Where did Lermontov's childhood go? Biography of Lermontov: childhood and youth

In the north-western part of the Penza region there is the village of Lermontovo, better known as Tarkhany. Many guests from all over Russia and from other countries come here every year. This is the place where Lermontov's childhood, the famous Russian poet and prose writer, passed. Here, in 1841, his ashes were restored to peace.

Today in Tarkhany, in addition to excursions, various scientific and practical conferences, theatrical and literary and music programs, holidays are held ... Lermontov's annual readings have become traditional.

Where did Lermontov's childhood go?

The museum-reserve covers an area of approximately 140 hectares and consists of 3 large architectural complexes:

- a manor house with buildings and the nearby church of Mary of Egypt;

- the church of Michael the Archangel with the grave crypt of the Arsenievs (here the poet is buried);

- the estate Apalihu, which belonged to the niece of EA Arsenyeva MA Shan-Girey.

The farmstead was perfectly planned: all the buildings and artificial plantations were very successfully blended into the natural landscape, so today it is also one of the most unique monuments of landscape art. Usually the State Museum-Estate, where Lermontov's childhood passed, is briefly called the Tarkhans.

Manor-house

Arrangement of the estate in the form in which it exists today, began in the second decade of the XIX century. After the death of her only daughter, landowner Elizaveta Arsenyeva, who in 1795 became the owner of the Tarkhans, ordered to rebuild the church of Mary of Egypt in her honor. After its construction here parishioners from all nearby places hastened, it became the place of carrying out of all traditional ceremonies and divine services. Elizabeth Alexeyevna and her grandson were always there.

Near the church was built a house in one floor, but quite spacious, with more than thirty rooms, large terraces and a mezzanine. It was here that Lermontov's childhood and youth took place.

As expected, near the house broke gardens and ponds, they were decorated with alleys and flower beds, carved bridges and a gazebo. A little further from the manor house there were all the outbuildings, including the manor house, the house of the housekeeper, barns, barns, stables, etc. Against this background, Lermontov's childhood passed. In short we can say that the Tarkhans brought up in him a true connoisseur of Russian nature and folk traditions.

Little Michel's Room

In the mansion where Lermontov's childhood passed, his beloved grandson had several rooms, but most of the time he spent in the nursery. Clothed in bright yellow color: yellow walls, a sofa, armchairs - it reminded on a sunny day a luminous flashlight. And the cloth on the floor very soon ceased to be just a part of the interior, as it turned into a convenient place for drawing. Here appeared the first drawings of the future poet. Nanny and grandmother, noting that the boy's efforts were not in vain, and amazing images appeared on the floor, soon provided him with watercolor and sheets of paper. To the drawing was added modeling: wax created real story compositions. So little Michel was more and more immersed in the world of art.

Childhood and youth of Lermontov

At first glance, the boy's life from 1815 to 1827 might seem completely carefree: Michelle was spoiled and entertained. On the first photo of Lermontov in childhood we see a smiling boy of 3-4 years with a scroll in his hands. A little barchank, early left without a mother, was warmly loved by her grandmother, who did not regret anything for her grandson. The house was always visited by someone from the same age as the boy. Together with friends and peasant children, Michelle built snow fortresses, arranged fights and other funny games.

But Lermontov's biography was not so simple. Childhood and youth, despite all the efforts of my grandmother, overshadowed the separation from her father. In addition, the boy vaguely remembered the outlines of his mother singing songs in his childhood. Lermontov was always keenly aware of his loneliness. Already in his childhood years, he was characterized by an uncharacteristic child's thoughtfulness, prudence and inflamed imagination. These features in appearance can be seen in the photo of Lermontov in his childhood, most likely related to 1820 or 1821.

Architectural complex with the church of Michael the Archangel

In 1826, with the help of Arsenyev, the construction of a new church began, as the former was dilapidated. At the same time, the name of the new church was determined - it was named after the Archangel Michael. It so happened that the poet last saw her still unfinished, when in 1839 he briefly came to Tarkhany. But it was here that he found his refuge. According to the surviving information, before the burial, the coffin with the poet's body was exhibited for farewell in the church of Michael the Archangel. This circle marks his biography. Lermontov's childhood and burial passed in Tarkhany, which remained the main place of his life.

M. Lermontov was buried next to his mother and grandfather. Later, EA Arseneva ordered to build above the graves a chapel-tomb, which became the crypt of Lermontov-Arseniev.

The estate of MA Shan-Giray

At a distance of three kilometers from the Arsenieva manor there is another amazingly beautiful and poetic place, about which the biography tells. Lermontov's childhood is also connected with the estate of his aunt - Apalikhoi. Here he spent a lot of time with the boy, and in his mature years he was on good terms with all the residents of the house. They preserved his textbooks, notebooks, first drawings and poetic experiments, numerous letters written by the poet already in more mature years.

Exhibits of the museum-estate

In the manor house in Tarkhany, many things belonged to the poet and his family. Today this is the main wealth of the museum and a unique biography of Lermontov. Childhood and the youth of the poet appear fully in the course of acquaintance with the situation of the house and the surviving exhibits. Here are just a few of them:

• Light brown album in morocco, bounded with a shield, a bouquet of flowers and an original buckle made of gilded bronze. The album lacks 2 sheets, carved, probably by a poet. Of the remaining 52 - 42 are clean.
• The first edition of the third chapter of "Eugene Onegin" in 1827 from the personal library of Lermontov. This is a small booklet (18 × 11.5 cm) in a soft cover and a volume of 51 pages.
• A dark brown walnut travel casket measuring 25 × 17 × 12 cm with compartments for letters, papers, money. There is one bronze handle in the form of a lion's head on the side wall, the second, like the handle on the lid, is missing.

Still here you can see a bronze print with M. Lermontov's monogram and a metal cigarette case (was donated by the poet A. Rem), dated 1754 by the Chet-Minei, an ink-pot made of porcelain, as well as drawings and watercolors by Michel himself.

The revival of the museum-estate is a tribute to the memory of the great poet

In Tarkhany, where the childhood of Lermontov passed, during the last decades huge restoration works and capital restoration of the whole complex were carried out. This allowed to recreate the appearance of the manor in the form that it was during his lifetime. The only addition is a monument to the poet, established in 1985 near the road leading to the museum. The external appearance of the poet, pictured at the moment of meditation and dressed in simple clothes, fully corresponds to the spirit of the old manor.