Timeline: Russian Culture, Part III

![]() | Part III: The Golden Age |
by David Johnson
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1756 | 1801 | 1852 | 1900 | Next: Soviet Period |
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1756 | Czarina Elizabeth allies Russia with France; cult of French Enlightenment (Francois Voltaire, Denis Diderot) rises, French language spreads among aristocracy |
1762 | Peter III emancipated nobles from state service, allowing development of leisured, cultured class; Winter Palace, triumph of lavish rococo style, begun in St. Petersburg |
Circa | D. Levitsky, court painter to Catherine II, excels in realistic portraits of important Russians in pseudo-classical surroundings; secular work replaces icon painting as leading style |
1782 | The Adolescent, play by Denis Fonvizin, is performed. Russia's first drama of social satire, early masterpiece of secular literature, questions Russian Enlightenment |
1801 | Charles Louis Diderot, French ballet master, father of classical Russian ballet, establishes St. Petersburg company |
1812 | Napoleon invades Russia; French Enlightenment loses favor, German culture, philosophy (Fredrich Schelling, Georg Hegel) becomes more popular |
Circa | Pan-Asianist Raphael Zotov writes The Last Descendant of Genghis Khan, seeks to create proto-Asian society by reconnecting with Russia's Mongol roots |
1820-1833 | Aleksandr Pushkin, father of modern Russian literature, seeks inspiration from Russian history, builds national identity, creates modern Russian language, writes poems, short stories, plays—Eugene Onegin, 1823-1831; The Bronze Horseman, 1833; Boris Godunov, 1831 |
1825 | Bolshoi Theater opens, Moscow |
Circa | Two philosophical movements: Westernizers believe European modernism is answer to Russia's problems; Slavophiles seek salvation in Russia's Slavic heritage |
1836-1852 | Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, father of modern Russian music, composes opera, A Life for the Czar, followed by Russlan and Ludmilla, 1842 |
1837 | Mikhail Lermontov, greatest poet after Pushkin, writes heroic poem, The Song of the Merchant Kalashnikov; novel A Hero of Our Time, 1840, classic of Russian realism |
1847 | French choreographer Maurius Petipa arrives in St. Petersburg, enhances training, stages acclaimed productions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda; Russian ballet becomes world class |
1852 | Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, opens |
1858 | Ivan Goncharov, writes novel Oblomov, satiric masterpiece featuring stock characters: indolent, lovable Slav, industrious, unpopular German |
1862 | Novelist, dramatist, short story writer, Ivan Turgenev, publishes Fathers and Sons, brilliant philosophical novel, presents Nihlist philosophy, seeks to reverse old order through social equality |
1863 | N.G. Chernyshevsky, writes novel What is to Be Done? calls for 'new men and women' to change Russia through deprivation, suffering, influenced Bolsheviks |
1866-1881 | Feodor Dostoyevsky, Russia's most illustrious Slavophile, romantic realist, novels Crime and Punishment; 1866; Brothers Karamazov, 1880, one of greatest novels ever written |
1869 | Composer Modest Moussorgsky, pioneer of Russian national style, finishes Boris Godunov, devastatingly powerful opera |
1873 | Ilya Repin, most influential Russian realist painter, paints Volga Boatmen, hailed as "art of the people" |
1888 | Composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov completes opera, The Golden Cockrel, 1909, refines Russian romanticism |
1898 | Constantin Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko establish Moscow Art Theatre; revolutionize theatrical training by creating method acting |
1899 | Dramatist Anton Chekhov writes masterpiece Uncle Vanya; The Three Sisters, 1901; The Cherry Orchard, 1904; focus on character's internal drama major innovation |
Circa | Mir Iskusstva (World of Art Group) formed, similar to Art Nouveau /ce6/ent/A0804891.html |
1906 | Mir Iskusstva (World of Art Group) formed, similar to Art Nouveau |
1909 | Sergei Diaghilev founds Ballets Russes, revolutionizes ballet, sets standard for 20th century |
1910 | Igor Stravinsky rockets to international fame, composes ballet Firebird at Ballet Russes; ballet Rites of Spring, 1913, features irregular, primitive rhythms, dissonance; audience riots, later accepted as landmark work |
1912 | Vladimir Lenin founds newspaper Pravda (Truth) while in exile |
1913 | Casimir Malevich promotes suprematism, art movement featuring geometric shapes painted on canvas; influences modern art, architecture, industrial design |
1917 | Sergei Prokofiev's Classical Symphony mixes modern, traditional elements |
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