Apollon Nikolaevich Maykov was born in 1821 into an educated and talented family. His father was a painter, the brothers Valerian and Leonid were writers. Writers, artists often visited my father's house, literary conversations were held, and they argued about art. By the way, I. A. Goncharov, who gave lessons to older children, was a frequent visitor.

A. N. Maikov graduated from St. Petersburg University in the Faculty of Literature, did a lot of painting, to which he felt a vocation, but the weakness of his eyesight forced him to abandon work in this area.

Portrait of Apollon Nikolaevich Maikov. Artist V. Perov, 1872

He began to write poetry while still at the university, and, like Turgenev, he attributed his first experiments to Professor Pletnev, editor of the Sovremennik magazine. Pletnev approved of Maikov's experiments. In 1840, his poem "Dream" was published in the Odessa almanac, signed with the letter M. Belinsky welcomed this poem and guessed a major poet in the author.

In 1844 Maykov published the first collection of poems, which nominated the author as a poet. A major event in his life was a trip to Italy, where Maykov, as an artist and lover of beauty in art and nature, found rich material for study and observation. The poet visited museums and art galleries in Italy and enjoyed nature. The stay in Italy had a great influence on his creative development. After that, in Paris, he listened to lectures by professors on various areas knowledge.

Returning to Russia, Maykov was the librarian of the Rumyantsev Museum, and after the death of Tyutchev, he acted as chairman of the foreign censorship committee. A. N. Maykov personally edited the three-volume collection of his works.

He died in 1897.

Apollon Nikolaevich Maikov was born May 23 (June 4 n.s.), 1821 in Moscow in a noble family. The son of the academician of painting N.A. Maykov, brother V.N. and L.N. Maikovs.

Maikov was brought up in an atmosphere saturated with interest in art. Childhood years were spent in a Moscow house and estate near Moscow, which were often visited by artists and writers. The artistic atmosphere of the house contributed to the formation of the spiritual interests of the future poet, who early began to draw and write poetry.

Since 1834 the family moved to St. Petersburg, and the further fate of Maykov is connected with the capital. IN 1837-1841 A.N. Maikov studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University. After graduating from the university, he served in the Department of the State Treasury, but soon, having received an allowance from Nicholas I for traveling abroad, he left for Italy, where he studied painting and poetry, then to Paris, where he listened to lectures on art and literature. He visited both Dresden and Prague.

In 1844 Maikov returned to Russia. Since 1844- assistant librarian at the Rumyantsev Museum, since 1852 and until the end of his life - the censor, then the chairman of the committee of foreign censorship. Repeatedly traveled abroad, mainly to Greece and Italy.

His first poems appeared in the handwritten collections "Snowdrop" ( 1835-1838) And " moonlit nights» ( 1839 .), produced in the Maykov family. Appeared in print with the verse "Eagle" ("Library for reading", 1835., T. IX). In 1842 published a collection of "Poems", which showed Maikov's characteristic interest in Ancient Greece and Rome. Maykov continued the tradition of anthological poetry by K.N. Batyushkov and N.I. Gnedich. He is characterized by clarity and plasticity of images, the humanistic ideal of earthly life.

In the next collection "Essays on Rome" ( 1847 ) Maikov made an attempt on the background ancient world to show the nature and everyday scenes of modern Italy. The idealization of antiquity is combined with thoughts about the descendants of free peoples, sympathy for the national liberation movement led by J. Garibaldi (poetry "Palazzo"). In the mid 40s A. Maykov becomes close to Belinsky and the Petrashevites. Some works of this period, such as the poem "Two Fates" ( 1845 ), "Mashenka" ( 1846 ), "The young lady" ( 1846 ), written in the spirit of the natural school, contain civic motifs.

Beginning since the 50s, A. Maikov is increasingly joining the conservative camp. Patriotic feelings on the eve Crimean War reflected in the poem "Clermont Cathedral" ( 1853 ) and in the collection "1854" ( 1855 ). In 1858 after a trip to Greece, the cycles "Neapolitan Album" and "Modern Greek Songs" appeared. Peasant reform A. Maikov met with enthusiastic poems "Picture", "Fields", "Niva". Contrasting himself with the revolutionary-democratic camp, he became a supporter of "art for art's sake", which provoked sharp criticism from M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, parodies by N.A. Dobrolyubov, the poets of Iskra, Kozma Prutkov.

