Teleshov's work. Modest writer and famous philanthropist Nikolai Teleshov

To the 150th anniversary of his birth

“You are an exemplary writer,

and you will remain so now forever and ever.”

(From a letter from A.P. Chekhov to N. Teleshov

“Looking back at my distant past,

on a long journey, I see

how much significant literature has given me,

with which my whole life is inextricably linked<...>

to be a Russian writer is a great happiness in life.”

(N.D. Teleshov. Selected works: in 3 volumes. T.3. P.387).

Prose writer, memoirist, organizer of the Sreda literary circle, hereditary honorary citizen of Moscow, was born on November 10, 1867 into a merchant family. Nikolai Teleshov began reading early and became interested in literature. At the age of 10 he met book publisher I.D. Sytin, in whose printing house he observed the process of book printing many times.

After graduating from the Practical Commercial Academy in Moscow in 1884, Nikolai Teleshov published his first poems in the Rainbow magazine. By the writer’s own admission, models for him in teenage years There were works by Lermontov and Turgenev; of his contemporaries, Garshin had the greatest influence on him. Some of Teleshov’s poetic attempts were included in the collection of beginning poets “Sincere Word” (1886), in the preparation and publication of which he took an active part. The collection was not a success, but it helped Teleshov enter literary circles. And these circles were wide and rich in original writers, such as Maxim Gorky, Alexander Kuprin, Nikolai Garin-Mikhailovsky, Vladimir Korolenko, Ivan Bunin, Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak, Alexander Serafimovich, Leonid Andreev, Vikenty Veresaev, Vladimir Gilyarovsky, Konstantin Balmont, Valery Bryusov and others.

His early work most closely resembles the search for his own path. His first books present a rather motley picture. So, in 1886, he published his personal collection “Fantastic Sketches,” where you can see parables with philosophical reflections on the meaning of life, the purpose of the artist, and the vulgarity of philistine life.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, having become familiar with Teleshov's works, continued to closely monitor his development literary activity and he himself, having traveled to the north of the country, gave him advice to “step over the border of Europe.” Apparently, A.P. Chekhov saw in N.D. Teleshov the talent of an essayist.

And in 1897, Teleshov made a trip beyond the Urals, after which he wrote a series of essays “For the Urals. Travel impressions, rumors and meetings”, which was greeted with delight by readers. But, I think, the source of delight was rather the relevance of the topic than its artistic execution. Although some stories are surprisingly successful.

The genre of travel essays was quite common in our literature at that time. A. P. Chekhov, V. G. Korolenko, G. I. Uspensky and others wrote travel notes about their trips around Siberia. N. D. Teleshov in his notes joined the most advanced realistic movement. He talks in detail and kindly about everything that he encountered along the way. The description of Siberian nature is replaced by a description of the way of life and customs of the inhabitants of this region, their lives; a description of the sights of Siberian cities (Perm, Tyumen, Yekaterinburg, Tobolsk, Omsk, etc.) - a description of the life of Ural mining workers. His stories were distinguished by the everyday nature of the plot, devoid of unexpected turns in the narrative, and by his outwardly dispassionate (“Chekhovian”) style of writing.

Thus, Teleshov was not a pioneer in this direction, but rather a very diligent student.

Many researchers talk about the widespread influence famous writers on the work of N.D. Teleshov, others see imitation. Thus, in the story “On Troikas” there are analogues with “ Dead souls"N.V. Gogol both in the plot and in the depiction of details.

I am sure that after reading the description of the song from this story, the average reader will name N.V. Gogol as the author: “Here is an artless Russian song, inspired not by fun, not by joy, but by hard barge labor!” What's in it? What words, what music? “Hey, let's whoop! hey, let's go! one more time, one more time - hey, let’s whoop!” And there is nothing else in it, in this song, and it sounds simple, monotonous... And it seems that it has already broken out into the desired freedom, it no longer sounds somewhere here, but is pouring far outside the window, and it freezes mournful sounds among the native shores... There is no end or beginning in this song, just as you don’t know where to look for the beginning and where the end is in the miserable lot of the Russian homeless person.”

The lyrical romantic legend “Song of Three Young Men” appears in 1901, imbued with revolutionary sentiments, and parallels immediately arise with Gorky’s “Danko” (1894).

