The biography of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin is briefly the most important thing. Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin (1) - Report
Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born in Moscow on April 3, 1745. His surname comes from an ancient Livonian family. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the German Baron Peter von Wiesin left his homeland and moved to Russia. After the middle of the 19th century, the name Von Wiesin began to be spelled together - Fonvizin.
The family of Denis Ivanovich had eight children. The father himself was engaged in their training. As soon as a noble school opened in Moscow, Ivan Fonvizin sent his eldest sons, Pavel and Denis, there.
In contact with
University years
Denis studied well at the gymnasium. As the best student he was introduced to the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna and the patron of the Moscow University Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov. The splendor of St. Petersburg, the chic and luxury of the royal palace, performances in the theater - all this made a huge impression on Denis. By the end of the gymnasium, Fonvizin participated in public speeches in both Russian and German. In 1759 he became a university student and finished it brilliantly after 3 years, before reaching eighteen years.
Moscow University was the first university Russian Empire with three faculties: law, medicine and philosophy. Its peculiarity was the presence of a gymnasium, consisting of two departments - for nobles and commoners. At that time, the university was just beginning its development, but Fonvizin left it with a fairly extensive knowledge, cultural interest and command of foreign languages.
At that time, the university was the center of the cultural life of the entire city. Assessor Mikhail Kheraskov (this position was supposed to control the students) began to lead the university theater, at the same time he took custody of the printing house and published the magazine "Useful Entertainment". The main theme of the magazine is odes, elegies, and philosophical prose. Fonvizin was also fascinated by literature. In "Useful Amusement" was published his translation of the story "Just Jupiter" ... Denis Ivanovich began to translate from German:
- Translation of fairy tales by the Dane Golberg.
- Several translated articles were published in the Sobranie best compositions».
- Translation by Ovid "Metamorphoses".
- Translation of the work "Heroic Virtue" by Terraçon
- Translation in verses of Voltaire's tragedy "Alzira".
Career
After graduating from university, he went into military service, but as soon as the opportunity arose, he was transferred to the College of Foreign Affairs as a translator. He soon moved to St. Petersburg, where he made a successful career in a short time. Such a rapid success in the service is due to the fact that Denis was very literate and socialite ... Literature and translations helped him make useful friends and patrons.
With age, Fonvizin developed a great wit and irony. He noticed all the shortcomings of society and ridiculed them wittily, which made him many enemies. One of them was the playwright Vladimir Ignatievich Lukin, secretary of the Minister Elagin. Lukin recognized Fonvizin's talents, but the enmity between them did not stop, right up to Lukin's dismissal.
Despite his civil service, Denis Ivanovich continued to study literary activity... He became interested in the teachings of French atheist philosophers, which was reflected in some of his works. The abandonment of faith was short-lived, and the writer again became a deeply religious person.
The most important piece
After writing the famous comedy "Brigadier", the author became famous throughout St. Petersburg. Fonvizin was invited to read his work in famous noble houses and even in the palace of the empress. Later, "Brigadier" was staged on the stage of the theater and had an extraordinary success for a long time.
In addition to comedy, Denis Ivanovich continued to engage in translations in prosaic form. In 1769, Fonvizin went to the service of Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin in the Foreign Affairs College. Here he quickly went up the career ladder, worked very hard, corresponded and helped Panin in everything. For diligent service, Panin generously rewarded his subordinate. He gave him more than a thousand serfs in the Vitebsk region.
Fonvizin's family
In 1774 Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin married Ekaterina Rogovikova (Khlopova). He lived with his wife happy life built on respect and trust to each other. Although all his life he loved only one woman, Anna Priklonskaya. Priklonskaya was married, did not possess supernatural beauty, but was considered a very intelligent and educated woman. She reciprocated Fonvizin, but Anna's distance and marriage prevented them from creating an alliance.
After the resignation of his boss Panin, Fonvizin did not leave him. They continued to work together on government reforms. In 782, Denis Ivanovich retired with a life pension granted to him by the empress.