Apollon Maikov showed constant interest in historical subjects. Fascination with the era Ancient Rus' and Slavic folklore helped him create one of the best poetic translations of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" ( 1866-1870 ). Like the Slavophiles, Maykov opposed the new bourgeois relations with the traditions of Russian antiquity and a strong Russian statehood. With sympathy he painted images of Alexander Nevsky, Ivan IV, Peter I (“Who is he?”, 1868 ; "In Gorodets in 1263", 1875 ; Sagittarius legend about Princess Sofya Alekseevna, 1867 ; "At the tomb of the Terrible", 1887 ).

A. Maykov was attracted by dramatic episodes of world history. In the poems "Savonarola" ( 1851 ) and "Sentence" ( 1860 ) religious fanaticism and dogma are opposed to a humanistic worldview. Based on history ancient rome dramatic poems "Three Deaths" were written ( 1851 , publ. 1857 ), "Death of Lucius" ( 1863 ), "Two worlds" ( 1871, 1881 , was awarded the Pushkin Prize in 1882) are closely related. The first of them, depicting the despotism of Nero, provided rich material for parallels with the despotic regime of Nicholas I. In The Death of Lucius, paganism is opposed to Christianity, which is winning new supporters. The same antithesis is in the lyrical drama "Two Worlds".

last period ( since the 70s) is marked by a decline in the creative activity of A. Maykov, an increase in religious sentiments that replaced artistic epicureanism. Religious-philosophical themes, opposed to modernity with the offensive of capital hated by A. Maikov, take the first place (the cycle of poems “Eternal Questions”, “From Apollodorus the Gnostic”). Among the best creations of Apollo Maykov is his landscape lyrics (“Spring! The first frame is exhibited”, “Haymaking”, “In the rain”, “Swallows”, etc.). Unlike Italian landscapes, where the poet strove for external decorativeness, poems dedicated to Russian nature are distinguished by sincerity, watercolor subtlety of colors, melodiousness, and some contemplation. Many of his poems inspired composers (P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, and others). Apollo Maykov performed with translations from W. Goethe, G. Heine, A. Mickiewicz, G. Longfellow and others.

A. N. Maikov is one of the noble poets of conservative romanticism of ethical and philosophical orientation.

family education

Apollo Maykov was born in Moscow on May 23, 1821. It was an old noble family that kept rich cultural traditions. There were talented people in the Maykov family who did a lot in the development of Russian culture, in particular, his parents and brothers. His father, for example, was at one time a well-known self-taught artist, who over the years was awarded the title of academician of painting. Mother gravitated toward literature, wrote very high-quality poetry and prose.

The brothers also left their mark on the development of national culture. His younger brother Valerian, for example, being a prominent representative of the progressive intelligentsia, together with Belinsky, was an opponent of "pure art", a supporter of socio-historical principles in criticism. He wrote many works in which he spoke out against the Slavophiles, calling them adherents of national stagnation, and generally played a large role in the development of critical thought in Russia.

The Moscow house and the Maykov estate near Moscow were always full of people. Writers, artists, musicians often visited here. The visits of Goncharov I. A., Panaev I. I., Benediktov V. G., Solonitsyn V. A., Dostoevsky F. M. were a real holiday in the Maikovs' house. The cult of art reigning in the family, the artistic atmosphere of the parental home - all contributed to the formation of the spiritual interests of the future poet. Therefore, it is not surprising that Apollo was drawn to art from early childhood, read a lot, drew well and wrote lyrical poems.

The handwritten magazine "Snowdrop" and the almanac "Moonlight Nights" were published in the house, where the whole family, and sometimes guests, published their works. Apollo's children's poems first appeared in these family publications.