Interesting from the point of view of assessing the talent of a writer is the article by A.F. Connie for 1906 “N. Teleshov. Tales and stories" (from the book "Essays and Memoirs (Public Readings, Speeches, Articles and Notes).” St. Petersburg, 1906): « The author is not a researcher or an observer. He is a good rememberer of superficial impressions - nothing more. Therefore, in his stories there is almost no living person about whom the reader would form a definite idea. The faces and clothing, furnishings and food, movements and poses of numerous people passing in front of the reader are carefully described - and all of them, barely glimpsed, merge into a shapeless mass from which individually no one stands out.

But Teleshov’s special lyricism is especially characteristic of his children’s stories and fairy tales (“Mitrich’s Christmas tree”, “Home”, “ Little romance", "White Heron", etc.). They had a particularly clear impact best sides Teleshov's talent: simplicity and sincerity of tone, sensitivity, warmth, subtle observation. Gorky, who positively assessed Teleshov’s Ural and Siberian stories, was very sympathetic to the stories for children, among which he especially singled out “Mitrich’s Christmas Tree,” a story about how the guard of the resettlement barracks, old man Mitrich, used the quarter he received for the holiday to build a Christmas tree for orphans.

A. F. Konni considers an undoubted advantage: “... the humane basis of the stories. The author draws - and together awakens in the reader good feelings. All his sympathies are on the side of the weak, offended, and in need of protection. He loves children and describes them with tenderness, and in his stories about children one can always hear sincerity, alien to simple imitation of Dickens or Dostoevsky. Death, grief, separation are common motifs heard in Mr. Teleshov’s stories. Frequent reference to them can develop in a writer, unbeknownst to him, a fall into sensitivity that runs counter to sincerity. But Mr. Teleshov does not have this. Despite the artificiality and obvious contrived nature of the plot of most of the stories, the presentation of the most outstanding passages of these stories is distinguished by a calm sobriety of thought and the absence of an elevated and unnatural tone.”

At the same time, surprisingly, in his stories, legends and fairy tales, the writer does not skimp on using fantasy, allegory, and symbolism of images. After many years, the fairy tales of N.D. Teleshev occupied one of the main places in his work. They are read in kindergartens and schools, opening lessons are held on them, presentations are made, cartoons are made... These are the famous “Krupenichka”, “White Heron”. “Patron of Mice”, “Zorenka”. All of them are surprisingly lyrical, truly magical and unobtrusively instructive. And, most importantly, everything is unique here: images, plots, and heroes. They are written so skillfully that children sincerely empathize and easily understand the accents of good and evil. It was in fairy tales that N.D. Teleshov found and took his rightful place. Although he has plenty of other achievements...

Thus, he entered the history of literature as the soul, inspirer and organizer of the famous literary circle “Sreda”, in the meetings of which all the cream of the then realistic Russian literature participated - A.P. was also there. Chekhov, A.M. constantly took part. Gorky, A.S. Serafimovich, S.G. Skitalets, Leonid Andreev, I.A. Bunin, A.I. Kuprin, V.V. Veresaev. As a rule, they gathered at the apartment of the Teleshov couple.

These are houses at 21 Chistoprudny Boulevard, apartment of N.D. Teleshov (in 1899-1904); Chistoprudny Boulevard, 23, apartment of N. D. Teleshov (since 1904); Pokrovsky Boulevard, 18/15 Teleshov House (in 1918-1922).

Pokrovsky Boulevard, 18/15 Teleshov House

The visitors were distinguished by great enthusiasm and a great sense of humor. Thus, the permanent members of the circle received nicknames... based on the names of Moscow streets, squares and alleys or addresses that correlated with their character or appearance. For example, Gorky was called Khitrovka for his tramp heroes in honor of the square, famous for its flophouses and brothels; Ivan Bunin became the Flayer for his thinness and wit. Alexander Kuprin was nicknamed Horse Square for his passion for horses and the circus, Vikenty Veresaev was called Stone Bridge (for his constancy in his views), and Alexander Serafimovich received the “address” of… Kudrino for his bald head. All pseudonyms were used as a joke and only with the consent of the “addressees” themselves; Thus, Leonid Andreev did not like the nickname Novoproektirovanny Lane, and at his request the “address” was changed to Cemetery Vagankovsky: “Have I written to you enough about the dead?” (Teleshov N.D. Notes of a writer. - M.: Pravda, 1987).

But the members of the circle knew how not only to joke, but also to engage in serious social activities. For example, in 1904 they created a commission in memory of A.P. Chekhov, who paid benefits and gave loans to people creative professions who find themselves in a difficult situation. In particular, an interest-free loan saved the Moscow Art Theater from closure. Over 15 years, the commission issued a total of almost 250 thousand rubles - a huge amount at that time (Teleshov N.D. Notes of a Writer - M.: Pravda, 1987). And this is largely due to N.D. Teleshov.