Having received a lot of free time at his disposal, the writer started staging on stage another of his famous works "The Minor". The play became so popular that it was translated into German and staged in European theaters.
In old age, Fonvizin suffered from serious illnesses. But even in this position, he did not stop working on literary works. More than two hundred years have passed since the death of Denis Ivanovich, and his satire, literary ideas and works have not yet lost their relevance.
Russian writer of the Catherine's era, the creator of the Russian everyday comedy, State Councillor
Denis Fonvizin
short biography
Russian writer, playwright, translator, publicist, creator of the national everyday comedy, author of the famous comedy "The Minor". Fonvizin was born in Moscow on April 14 (April 3, O.S.), 1745, was the successor of a chivalrous family, which had Livonian origin and was finally Russified. Denis received his primary education thanks to his father, who held an official position in the audit collegium; at home they had a patriarchal atmosphere.
Education was continued in the gymnasium at Moscow University, and then in itself: Fonvizin during 1759-1762. was a student at the University of Philosophy. From 1756 to 1759 he was a member of the troupe of the amateur university theater of M. Kheraskov, and later he played in the professional Public Theater. During his student days, Fonvizin made his debut in the literary field - with a translation activity. He took up this closely on his arrival in Petersburg in 1760: Fonvizin, together with his brother, arrived in the capital as one of the best gymnasium students.
Fulfilling an order from one of the booksellers, Fonvizin in 1761 translated into Russian the fables of Ludwig Golberg, who wrote in German. In total, he translated more than 200 fables, the novel of the Frenchman Terrason, the tragedy of Voltaire, Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and others. Fonvizin considered his favorite writer. In parallel with his translation activity, he began to write essays of a satirical nature.
After graduating from the university, D.I. Fonvizin became a translator in a foreign collegium, and in 1763 he was transferred to the service of the State Councilor of the Palace Chancellery I.P. Elagin. By the way, this appointment was facilitated by his studies in literature: his translation of Voltaire's tragedy did not go unnoticed. Working under Elagin, Fonvizin did not abandon his translation activity. Having approached Kozlovsky's literary circle, he created his debut independent work- "A message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka"; in 1764 his first comedy play Korion appeared. During 1766-1769. the comedy "Brigadier" was written and published in 1786. She laid the foundation for the genre of the comedy of morals, tk. the overwhelming majority of Russian authors created comedies of characters.
The period of his biography from 1769 to 1782 was associated with the service with Count N.I. Panin; Fonvizin worked as his secretary, and later became a confidant. While in this position, he got into the world of big politics, behind-the-scenes games. In 1777, Fonvizin left Russia, lived in France for quite a long time, where he tried to understand the processes taking place in this state, while thinking about the fate of his homeland, trying to see a path that would bring socio-political life to a new level.
In 1782 Fonvizin had to resign due to the fact that Count Panin fell into disgrace. On the basis of his ideas, Fonvizin wrote "Discourse on the indispensable laws of the state" (1782-1783). This work was intended for the earl's pupil, who in the future was to become Emperor Paul, and is considered one of the best works of national journalism.
The peak of Denis Ivanovich's creative achievements was the comedy "The Minor", written in 1882 and published in 1883, which, like the Brigadier, caused a huge public outcry. Belinsky once noticed that Russian comedy began only with Fonvizin, and his plays are one of the "remarkable phenomena" in the history of Russian literature.
Leaving the civil service, Fonvizin devoted himself to literature, although his health left much to be desired (the writer had partial paralysis). Catherine II in many ways hindered the implementation of his creative ideas, in particular, by imposing a ban on the publication of the magazine "Friend of Honest People, or Starodum", a collection of works in 5 volumes. In this period creative activity he created several dramatic works, magazine articles and autobiography (left unfinished). In 1784 and 1785 Fonvizin went to Italy for medical treatment, in 1787 he recovered his noticeably shaken health in Vienna. The Fonvizins couple experienced financial difficulties at this time. Literature studies were virtually curtailed. The writer died on December 12 (December 1, O.S.) 1792; he was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.