Education. First compilation

In 1834 the family left Moscow and settled in St. Petersburg. Since then, the further fate of the poet Apollon Maikov has been connected with the northern capital, except for those years, of course, when he traveled. From 1837 to 1841 he studied at St. Petersburg University at the faculty of jurisprudence. But he did not leave literary studies. After graduating from the university, Maykov joined the State Treasury Department, and a year later he published his first collection of poems, which was praised by the famous literary critic V. G. Belinsky. He wrote that Maykov's poetry is always a picture that shines with the true features and colors of nature. The collection was also a hit with readers.

Overseas travel

Emperor Nicholas I gave Maykov an allowance, which allowed the poet to make a long trip abroad. First he went to Italy, where he visited many cities, visited museums and exhibitions, studied painting and, as before, poetry. Then there was Paris, where Maykov listened to a series of lectures on art and world literature. Traveling around Europe, the poet visited Dresden, Prague and other cities with the same goal - to get to know world culture better.

Back home

In 1844, Apollon Maykov returned to Russia. He got a job at the Rumyantsev Museum as an assistant librarian. He wrote a lot and prepared for publication his second collection of poetry, Essays on Rome, dedicated to the impressions of a trip to Italy (1847). In the same years, Maykov became close to many famous writers: Belinsky, Turgenev, Nekrasov, Dostoevsky, Pleshcheev, regularly visited "Fridays" in the circle of M. Petrashevsky. He did not fully share many of their ideas, but they still had a certain influence on his poetic work. This is evidenced by the appearance of the poems "Two Fates", "Masha", "The Young Lady" (1845 - 1846), which, unlike his previous poems, contained civil motives.

Ideological orientation

In 1852, Maikov became a censor on the staff of the Committee for Foreign Censorship and remained in this position of the department for more than forty years. During these years, the ideas of the Slavophiles became close to him. Disillusioned with liberals and radicals, he revised his positions and as a result came to the defense of strong monarchical power, Orthodox faith. The fact that Maykov consistently occupied conservative positions is evidenced by his poem Clermont Cathedral (1853), as well as the cycles of poems Neapolitan Album and Modern Greek Songs (1858), written under the impression of a trip to Greece.

Maikov met the peasant reform to abolish serfdom (1861) with enthusiastic, optimistic poems "Fields", "Niva". Gradually, the poet finally opposed his position regarding art to the positions of the revolutionary democrats and became an adherent of "pure art". This transformation was sharply criticized by Saltykov-Shchedrin and Dobrolyubov in their satirical parodies.

Slavic theme

For a long time, Maikov was fond of antiquity, its harmonic art, and sought to express in his lyrics some imaginary world of beauty, far from the contradictions of the surrounding life. But over time, Slavophile views were added to this. Based on antique motives, the philosophical and lyrical drama "Two Worlds" was written, for which the Academy of Sciences awarded Maikov the Pushkin Prize (1882). The emerging interest in Christianity and Slavic folklore prompted the poet to work on the translation of The Tale of Igor's Campaign. His processing of the great creation of the era of Ancient Rus' is one of the best.

landscape lyrics

But Maikov's talent in landscape subjects was especially brightly manifested. The nature of the native land has always worried the poet. Each landscape painting for him is full of beauty, natural harmony, a sense of kinship and special warmth. He saw incredible creative powers in nature. He was worried about quite ordinary phenomena, familiar to everyone: the onset of spring, the withering of autumn, the flight of a swallow, summer rain. In his poems about Russian nature there is sincerity, watercolor subtlety of colors, melodiousness, keen observation.

Among the best poems of Maikov's landscape lyrics are "Haymaking", "Swallows", "Spring", "Autumn", "Summer Rain". Many of Maykov's poems once inspired some of the great composers to create romances (Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and others). But unlike the landscape lyrics of A. Fet, Maikov's poems do not differ in that refined "psychologism" that the outstanding lyric poet Fet became famous for.

In 1893, Maikov's sixth collected works in three volumes were published, the last lifetime edition for sixty years of his literary activity. Apollon Maikov died on March 8, 1897 in St. Petersburg.

Russian poetry of the 19th century is rich in the names of famous authors, whose works have become classics and have not lost their relevance, having been carried through the centuries. One of these outstanding poets is Apollon Maikov, who left us a wonderful creative heritage, interest in which has not faded to this day.