Teleshov was one of the main organizers of the literary, artistic, theatrical and artistic life of Moscow. He long time headed the fund for mutual assistance of writers and scientists, was the initiator of the publication of various collections (“Drukar”, “1914”, “To help captured Russian soldiers”) and the production of amateur performances by writers, was a juror of the court of honor at the Society of Press and Literature.

In addition, for the first time in Russia, he organized a rural gymnasium in the Moscow region for workers, railway employees and peasants. For ten years, the children of the poorest peasants and workers studied there for free (or for a reduced fee) on the principle of co-education. The Teleshov couple provided funds for the maintenance of the gymnasium.

The Teleshov couple, who bought a summer cottage in the village of Malakhovka in 1902, took an active part in improving social services for the population of Bronnitsky district.

Today, the former hospital is a monument to wonderful people - the writer Nikolai Teleshov, his wife Elena Karzinkina and Alexander Pushkin, the worthy grandson of his grandfather. Taking into account the historical and architectural value of the buildings of the hospital complex, by decree of the Government of the Moscow Region in 2002, the former zemstvo hospital named after. N.D. Teleshov and E.A. Karzinkina received the status of a historical and cultural monument of local significance.

The truly valuable works of the writer are the memories of bygone eras and people in the books “Everything Passes” and “Notes of a Writer.”

“Everything Passes” is a memoir that vividly restores to us, along with the literary and everyday history of socio-political relations in Moscow at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. Teleshov in his memoirs created a complete image of the passing city. Nikolai Dmitrievich’s pen also touched trading Moscow. He loved to wander through the endless labyrinths of shopping arcades that overlooked Red Square before the construction of GUM. The building was considered ancient and dilapidated, but the decision to demolish it was postponed from year to year. “It was the central point of all Moscow trade - both retail and wholesale, where you could buy everything - from sewing threads to pearls and diamonds, from a glass of kvass to a fashionable tailcoat or sable fur coat, from notebook to velvet carpets, etc. Living conditions were also unique. The shops were not heated, and no lighting other than daylight was allowed for fear of fire. The merchants sat in winter in heavy raccoon coats, belted with sashes for warmth, went every now and then to the tavern to warm themselves, and locked their shops at night in the early twilight, since there was no fire, not even a match, to light.” During the day, peddlers appeared with food, offering thick pancakes, hot ham, lamb, buckwheat porridge, beluga with horseradish to the “stays” and clerks from the shops... And it was all hot, everything was cut on a saucer, and instead of a fork, a shaved sliver was applied. After an hour, the peddlers came back and each collected their saucers.” In his memoirs, the author talks about meetings with many wonderful people, gives their social and everyday characteristics.

Teleshov had a chance to live a long and interesting life. His youth coincided with the activities of such luminaries of the word as Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky, Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky; he was a contemporary of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky, a friend of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov and Maxim Gorky. Much of what we know about the writers of that era is gleaned from the books of Nikolai Dmitrievich Teleshov.

Since 1925, Teleshov worked on “Notes of a Writer,” a memoir unique in its temporal scope: the book opens with a description of the opening of the monument to Pushkin in Moscow in 1880, and ends with memories of the celebration of Bunin’s 85th birthday in 1955. This book is a chronicle of the literary and social life of Moscow. Separate essays are dedicated to M. Gorky, A. Chekhov, L. Andreev.

Teleshov's "Notes" were repeatedly republished in Soviet time and during copyright reprints they were supplemented and corrected by the writer. The memoirs are illustrated with photographic portraits of Russian writers. The portraits were notable for the fact that each of them contained a personal dedicatory autograph to Teleshov. Since collecting these portraits was Teleshov’s passion, he managed to obtain dedicatory inscriptions on portraits from Leo Tolstoy, Chekhov, Korolenko, Gorky, Kuprin, Bunin, Serafimovich, Veresaev, Belousov, Skitalets, Leonid Andreev, Mamin-Sibiryak, Zlatovratsky, Spiridon Drozhzhin, Chaliapin and many others.

I would like to end with the words of the famous Russian writer and bibliophile writer V. Lidin from the book “People and Meetings”: “The very appearance of Nikolai Dmitrievich Teleshov spoke of the nobility of his writing life. Teleshov was completely, entirely, in the traditions of Russian advanced literature, and, moreover, its best examples. This meant first of all deep love and dedication to the difficult task of writing and respect for the Word.

… Teleshov’s personality was as collective as his welcoming writing home, in which the famous literary “Sreda” was born, the cradle of more than one talent.