Biography from Wikipedia
Origin
Born into the family of Ivan Andreevich Fonvizin, whose image he later embodied in his beloved hero Starodum in the work "The Minor". The progenitor of the Fonvizins fell into Russian captivity during the Livonian War (1558-1583) and was baptized into Orthodoxy.
The surname Von Wiesen (German von Wiesen) or, with the Russified ending Von Wiesen, was written in the 18th century in two words or with a hyphen; the same spelling persisted until the middle of the 19th century. The writing "Fon-Vizin" was used by the author of the first major biography of Fonvizin. The continuous spelling is established by the literary critic second half of the XIX century N. S. Tikhonravov, although already Pushkin found this outline correct as giving a more Russian character to the surname of the writer, who was, in the words of Pushkin, "of the Pere-Russian Russians."
In 1755-1760 he studied at the noble gymnasium at Moscow University, then for a year - at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University. In 1760, among the best gymnasium students, Fonvizin and his brother Pavel arrived in St. Petersburg. Here he met Lomonosov, the first director of the Russian theater, Sumarokov, and for the first time saw a theatrical performance - the production of the play "Heinrich and Pernill" by the Danish writer, founder of the Danish drama Ludwig Holberg. In 1761, by order of one of the Moscow booksellers, Fonvizin translated Holberg's fables from German. Then, in 1762, he translates the political-didactic novel French writer Abbot Terrason's Heroic Virtue or the Life of Seth, King of Egypt, written in the manner of the famous Telemacus by Fenelon, Voltaire's tragedy Alzira or the Americans, Ovid's Metamorphoses; in 1769 sentimental tale Gresse "Sydney and Scilly or Benefits and Gratitude", which received the name "Corion" from Fonvizin. Rousseau was his favorite writer.
Simultaneously with the translations, the original works of Fonvizin began to appear, painted in sharply satirical tones. So, presumably the 1760s include a play unpublished during the author's lifetime, the so-called "early" Minor ", first published only in volumes 9-10 of the" Literary Legacy "series in 1933. Her characters- prototypes of the characters of the famous "Minor". So, Aksen is similar to Prostakov, Julitta is similar to Prostakova, and Ivanushka is similar to Mitrofan. There is also a version that the early "Minor" does not belong to Fonvizin.
Fonvizin was under the strongest influence of French enlightenment thought from Voltaire to Helvetius. He became a permanent member of the circle of Russian free-thinkers who gathered in the house of Prince Kozlovsky. In the comedy "Brigadier" there are two families of provincial landowners. The image of Ivan, the son of a brigadier, a violent Gallomaniac, takes center stage.
Fonvizin's literary studies helped him in his career. His translation of Voltaire's tragedy attracted attention, and in 1763 Fonvizin, who was then serving as a translator in a foreign collegium, was appointed to serve under the then well-known cabinet minister Elagin, under whose leadership Vladimir Ignatievich Lukin also served. Yet great success used his comedy "Brigadier", for which the author was invited to the Empress herself to Peterhof, after which other readings followed, as a result of which he became close to Pavel Petrovich's tutor, Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin. In 1769, Fonvizin went into the service of Panin, becoming, as his secretary, one of the closest and trusted persons. Before Panin's death, Fonvizin, according to his direct instructions, compiled "Discourse on the completely exterminated form of government in Russia and from that on the fragile state of both the empire and the sovereigns themselves." This work contains an extremely harsh picture of the despotic regime of Catherine and her favorites, requires constitutional changes and directly threatens an otherwise violent coup.
In 1777-1778, Fonvizin went abroad and spent a long time in France. From here he wrote letters to his sister F.I. Argamakova, P.I. Panin (brother of N.I. Panin), and Ya. I. Bulgakov. These letters were of a pronounced social and social character. Fonvizin's sharp mind, observation, ability to understand economic, social and political phenomena in the life of French society, allowed him to paint a historically correct picture of feudal-absolutist France. Studying French reality, Fonvizin wanted to better understand the processes taking place not only in France, but also in Russia, and to find ways to improve the socio-political order in his homeland. He appreciates what deserves attention in France - trade and industry.
