Druzhinin A. V. (1824-1864), writer

Categories / Literature. Book Publishing/Personalia
DRUZHININ Alexander Vasilievich (1824, St. Petersburg - 1864) writer, critic, translator. On graduating from the Page Corps (1843) he served in the Finnish Life Guard Regiment, in 1846 he resigned and entered the Chancellery of the Military Ministry; in 1851 he resigned with the title of Collegiate Assessor. In the 1840-50s, he contributed to the journals Sovremennik, Iskra, to the newspaper Sankt-Peterburgskye vedomosti where his humorous essays about Petersburg life were published (Sentimental Travel of Ivan Chernoknizhnikov to Petersburg Dachas, Notes of a Petersburg Tourist, Pleasure and Philosophical Essays of a Petersburg Tourist etc.). He was one of the leading adherents of the theory of the "pure art" which he publicised in his controversies with revolutionary Democrats. Druzhinin left Sovremennik when Chernyshevsky entered it. In 1856-60, he was an editor of the journal Biblioteka Dlya Chteniya. He initiated the organisation of the Society for the Help of Literary Men and Scientists in Need (see the Literary Fund). He lived on the Seventh Line of Vasilievsky Island in Kapger House (1853-56) and in 16 Dmitrovsky (Khlebny) Lane. He was buried at Smolenskoe Orthodox cemetery.

References: Бройде А. М. А. В. Дружинин: Жизнь и творчество. Copenhagen, 1986.

A. B. Muratov. Chernyshevsky Nikolay Gavrilovich
Druzhinin Alexander Vasilievich
Kapger
7th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city
Dmitrovsky Lane/Saint Petersburg, city, house 16
Бройде А. М. А. В. Дружинин: Жизнь и творчество. Copenhagen, 1986 Page Corps
Page Corps
Finlyandsky Life Guards Regiment
Sovremennik (Contemporary), journal
Iskra (The Spark), journal, 1858-73
Sankt Peterburgskie Vedomosti (St. Petersburg Gazette), newspaper
Biblioteka Dlya Chteniya (The Reader's Library), journal
Literary Fund