Gentleness, which seems to some to be a weakness, may also be sister of the highest integrity. So it was with Teleshov. He was a meek man, who endeared himself to absolutely everyone, and at the same time, he was uncompromisingly principled when it came to literature.

…Turning to Teleshov’s social activities, one is struck by his tirelessness: he participated in almost any undertaking when it came to helping writers or printers, and he participated widely, not missing a single opportunity to serve the cause of literature. Writers’ letters to him are always loving, just as the inscriptions on photographs that were given to “Mitrich,” a modest and deeply sincere person, are also loving. Soulfulness is also component those qualities without which the image of a writer cannot be complete and internally complete.”

Nikolay Dmitrievich Teleshov(October 29 (November 10) 1867 - March 14, 1957) - Russian writer, poet, organizer of the Moscow writers' circle "Sreda" (1899 - 1916), hereditary honorary citizen of Moscow, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1938).Nikolai Dmitrievich Teleshov was born into a Moscow merchant family in 1867 and received his education at the Moscow Practical Commercial Academy. He began his literary activity in 1884, publishing his first poem in the Rainbow magazine. The main theme of the early stories is the life of a merchant and bourgeois (“Rooster”, “Bourgeois Drama”, “Duel”, “Name Day”).

I. Bunin and N. Teleshov. M., 1910

In 1897, Yuli and Ivan Bunin met Nikolai Dmitrievich Teleshov, and soon Ivan Bunin became Teleshov’s friend and dedicated a poem to him. It’s hard to believe that the poem “In the Steppe” was written by a nineteen-year-old man, it is so profound in concept and perfect in execution!Bunin visits Teleshov's literary circle. Since writers’ meetings were held at Teleshov’s apartment on Wednesdays, it was decided to call the new literary association Teleshov’s Wednesdays. Speak out on literary readings it was required to be completely frank and not to be offended by criticism.“Wednesdays” were very popular thanks to the participation of Chekhov, Gorky, Andreev, Zaitsev, Skitalets, Chirikov, Veresaev, Kuprin, Serafimovich. Chaliapin and Rachmaninov were frequent guests.N.D.'s wife Teleshova Elena Andreevna Karzinkin (1869 - 1943), a representative of a famous merchant dynasty, spoke fluent English, Italian, French, Greek, German languages. She graduated from the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, was a student of Polenov and an interesting artist. Thanks to her, the artists Golovin, Pervukhin, Vasnetsov, Levitan attended “Wednesdays”.In the summer, “Sredy” moved to Malakhovka, to Teleshov’s dacha, to the shorepicturesque lake. The Teleshovs' hospitable home attracted them with its creative atmosphere. There was a special room in the house especially for Ivan Bunin - Buninskaya.

Moscow region, Malakhovka. Dacha of the writer N. Teleshov. StartXXV.

Teleshov's estate could not be preserved after 1917. Wooden house Teleshov was demolished; only the stone one, built before the 1917 revolution, has survived to this day. The Teleshovs had to leave the estate and move to a house on Pokrovsky Boulevard.2002 marked 100 years famous photograph members of “Sreda”, where Andreev and Bunin were filmed. Gorky, Wanderer, Teleshov, Chirikov, Chaliapin. They filmed it in Karl Fischer’s TV studio on Kuznetsky Most, and the photo went around all the magazines both in Russia and abroad.

Members of the Moscow literary group"Wednesdays":M. Gorky, I. Bunin, F. Chaliapin. The Wanderer (S. Petrov), N. Teleshov, L. Andreev, E. Chirikov. End of 1902

At Teleshov’s “Wednesdays” A.M. Gorky read his play “At the Lower Depths” for the first time here. On September 19, 1910, at Teleshov’s Wednesday, Bunin read his story “Village” about the life of a Russian village during the revolution of 1905–1907.

