Memorable dates of Russia: The exhibition to the 150th anniversary of D. S. Merezhkovsky in St. Petersburg

October 19, 2016 in the Small Exhibition Hall of the Stables housing in the S. M. Kirov Park (Saint-Petersburg) was opened the exhibition "On the Island we spent the summer", dedicated to the 150th anniversary of D. S. Merezhkovsky. The Yelagin Island, the poet’s birthplace, will stand before the visitor not only in the recognizable "postcard" format, but in the light of the traditions of the St. Petersburg villa mentality, as well as in the "chamber, intimate" originality of the lyrics of Dmitry Merezhkovsky.

The exhibition presents objects from the collection of the Central State Archive of Film and Photo Documents of St. Petersburg, the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) (IRLI RAS), the All-Russian Pushkin Museum, the Anna Akhmatova State Literary-Memorial Museum, the State Museum of History of St. Petersburg.

The concept of "Island" in the urban toponymy of the XIX century was assigned to the three islands located on the outskirts of the Petersburg side: the Kamennoostrovsky, the Krestovsky and the Yelagin. Located within the urban space, the islands with their unique landscape enjoyed a special arrangement of St. Petersburg, and Catherine's times were known as summer cottages, places for walks and repose. Since the mid-19th century country houses have become an everyday phenomenon of Russian life and culture summer residence with its attributes and specificity - a part of the St. Petersburg mentality.

Poet D. Merezhkovsky "was born on August 2, 1865 in one of the palace buildings on the Elagin Island" ("Autobiographical Notes"), whose "summer resort" was not just a small home, but also a place where was formed his inner world, which was made out and strengthened literary talent. This is an important stage of the creative biography of the writer left a poetic testimony (the poem "Old octave", the poem "Native"), as well as the "Autobiographical Notes", 1913.

The exhibition will run until November 27.