One of best works Russian journalism is "Discourse on the indispensable laws of the state" (late 1782 - early 1783). It was intended for the pupil of Nikita Panin - the future Emperor Pavel Petrovich. Speaking about serfdom, Fonvizin considers it necessary not to abolish it, but to introduce it into the “limits of moderation”. He was frightened by the possibility of a new Pugachevism, it was necessary to make concessions in order to avoid further shocks. Hence the main requirement - the introduction of "fundamental laws", the observance of which is also necessary for the monarch. The most impressive is the picture of contemporary reality drawn by the satirist writer: boundless arbitrariness that has engulfed all government bodies.
Tombstone of D.I.Fonvizin
After retiring, Fonvizin, despite a serious illness (paralysis), was engaged in literary work until the end of his life, but met with incomprehension and sharp disapproval in the person of Empress Catherine II, who forbade Fonvizin to publish a five-volume collected works. The literary heritage of the last period of the writer's life consists mainly of articles for the magazine and of dramatic works: the comedy "The Choice of the Governor" and the dramatic feuilleton "Conversation with Princess Khaldina". In addition, in the last years of his life, he worked on his autobiography "Sincere Confession."
Fonvizin died in December 1792 and was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Memory
As of 2013, 15 streets and 1 lane of Russian cities are named after Fonvizin, including Fonvizin Street in Moscow, Makhachkala. There are also Fonvizin Streets in Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Kherson. In 2016, the Fonvizinskaya metro station was opened in Moscow.
Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin is a Russian writer, playwright, translator, publicist, creator of the national everyday comedy, author of the famous comedy "The Minor". Fonvizin was born in Moscow on April 14 (April 3, O.S.), 1745, was the successor of a chivalrous family, which had Livonian origin and was finally Russified. Denis received his primary education thanks to his father, who held an official position in the audit collegium; at home they had a patriarchal atmosphere.
Education was continued in the gymnasium at Moscow University, and then in itself: Fonvizin during 1759-1762. was a student at the University of Philosophy. From 1756 to 1759 he was a member of the troupe of the amateur university theater of M. Kheraskov, and later he played in the professional Public Theater. During his student days, Fonvizin made his debut in the literary field - with a translation activity. He took up this closely on his arrival in Petersburg in 1760: Fonvizin, together with his brother, arrived in the capital as one of the best gymnasium students.
Fulfilling an order from one of the booksellers, Fonvizin in 1761 translated into Russian the fables of Ludwig Golberg, who wrote in German. In total, he translated more than 200 fables, the novel of the Frenchman Terrason, the tragedy of Voltaire, Ovid's Metamorphoses, etc. Fonvizin considered J.-J. Russo. In parallel with his translation activity, he began to write essays of a satirical nature.
After graduating from the university, D.I. Fonvizin became a translator in a foreign collegium, and in 1763 he was transferred to the service of the State Councilor of the Palace Chancellery I.P. Elagin. By the way, this appointment was facilitated by his studies in literature: his translation of Voltaire's tragedy did not go unnoticed. Working under Elagin, Fonvizin did not abandon his translation activity. Having become close to Kozlovsky's literary circle, he created his debut independent work - "A message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka"; in 1764 his first comedy play Korion appeared. During 1766-1769. the comedy "Brigadier" was written and published in 1786. She laid the foundation for the genre of the comedy of morals, tk. the overwhelming majority of Russian authors created comedies of characters.
The period of his biography from 1769 to 1782 was associated with the service with Count N.I. Panin; Fonvizin worked as his secretary, and later became a confidant. While in this position, he got into the world of big politics, behind-the-scenes games. In 1777, Fonvizin left Russia, lived in France for quite a long time, where he tried to understand the processes taking place in this state, while thinking about the fate of his homeland, trying to see a path that would bring socio-political life to a new level.
