Iskra (The Spark), journal, 1858-73

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ISKRA (The Spark), a weekly satiric caricature journal, founded in 1859 under the editorship of its publishers: satiric poet V. S. Kurochkin and artist N. A. Stepanov (until 1864). It was one of the most sought after journals of the 1860s (with a circulation reaching a high of 10,000 copies). The editorial office was located at 30 Mokhovaya Street in Stepanov's flat. The Iskra staff body was represented by N. S. Kurochkin, D. D. Minaev, L. I. Palmin, P. I. Weinberg, V. P. Burenin, G. Z. Eliseev, with frequent contributions of F. M. Reshetnikov, А. I. Levitov, N. V. Uspensky, G. I. Uspensky, and occasional ones of N. А. Dobrolyubov, А. I. Herzen (under a pseudonym), А. N. Ostrovsky, Nikolay Nekrasov, М. Е. Saltykov-Shchedrin. Within the framework of the history of Russian poetry poets who contributed for the Iskra were viewed as a monolithic phenomenon (the Iskra poets); they were united by a shared perception of the journal's aims - personalised satire, which allowed by means of exposing a concrete and recognisable matter to mirror the universal state of things, a social anomaly. Besides Stepanov caricature artists A. N. Bordgelli, A. M. Volkov, M. S. Znamensky, N. V. Ievlev, S. A. Lyubovnikov, N. V. Shchiglev contributed to Iskra. Iskra was repeatedly harassed by censorship and in 1873 was suppressed for having a noxious orientation and distorted and absolutely inappropriate assertions about the government authorities.

References: Ямпольский И. Г. Сатирическая журналистика 1860-х годов: Журн. рев. сатиры Искра (1859-1873). М., 1964; Поэты Искры: В 2 т. Л., 1987.

A. B. Muratov. Bordgelli A.N.
Burenin Viktor Petrovich
Dobrolyubov Nikolay Alexandrovich
Eliseev Grigory Zakharovich
Herzen Alexander Ivanovich
Ievlev N.V.
Kurochkin A.M.
Kurochkin Nikolay Stepanovich
Levitov Alexander Ivanovich
Lyubovnikov S.A.
Minaev Dmitry Dmitrievich
Nekrasov Nikolay Alexeevich
Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Palmin Liodor Ivanovich
Reshetnikov Fedor Mikhailovich
Saltykov-Shchedrin (real name Saltykov) Mikhail Evgrafovich
Shchiglev N.V.
Stepanov Nikolay Alexandrovich
Uspensky Gleb Ivanovich
Uspensky Nikolay Viktorovich
Volkov Adrian Markovich
Weinberg Peter Isaevich
Znamensky (Starozhil) Mikhail Stepanovich
Mokhovaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 30
Ямпольский И. Г. Сатирическая журналистика 1860-х годов: Журн. рев. сатиры "Искра" (1859-1873). М., 1964
Поэты "Искры": В 2 т. Л., 1987