Goncharov I.A. (1812-1891), writer

Categories / Literature. Book Publishing/Personalia
GONCHAROV Ivan Alexandrovich (1812-1891, St. Petersburg), writer, corresponding member of the Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1860). Graduated from the Philological Department of Moscow University (1834). In St. Petersburg from 1835. Worked in the Department for Foreign Commerce of the Ministry of Finance (until 1856; lived at 52 Liteiny Avenue); in 1852-54 he sailed round the world on the board of Pallada frigate, described his impressions in the book The Frigate Pallada, 1858. In 1856-60 was chief censor in the Ministry for People's Education, concurrently in December 1857 - spring of 1858 taught Russian literature to Tsesarevitch Nikolay Alexandrovich. In 1862-63 - editor-in-chief of the newspaper Severnaya Pochta, then a member of the Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Book-Printing (until 1865) and Council of the Main Department for Press (until 1867). Member of the Literary Fund (from 1859). Drew together (1835) with the family of painter N.A. Maykov, whose sons (Apollon and Valerian) he taught Latin and literature. The literary life of Goncharov started in the Salon of the Maytkovs (the stories A Disgraceful Disease, 1838, and Happy Mistake, 1839 are set in Petersburg). In 1846 Goncharov got acquainted with V.G. Belinsky and entered the circle of writers of the journal Sovremennik, where his novel A Common Story (1847) was published. The novel Oblomov (1859) and the first part of the novel The Precipice (1869) are set in St. Petersburg. Goncharov depicts St. Petersburg as the town of the new times that on the one hand embodies the inevitable victory of historical progress and materialism over the barren romanticism, but, on the other, sweeps away the poetry and harmonious integrity of the patriarchal life. He also touches upon Petersburg subject in his Letters to a friend in the country (1848), Modern Notes (1847), Petersburg Chronicle (1874), his notes May in Petersburg (1891, published in 1892). In the 1860s contributed to the newspaper Golos where his works were published in the Petersburg Notes section. In his last decades Goncharov secluded himself and didn't write much. He occasionally visited M.M. Stasyulevich and the bookstore of M.O. Wolf. After a visit to the Alexandrinsky Theatre, where the comedy Woe from Wit was given as the benefit performance of I. I. Monakhov on 10 December 1872, he wrote the article A Thousand Torments. From 1857 and till his last day he lived at 3 Mokhovaya Street (memorial plaque). Buried at Nikolskoe Cemetery of Alexander Nevsky Lavra; in 1956 his remains were moved to Literatorskie Mostki.

References: Алексеев А. Д. Летопись жизни и творчества И. А. Гончарова. М.; Л., 1960; И. А. Гончаров в воспоминаниях современников. Л., 1969; Черно А. И. Иван Александрович Гончаров // Литературные памятные места Ленинграда. 3-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1976. С. 333-348.

A. B. Muratov. Belinsky Vissarion Grigorievich
Goncharov Ivan Alexandrovich
Maykov Nikolay Apollonovich
Monakhov Ippolit Ivanovich
Nicholas I, Emperor
Stasyulevich Mikhail Matveevich
Wolf Mavriky Osipovich
Liteiny Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 52
Mokhovaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 3
Алексеев А. Д. Летопись жизни и творчества И. А. Гончарова. М.; Л., 1960
И. А. Гончаров в воспоминаниях современников. Л., 1969
Черно А. И. Иван Александрович Гончаров // Литературные памятные места Ленинграда. 3-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1976 Maykov Literary and Artistic Salon
Sovremennik (Contemporary), journal
Golos (The Voice), newspaper, 1863-1884
Nikolskoe Cemetery
Literatorskie (Literary) Mostki, the museum-necropolis
1847