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The Museum of M.A. Sholokhov Presented the Exhibition on the Native Land of Turghenev

On July, 20, 2009, the opening of the exhibition “The Don. Sholokhov. Russia” took place at the State Memorial and Natural Museum-Reserve of I.S. Turghenev “Spasskoye-Lutovinovo”.

The materials of the exhibition tell about the life and creative work of M.A. Sholokhov, the peculiarities of culture and the Don Cossack traditions being the historic base of his works, about the work over the novel “And Quiet Flows the Don”, about the significance of Sholokhov’s literary heritage, about the work of the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve.

The exposition displayed the belongings that were dear to Mikhail Alexandrovich, or were used many years by him: a typewriter “Olympia”, a desk set , a clock “Omega”, a folder, a retractable calendar – his daughter’s present, an ashtray, a cigarette-holder, a packet of his favourite cigarettes “Gauloises”, a “Parker” ball-pen, gloves and many other things.

A part of the exhibition is an ethnographic complex recreating a typical interior of the Cossack kuren (house) in the XIX-XX century. Here one can see clothes of the Cossack men and women, articles of everyday life and tools, photographs.

A big section of the exhibition is about the history of creating the novel “And Quiet Flows the Don”. It displays a manuscript of the novel dated 1925, the authobiography of the writer, where he says about the beginning of the work over the novel, a letter to Gorkiy about the Vyoshenskaya rebellion, a photo of the prototype of Grigoriy Melekhov – Kharlampiy Yermakov and a letter of Sholokhov to him, the editions of the novel of different years. There is a facsimile edition of the manuscript text of the “And Quiet Flows the Don” – two great volumes in leather covers.

The exhibition displays the works of the well-known Soviet artists O.G. Vereiskiy, Y.P. Rebrov, Kukryniksi, who knew the writer personally and created their works in close collaboration with him.

There are presented the materials about M.A. Sholokhov, a war reporter, who attended the seven fronts of the Great Patriotic war and was a witness of the events he later described in his books.

The section “The World Recognition” displays the rewards of M.A. Sholokhov and editions of his works in many languages of the world.

The hobbies and likings of the writer are told about in the section “M.A. Sholokhov at Hunting and Fishing”. The exposition contains the writer’s personal belongings: cartridge-belt, cartridge-extractor, hunter’s whistle, spoon-bait, floats and others.

In all, the exhibition displays more than 200 exhibits.

The exhibition opening ceremony was participated by the director of the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve A.M. Sholokhov and the director of the Museum-Reserve of I.S. Turghenev “Spasskoye-Lutovinovo” N.I. Levin. Greeting the guests they noted the importance of the event ensued from the fruitful collaboration of the two museums.

On these days the exhibition of the Museum of I.S. Turghenev is displayed on the land of Sholokhov, in the halls of the People’s House of the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve. These symbolic meetings of the two great writers of the world in Spasskoye-Lutovinovo and in Vyoshenskaya are very significant for those who cherish the history and culture of Russia.

Elena Blagorodova