In 1782 Fonvizin had to resign due to the fact that Count Panin fell into disgrace. On the basis of his ideas, Fonvizin wrote "Discourse on the indispensable laws of the state" (1782-1783). This work was intended for the earl's pupil, who in the future was to become Emperor Paul, and is considered one of the best works of national journalism.
The peak of Denis Ivanovich's creative achievements was the comedy "The Minor", written in 1882 and published in 1883, which, like the Brigadier, caused a huge public outcry. Belinsky once noticed that Russian comedy began only with Fonvizin, and his plays are one of the "remarkable phenomena" in the history of Russian literature.
Leaving the civil service, Fonvizin devoted himself to literature, although his health left much to be desired (the writer had partial paralysis). Catherine II in many ways hindered the implementation of his creative ideas, in particular, by imposing a ban on the publication of the magazine "Friend of Honest People, or Starodum", a collection of works in 5 volumes. During this period of creative activity, he created several dramatic works, magazine articles and an autobiography (remained unfinished). In 1784 and 1785 Fonvizin went to Italy for medical treatment, in 1787 he recovered his noticeably shaken health in Vienna. The Fonvizins couple experienced financial difficulties at this time. Literature studies were virtually curtailed. The writer died on December 12 (December 1, O.S.) 1792; he was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.
Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin (1745 1792) - one of the most educated people of his era. He was a writer and playwright, publicist and translator. He is rightfully considered the creator of the national Russian everyday comedy, the most famous of which are "Minor" and "Brigadier". Born on April 14, 1745 in Moscow, in a noble family of descendants of a knight of the Livonian Order. Even under Ivan the Terrible, one of the knights of the Order of Von Wiesen was captured and remained in the service of the Russian Tsar. From him came the Fonvizins family (the prefix "von" was added in the Russian manner to the surname Wiesen). Thanks to his father, he received his primary education at home. Was brought up in a family that reigned patriarchal order... From 1755 he studied at the noble gymnasium at Moscow University, then at the philosophy faculty of the same university.
Since 1762 he has been in the public service, at first he has worked as a translator, then, since 1763, in the collegium of foreign affairs as a secretary of the cabinet minister Elagin. After working here for about six years, in 1769 he became the personal secretary of Count Panin. From 1777 to 1778 travels abroad, having spent a lot of time in France. In 1779 he returned to Russia and entered the service as an advisor to the office of the Secret Expedition. In 1783, his patron, Count Panin, passed away and he immediately resigned with the rank of state councilor and 3000 rubles. annual pension. Free time dedicated to travel.
Since 1783, Denis Ivanovich visited Western Europe, Germany, Austria, spent a lot of time in Italy. In 1785, the writer suffered his first stroke, due to which in 1787 he had to return to Russia. Despite the paralysis that tormented him, he continued to engage in literary work.
Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin passed away on December 1 (12), 1792. The writer was buried in St. Petersburg at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Creative way
The creation of the first works dates back to the 1760s. Being himself by his nature a lively and witty person, who loved to laugh and joke, he creates his own early works in the genre of satire. This was facilitated by his gift of irony, which did not leave him until the end of his life. During these years, there is an intensive work in the literary field. In 1760, in the Literary Heritage, he published his so-called "early" Minor ". At the same time, in the period from 1761 to 1762, he translated Holberg's fables, the works of Rousseau, Ovid, Gresse, Terraçon and Voltaire.
In 1766, his first famous satirical comedy The Brigadier was completed. The play became an event in literary circles, the author himself masterfully read it and Fonvizin, who was still little known at that time, was invited to Peterhof to read his work to Empress Catherine II herself. The success was enormous. The play was staged on the theater stage in 1770, but was published only after the death of the author. The comedy does not leave the stage to this day. A legend has come down to us that after the premiere, Prince Potemkin said to Fonvizin: “Die, Denis! But you can't write better! " In the same year, a translation of the treatise "Trading nobility as opposed to the military nobility" was published, which provided evidence of the need for the nobility to engage in trade.
