Shatobriana from the collection of books belonging to Shenshin, was in the hands of Mikhail Yuryevich repeatedly. Confirmation of this - quotes in pencil highlighted, numerous notes left by his hand.

A comparative analysis of the works of Lermontov and Chateaubriand testifies to the undoubted influence of the French romantic writer on the work of not only his compatriots - Hugo and de Vigny, but also the Russian poet, as well as the parallels between the disappointed hero René, ou les Effets des passions and the image of Pechorin.

During the Civil War, the Shenshin’s estate suffered the fate of most noble nests. The barbaric looting and expropriation of property, including intellectual property. So the book of Chateaubriand was in the Penza Regional Library, founded in 1892 at the suggestion of the Lermontov Society. Her collections contain books donated by Zola, Tolstoy, Maykov, Doda.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru