Society and culture: "If You Take after Kin, then You're a Writer..." exhibition dedicated to Alexander Pushkin’s first cousin once removed, in St. Petersburg

"If You Take after Kin, then You're a Writer..." exhibition, dedicated to Alexander Pushkin’s first cousin once removed, opens on June 4, 2015, in the Western Wing of Derzhavin Museum-Estate (All-Russian Pushkin Museum, St. Petersburg) within the framework of the "Literary Calendar" project.

Alexei Mikhailovich Pushkin (1771-1825) is a writer, translator, amateur actor, who received an excellent education; he knew French literature; participated of the Russian-Turkish War (1787-1791), rose to the rank of Major General in 1801. In honor of the capture of Paris by Russian troops he wrote the "Prologue to Commemorate the Victory over Napoleon." He was friends with P. A. Vyazemsky, K. N. Batyushkov, V. L. Pushkin, V. A. Zhukovsky, was acquainted with N. M. Karamzin and I. I. Dmitriev. He might see Pushkin as a child in Moscow. But evidence of their meeting is missing. Active literary activities of Alexei Mikhailovich fall at 1810s. He translates Racine, Regnard, Moliere. His most significant work is free verse translation of Moliere's comedy "Tartuffe" (1809), entitled "Hanzheev or a Hypocrite." The comedy was released at Moscow stage in 1810. Contemporaries, except S. T. Aksakov, met the play with a cold. However, later researchers called it the best work of translation of Moliere in the XIX century. In 1817 Regnard’s "Player" in interpretation of A. M. Pushkin was released in the stage of St. Petersburg with the participation of Y. G. Bryansky. Contemporaries noted A. M. Pushkin’s nimble mind, wit, fondness for paradoxes, independent way of thinking, and a yearning to go against generally accepted.

The exhibition will be held from the 4th to 28th of June 2015.