Mature creativity
Of the publicistic works, one of the best is considered "Discourse on the indispensable state laws", created in 1783. In the autumn of the same 1783, the premiere of the main play in Fonvizin's work, the comedy "The Minor", took place. Despite the vast literary heritage left by Fonvizin, for most of us his name is associated with this particular comedy. The first production of the play was not easy. The censors were confused satirical focus plays, the audacity of some of the characters in the comedy. Finally, on September 24, 1782, the production was performed on the stage of Volny Russian theater... The success was colossal. As one of the authors of the "Dramatic Dictionary" testified: "The theater was incomparably filled and the audience applauded the play by throwing purses." The next performance took place in Moscow on May 14, 1783 at the Medox theater. Since that time, for more than 250 years, the play has been staged with invariable success in all theaters in Russia. With the birth of cinema, the first film adaptation of the comedy appeared. In 1926, Grigory Roshal made the film The Skotinin Lord based on The Minor.
It is difficult to overestimate the influence of Fonvizin's "Minor" on subsequent generations of writers. His works have been read and studied by all subsequent generations of writers from Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Belinsky to the present day. However, in the life of the writer himself, she played fateful role... Catherine II perfectly understood the freedom-loving orientation of the comedy as an attempt on the existing social and state foundations. After 1783, when a number of the writer's satirical works were published, she personally forbade further publications in print of his works. And this continued until the writer's death.
However, despite the bans on publication, Denis Ivanovich continues to write. During this period, the comedy "The Choice of the Governor", the feuilleton "Conversation with Princess Khaldina" was written. Just before his departure, Fonvizin wanted to publish a five-volume edition of his works, but was refused by the empress. Of course, it was published, but much later after the departure of the master.
- A descendant of a knightly family
- Secretary "for some cases"
- Euro-trip
- Home comedy Fonvizin
- Fighting the disease
"The Father of Russian Comedy", "Satires brave lord"," Northern Moliere "- all this is the author of the famous comedies" Brigadier "and" Minor "Denis Fonvizin. During his short life, the writer of Catherine's era managed to transform Russian culture, diplomacy, classical and translated literature. We will tell you how a descendant of a knightly family became a prominent writer of the 18th century.
A descendant of a knightly family
Fonvizin did not follow in the footsteps of his military ancestors. At the age of four he began to study literacy, and at ten he entered the noble gymnasium at Moscow University.
While studying at the Faculty of Philosophy in the magazine "Useful Entertainment" by Mikhail Kheraskov, the young man published his first satirical works. The translated article "Just Jupiter" was also published there.
In 1760, Denis Fonvizin and his younger brother Pavel, as the best students, were sent to St. Petersburg to introduce them to the founder of Moscow University, Count Ivan Shuvalov. In the capital, the aspiring writer met Mikhail Lomonosov and the first head of the Russian theater, Alexander Sumarokov. Then Fonvizin first saw the play - the play "Heinrich and Pernill" by the Danish writer Ludwig Holberg. "The action produced in me by the theater is almost impossible to describe: the comedy I saw was rather stupid, I considered the work of the greatest mind, and the actors - great people, whom acquaintance, I thought, would constitute my well-being", - he wrote later.
Knowledge of Latin and German, and later French allowed Denis Fonvizin to prove himself as a professional translator. During this period, he translated into Russian more than 200 of Holberg's fables, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and the works of Terrason and Voltaire.
Secretary "for some cases"
After graduating from university, Fonvizin entered the service of a translator at the College of Foreign Affairs. A year later, in 1763, he moved to St. Petersburg, where he was appointed "to be for some business" under the cabinet minister Ivan Elagin.
At the same time they staged the first comedy of Fonvizin "Corion" - a translation of the story of the French writer Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset "Sydney and Scilly, or Benevolence and Gratitude." The first original comedy - "Brigadier" - Fonvizin finished in 1769. The public liked the play so much that the writer was compared to Moliere, the founder of the classic comedy. The publisher Nikolai Novikov wrote: "... So many justly reasonable and knowledgeable people were praised that the best and Molière in France did not see acceptance of his comedies and did not want ..." Denis Fonvizin was even invited to Peterhof so that he personally read the work to Empress Catherine II.