It is interesting to know what facts of the biography influenced the work of the writer, contributed to the formation of A. Maikov as a poet, the direction of his works and poetic style.

Famous representatives of the Maikov family

Maykov Apollon Nikolaevich was born in 1821 in Moscow in the family of an old noble family, whose history is closely connected with Russian art and education. Among the well-known relatives of the poet (all of them bore the surname Maikov) are many extremely gifted representatives of the creative intelligentsia who contributed to the development of Russian culture:

• Nil Sorsky (in the world Nikolai Fedorovich) - the famous Russian church figure of the 15th century, an Orthodox saint;
• Vasily Ivanovich - a poet who worked in Catherine's times;
• Apollon Alexandrovich - director of the Imperial Theatres, grandfather of the poet;
• Nikolai Apollonovich - a talented historical painter - father of A. Maykov;
• Evgenia Petrovna - translator and writer - mother of the poet.

The siblings of Apollon Maykov also shone with talents:

• Valerian Nikolaevich - publicist and literary critic;
• Vladimir Nikolaevich - writer, publisher of magazines for children and youth "Snowdrop" and "Family Evenings";
• Leonid Nikolaevich is a member of the Academy of Sciences, known for his works on the history of Russian literature.

Family education of Apollon Maikov

The childhood years of the poet were spent in the center of Moscow in the parental home, where a special atmosphere reigned, artists, writers and musicians often visited. Children grew up in an environment of love for creativity, extreme reverence for art and science as main meaning existence. All this contributed to the fact that Apollon Maykov read a lot, drew well and began to write lyric poetry early.

The poet's parents and their friends served as role models for children, their example helped to form spiritual interests, respect for moral values and high principles of life. The house produced handwritten editions for the publication of works by family members and guests - the almanac "Moonlight Nights" and the magazine "Snowdrop", in which the first poems of young Apollo were published.

The future poet spent the summer months in the grandmother's estate near Moscow in the village of Chepchikha. Here A. Maykov got acquainted with the nature of his native land with its silence and expanse, with the life of the Russian village and folk life.

In the life time of childhood and youth, when the impressions are especially strong and deep, the foundations of the poet's personality were laid by education in the spirit of the creative intelligentsia, as well as life in the bosom of free mother nature and the life of the Russian village with its truth and simplicity.

Getting an education

When A. Maikov was 13 years old, his family moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg, which connected the further fate of the poet with the Northern capital. Here Apollo and his brothers began to give lessons in Russian literature and Latin I. A. Goncharov.

A. Maikov studied at the University of St. Petersburg at the faculty of jurisprudence, but at the same time did not leave literature and painting. He listened with particular interest to lectures related to his passion for philosophy and the study of the Latin language - his favorite subjects were the encyclopedia of jurisprudence and Roman law. He also attended courses in general and Russian history and Russian literature.

After graduating from the university, Apollon Maikov entered public service to the Treasury Department.

The first collection of poems by A. Maikov

The name of the young talented poet Maykov became known after his works were published in a number of magazines, such as Otechestvennye Zapiski and Library for Reading. Soon the first collection "Poems of Apollo Maykov" (1842) was published, which was a success with readers and warmly received by connoisseurs of Russian literature. The young author was warmly praised by V. G. Belinsky.

This event contributed to the fact that the final choice of A. Maikov, who still hesitated between painting and literary creativity, was made in favor of poetry. Another reason why he had to leave the arts was the deterioration of his eyesight.

Travel abroad

The first collection of poems by A. Maykov was presented by the Minister of Public Education to the Emperor. For the book, the poet was awarded an allowance from Nicholas I - funds for a long trip to Europe, where he stayed for almost two years. At first, Maykov went to Italy, where he was engaged in creativity, visited many cities, visited museums and exhibitions. Then in France, in Paris, he listened to lectures on world literature and art. In order to study European culture, he also visited Dresden and Prague.

