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“Lermontov Descends to Us Defying Times…”

On 30 September, in Sholokhov-Centre of the Museum-Reserve of M.A.Sholokhov, in Rostov-on-Don, an opening ceremony of the exhibition “I was Happy Here…”M.Y.Lermontov.Life and Work” took place. The unique joint project of the National M.A.Sholokhov Museum-Reserve and all Lermontov museums of Russia has become a hit of the year.

At the opening ceremony the guests were welcomed by O.A.Anistratenko, Deputy Director of the Museum-Reserve of M.A.Sholokhov, T.M.Melnikova, Director of the State Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany”, V.A.Astalov, Director of the National Museum of the Chechen Republic, A.I.Afanasyeva, Director of “The House Museum of M.Y.Lermontov in Taman” of the Taman Museum Complex, Branch of the Krasnodar E.D.Felitsyn State Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve.

Lermontov’s talent comprising something great attracts new generations like magnet. Lermontov remains dear for modern man. The joint project proves it: within the three days’ run the exhibition was visited by more than a hundred people from Russia and abroad.

The exhibition includes over 500 exhibits from the State Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany”, the Literary Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin’s House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint-Petersburg, “House Museum of M.Y. Lermontov” of the State Literary Museum in Moscow, the State Museum-Reserve of M.Y.Lermontov in Pyatigorsk, “House Museum of M.Y.Lermontov in Taman” of the Taman Museum Complex, the National Museum of the Chechen Republic.

Wherever Lermontov travelled, he found material for his genius works. And the poet’s warmth and love for the places he visited and was happy pass to the visitors of the exhibition. While observing the exhibition they felt the atmosphere of Tarkhany, where the poet spent 13 years, a half of his life, the atmosphere of Lermontov’s places in Moscow, where the poet was born and spent his student years in the Noble Boarding School and Moscow State University that made him a creative personality. The visitors got to a cold Petersburg, where the poet started his military career. And most attractive was the Caucasus. In the halls devoted to the poet’s Caucasian exiles the viewers can admire the scenes of the Caucasus painted by M.Y.Lermontov himself. The poet’s lines about this country and freedom-loving people are wedded with the landscapes of endless mountains and

valleys. Weapons and battle scenes are reminiscent of an endless war in that country.

In a small house in Pyatigorsk, Lermontov spent two last months of his life. This place is associated with the great tragedy, the fatal duel. But it is also a place, where the poet created a number of his poems remaining an inaccessible pinnacle in Russian literature.

The poet’s autographs, paintings and drawings, his personal belongings, books, documentary sources, handwritten albums and houseware are bright illustrations of the life of Russian genius and his multifarious and versatile creative work. In the last hall there is a bust of the poet. Unattainable, mysterious, but very dear Lermontov looks at our generation from the high pedestal of his greatness.

The visitors shared their bright impressions about the exhibition in the Guest Book: “We are sincerely grateful for the wonderful excursion, which remains in the mind and heart of a professional who is fond of his job. The excellent atmosphere created by the employees of the museums takes the visitors back to the time of 1814–1841. We can feel their love for their job. It’s a great idea to piece together the history of the Great Poet, Artist and Warrior M.Y.Lermontov. It is impossible to look away from each thing, everything surrounding unexplainably attracts to remain in our souls! Thank you sincerely; it is a real declaration of love! E.N.Fedorenko, T.V. Fedorenko.”

“We are sincerely grateful to the guide for her high professionalism and a very interesting narration about the life and literary work of M.Y.Lermontov! Thanks a lot to “Sholokhov-Centre” for the chance to see the exhibits of the prominent Lermontov museums and the finely designed exhibition. O.A.Valuiskova, an office worker of the Rostov Region Centre of the Modern History Documentation.”

“Guests from the Crimea got a great pleasure of visiting the excellent exhibition devoted to the life of the great Russian poet M.Y.Lermontov. The guide is not simply narrating, she is living in it, she empathizes and arouses our, listeners’, deep empathy. Great work! We wish new success to all the museum workers! N.D.Shakhbazidi, D.Shakhbazidi.”

The exhibition “I was Happy Here…” inspires the viewers and they express their feelings in the interactive class “Poetry in Colours” drawing in ebru technique, when the picture is created on the water surface to be transferred on a sheet of paper afterwards.

We welcome residents and guests of Rostov-on-Don to visit the exhibition “I was Happy Here…”M.Y.Lermontov.Life and Work”, which will run in “Sholokhov-Centre” of the Museum-Reserve of M.A.Sholokhov (125/69 Bolshaya Sadovaya, Rostov-on-Don) until December 4, 2016.

Yuliya Baboshkina