Nikolay Novikov

Nikolay Novikov
Portrait of Nikolay Novikov, by Dmitry Levitzky.

Nikolay Ivanovich Novikov (Russian: Никола́й Ива́нович Новико́в) (8 May [O.S. 27 April] 1744 - 12 August [O.S. 31 July] 1818) was a Russian writer and philanthropist most representative of his country's Enlightenment. Frequently considered to be the first Russian journalist, he aimed at advancing the cultural and educational level of the Russian public.

Together with Johann Georg Schwartz, Ivan Vladimirovich Lopukhin, and Semion Ivanovich Gamaleya he brought martinism and rosicrucianism to Russia.[1]

Novikov belonged to the first generation of Russians that benefited from the creation of the Moscow University in 1755. He took an active part in the Legislative Assembly of 1767, which sought to produce a new code of laws. Inspired by this kind of freethinking activity, he took over editing the Moscow Gazette and launched satirical journals, patterned after The Tatler and The Spectator. His attacks on the existing social customs prompted jocund retorts from Catherine the Great, who even set her own journal called Vsyakaya vsyachina to comment on Novikov's articles.

By the 1780s, Novikov rose to the highest positions in Russian Freemasonry, which liberally funded his ambitious book-publishing ventures. Novikov's press produced a third part of contemporary Russian books and several newspapers. Novikov used his influence for various noble purposes, such as a large-scale project of promoting Shakespeare to Russian public.

When the French Revolution started, Catherine changed her attitude towards the likes of Novikov. His printing-house was confiscated. Three years later, without a formal trial, he was incarcerated in the Shlisselburg Fortress for 15 years. Much of his printed material was pulped, including 1,000 copies of Edward Young's The Last Day (1713). Emperor Paul set Novikov free, but the latter was too scared and broken-hearted to resume his journalistic activities.

References

  1. ^ Raffaella Faggionato A Rosicrucian Utopia in Eighteenth-Century Russia Springer, the Netherlands 1997

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Novikov — Novikov, Novikoff (masculine) or Novikova (feminine) is one of the most common Russian surnames. Derived from novik a teenager on military service who comes from a noble, boyar or cossack family in Russia of 16th 18th centuries. It may refer to:… …   Wikipedia

  • Nikolay Troubetzkoy — (16 November 1744 – 1821) was a Russian Prince. Martinist, friend of Novikov, he was exiled in his lands in Voronezh in 1799, forgiven a few times later, he became senator of Moscow and actuel private concellor. He is the father of Piotr… …   Wikipedia

  • Nikolay Bogolyubov — For the actor, see Nikolay Bogolyubov (actor). Nikolay Nikolaevich Bogolyubov Born 21 August 1909( …   Wikipedia

  • Novikov, Nikolay Ivanovich — ▪ Russian writer born April 27 [May 8, New Style], 1744, Bronnitsky, near Moscow, Russia died July 31 [Aug. 12], 1818, Bronnitsky       Russian writer, philanthropist, and Freemason whose activities were intended to raise the educational and… …   Universalium

  • Nikolái Novikov — Para otros usos de este término, véase Novikov. Nikolái Novikov …   Wikipedia Español

  • Nikolai Vasilevich Novikov — For the Russian writer, see Nikolay Ivanovich Novikov. Novikov s former residence in Washington, D.C. Nikolai Vasilevich Novikov (Russian: Николай Васильевич Новиков) (February 7, 1903–1989) was a Soviet diplomat born in Saint Petersburg. He… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Russian people — The Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod, featuring the statues and reliefs of the most celebrated people in the first 1000 years of Russian history …   Wikipedia

  • Russian literature — Introduction       the body of written works produced in the Russian language, beginning with the Christianization of Kievan Rus in the late 10th century.       The unusual shape of Russian literary history has been the source of numerous… …   Universalium

  • Russia — /rush euh/, n. 1. Also called Russian Empire. Russian, Rossiya. a former empire in E Europe and N and W Asia: overthrown by the Russian Revolution 1917. Cap.: St. Petersburg (1703 1917). 2. See Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 3. See Russian… …   Universalium

  • Age of Enlightenment — Age of Reason redirects here. For other uses, see Age of Reason (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”