The trip served as an excellent timely addition to the university education of Apollon Maykov, which provided the richest material for further creativity and became an inexhaustible source of inspiration for writing many wonderful works throughout the life of the poet.

public service

Returning to Russia, Apollon Maikov wrote a dissertation on the law of the ancient Slavs, served in the Ministry of Finance, then worked at the Rumyantsev Museum as an assistant librarian. Then there were positions, first junior censor, then senior censor, and finally chairman of the foreign censorship committee, where he worked for more than forty years. As a member of the scientific committee under the Ministry of Public Education, he reviewed books published for public reading. He was a member of the council of the Russian Literary Society and the commission for organizing public readings, worked at the publishing house of the Novoye Slovo magazine and Teatralnaya Gazeta.

The state service partly contributed to the writing activity of A. Maikov, bringing him closer to Odoevsky and Tyutchev. Being the poet's superiors at work, they became his friends, critics and connoisseurs of his works. F. I. Tyutchev had a particularly strong influence on the formation of the final views and views on Russian statehood, to which the poet remained faithful until the end of his life.

The poet died in 1897 and was buried in St. Petersburg at the Novodevichy Cemetery.

Apollo Maykov, biography: milestones

The most significant events in the life and work of A. Maykov were:

• 1834 - the Maykov family moved to St. Petersburg;
• 1837-1841 - University studies;
• 1842-1844 - overseas travel;
• 1852 - began to work in the committee of foreign censorship;
• 1853 - became a corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences;
• 1853-1866 - the birth of four children in the family of Apollo Maykov and his wife Anna;
• 1857 - received the rank of real state councilor;
• 1882 - awarded the Pushkin Prize;
• 1888 - received the rank of Privy Councilor;
• 1897 - approved as chairman of the foreign censorship committee.

The biography of Apollon Nikolaevich Maikov is different in that there was no struggle and passions, persecution and persecution in it. His life is a bright and smooth path on which the poet had work, creativity and fame, travel and joy family life, there was a liveliness of movements and emotions that gave rise to beautiful poems.

Creativity of Apollo Maykov

In the work of A. Maykov, a number of periods can be distinguished, each of which is characterized by its own characteristics.

In the poems "Two Fates" (1845), "Mashenka" and "The Young Lady" (1846), civil motives can be traced, which arose under the influence of the ideas of the Petrashevists. Then there is a transition to a conservative position, which is evidenced by the poem "Clermont Cathedral" (1853), as well as cycles of poems dedicated to the impressions of trips to Italy and Greece - "Essays on Rome" (1847), "Neapolitan Album" and "Modern Greek Songs" (1858). The cycles of poems “In an anthological kind”, “Centuries and peoples”, “Reviews of history” correspond to the cultural and historical themes.

In the work of the poet, his constant interest in world history with its dramatic episodes is noticeable: the poems "Savonarola" (1851) and "Sentence" (1860), as well as the dramas "Three Deaths" (1851), "The Death of Lucius" (1863) and " Two Worlds (1881), in which Christianity is opposed to paganism.

In addition to poetry, A. Maikov was quite successfully engaged in translations, his poetic adaptation of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" - a great creation of the ancient Russian era, is considered one of the best. He translated the works of such authors as Goethe and Heine, folk poetry different countries- Greece, Spain, Serbia. A. Maykov's poems inspired the creation of romances by such great composers as Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Apollo Maykov: poems about Russian nature

In landscape lyrics, the poet's talent manifested itself most clearly. The subtlety of colors, natural beauty and harmony, seen in the most ordinary and familiar phenomena, such as the arrival of spring, summer rain, autumn fading - all this is Apollo Maykov. “Swallows” is a wonderful touching work in which the poet expressed thoughts about the transience of life through a description of the actions of birds that managed to summer months build a nest, raise offspring and fly to warmer climes.

Contemplation, sincerity, observation and melodiousness - this is what distinguishes Apollo Maykov in the landscape theme. "Spring", "In the rain", "Haymaking", "Autumn", "Summer rain" are considered the best works poet about the nature of his native land.

Domestic literature is proud of the rich contribution made by the work of the poet A. N. Maikov. His poems will forever remain one of the interesting phenomena in Russian poetry.