In 1769 Fonvizin left Yelagin's service and became the secretary of the statesman Nikita Panin. There he corresponded with Russian diplomats at European courts, under the influence of Count Panin, he drew up a draft of state reforms.
Euro-trip
At the end of 1774, Denis Fonvizin married Ekaterina Rogovikova, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The wedding was played in Moscow, and the newlyweds returned to live in St. Petersburg, to a house on Galernaya Street. Three years later, Fonvizin's wife fell ill. To improve their health, they went to France - this was the writer's first trip abroad. On the way, the couple visited Warsaw and Dresden, Leipzig and Lyon, Strasbourg and Mannheim. When his wife got better, they visited the southern French provinces.
During the trip, Fonvizin wrote letters to his sister Theodosia Argamakova, Count Nikita Panin and diplomat Yakov Bulgakov. He described to them French reality, culture, told about achievements in science and literature.
After 6 years, the Fonvizins visited Europe again - they went to Germany. Fonvizin visited Leipzig, Memel, Frankfurt, Nuremberg. The writer walked around the city, went to museums and art galleries.
Home comedy Fonvizin
Denis Fonvizin served with Nikita Panin until 1782, was one of his confidants and close assistant, shared his oppositional views towards the Empress of Russia. On the basis of Panin's ideas, Fonvizin created one of the best works of Russian journalism - "Discourse on the indispensable laws of the state." This treatise was written for the future Emperor Pavel Petrovich. For a long time, "Reasoning" remained popular, but under a different title - "Thoughts of the late Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin about the necessary need for an indispensable legal provision for the Russian Empire."
In 1782, Fonvizin completed his main comedy- "Minor". The government and the nobility greeted the play with hostility - they were against the satirical production. Nikita Panin helped bypass the censorship. The premiere was delayed, but soon the composition was staged in two capitals. On September 24, 1782, at the Knipper Theater, the play was presented to the St. Petersburg public, and on May 14, 1783, at the Medox Theater, to the Moscow audience.
Fonvizin himself directed the play and assigned the roles: Starodum was played by the talented actor Ivan Dmitrevsky, and Pravdina was played by the artist Plavilshchikov. The audience accepted the play with enthusiasm, but Catherine II did not like it: because of the harsh satire on the traditions of the nobility, Fonvizin remained with the Empress until the end of his life.
Fighting the disease
In 1784 the Fonvizins left for Italy. There, the writer managed to visit ancient churches and cathedrals, looked at paintings in museums and private collections. “A lot of young painters are practicing here (in a gallery in Florence. - Ed.) In copying glorious paintings. In a word, here you see both the gallery and the school. My wife and I visit it very often, and especially I almost every day "- wrote Fonvizin to his mother. However, the writer liked it less in Italy than in Germany. The Italians seemed to him noisy, there were no smart interlocutors, they didn’t speak French, they don’t play cards, but they were fed so that Fonvizin had to blush for the owner.
In August 1785, the writer returned to Russia. In Moscow, Fonvizin suffered his first stroke, and he was bedridden for a long time. “A ray of joy shone in his dull eyes when I approached his bed: he wanted to, but could not hug me, tried to greet me with words, but his tongue did not obey and uttered indistinct sounds ... His right hand was completely taken away, so that he couldn't even move it ", - wrote his friend Herman Klosterman. Doctors sent the ailing writer to Carlsbad for treatment.
When Fonvizin got better, he began to prepare his own satirical magazine "Friend of honest people, or Starodum" for publication. However, Catherine II banned it. She also did not approve of the complete works of the writer.
In 1791, the writer was struck by a stroke four times. Despite a serious illness, Denis Fonvizin worked on his autobiography "Sincere Confession". True, he did not have time to finish it. The writer died in December 1792, he was buried in St. Petersburg at the Lazarevskoye cemetery