"Notes of a Writer", 1948

“Bunin,” wrote N.D. Teleshov in his memoirs, “was one of the interesting figures at Sreda.” Tall, slender, with a thin, intelligent face, always well and strictly dressed, who loved cultured society and good literature, who read and thought a lot, was very observant and capable of everything he took on, easily grasped the essence of any matter, persistent in his work and sharp-tongued, he sharpened his innate talent to high degree. Literary circles and groups, with their diverse views, tastes and exploration, all equally recognized Bunin great talent, who grew and grew stronger over the years, and when he was elected an honorary academician, no one was surprised, even enemies and envious people grumpily called him “too young an academician,” but that’s all. Bunin never missed our meetings and brought a lot of excitement with his reading, as well as his humor and comradely witticisms.” After the first Russian revolution, notes of social protest appeared in the works of N. Teleshov: “Sedition”, “Loop”, “Between Two Banks”, “Black Night”. The theme of the imperialist war was reflected in the stories “In the Darkness”, “Mina” - the collection “1914”, “Days after Days” - the collection “To help captured Russian soldiers” (1916).N. Teleshov was the first in Russia to organize a rural gymnasium in the Moscow region for workers, railway employees and peasants. For ten years, boys and girls studied there for free on the principle of co-education. The Teleshov couple provided funds for the maintenance of the gymnasium. The Teleshov couple, using their own funds, organized a hospital in Malakhovka and built the Bykovskaya rural hospital, which lasted throughout the 20th century.After October revolution Teleshov took part in the work of the People's Commissariat of Education. He participated in the organization of the MuseumMoscow art theater , of which he was director 1923 . During these years, he was engaged in children's literature, conceived the cycle “Legends and Fairy Tales”: “Krupenichka” ( 1919), "Zorenka" (1921 ). Begins fiction memoirs “Notes of a Writer”, ( 1925 - 1943 ), narrating events literary life Moscow XIX – XX centuries. The writer died in 1957 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery .

Moscow, Russian Empire

Writer, poet, literary figure

poem "Abandoned", 1884

Nikolay Dmitrievich Teleshov (October 29 (November 10) 1867- March 14, 1957) - Russian writer, poet, organizer famous circle Moscow writers "Sreda" (1899-1916), hereditary honorary citizen of Moscow, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1938).

N.D. Teleshov, 1916

Nikolay Dmitrievich Teleshov (1867-1957) – writer.

Nikolai Teleshov was born into a Moscow merchant family on October 29 (November 10), 1867. His ancestors were peasants of the Vladimir province, who independently bought their freedom. In 1884 he graduated from the Practical Commercial Academy.

Teleshov was in friendly correspondence with A.P. Chekhov, was a friend of A.M. Gorky. On the day of the 25th anniversary of his literary activity, he was greeted by L.N. Tolstoy.

In 1899-1922. Nikolai Teleshov organized and was the soul of the literary association, called “Teleshov Wednesdays,” since the participants gathered regularly on Wednesdays in his apartment on Chistoprudny Boulevard, first in the house, from 1904 in the house, and after 1914 in Pokrovsky Boulevard, 18.

These literary gatherings became a phenomenon cultural life Moscow at the beginning of the 20th century. “Wednesdays” were constant until 1922, later – episodic, until Teleshov’s death in 1957.

The Bunin brothers, Gorky, Gilyarovsky, Kuprin, Serafimovich, Chaliapin, Rachmaninov attended the literary “Wednesdays”.

Largely thanks to Teleshov’s wife, artist Elena Andreevna Karzinkina, A.Ya. came to “Wednesdays”. Golovin, K.K. Pervukhin, A.M. Vasnetsov, I.I. Levitan.

Through many years and trials, Teleshov’s friendship with Ivan Bunin, who became a Nobel laureate in exile, passed. IN post-war years the Soviet government tried to use it to return Bunin to the USSR.

Teleshov in Moscow

• Kamergersky, 3. Moscow Art academic theater. Since 1923 N.D. Teleshov worked as a manager at the theater museum.
• Skatertny, 8. Apartment 18. Publishing house created in 1912 by writers from the Teleshov milieu. It contained “Fairy Tales” by M. Gorky, letters from A.P. Chekhov, series of books "People's school library", a charity collection "Cry" with the participation of Bunin, Veresaev, Teleshov. In 1923, the publishing house was liquidated.
• Pokrovsky Boulevard, 11. Practical Academy of Commercial Sciences. Nikolai Teleshov graduated from the academy in 1884.
• Pokrovsky Boulevard, 18. Mansion of brother E.A. Teleshova-Karzinkina, where the Teleshov couple moved in 1914. Here “Wednesdays” continued regularly until 1922, although the house was nationalized after 1917. The owners were “compacted”, leaving one room. The house is still called "Teleshovsky".

Russian writer Nikolai Dmitrievich Teleshov was born into a Moscow merchant family in 1867. His ancestors were serfs of the Vladimir province, who independently bought their freedom. Nikolai started reading and literature early. As a twelve-year-old teenager in 1880, he witnessed the grandiose Pushkin celebrations in Moscow: the grand opening of a monument to the poet, speeches by Dostoevsky, Turgenev and others. A little earlier, at the age of ten, in the printing house of I. D. Sytin, Nikolai became acquainted with the process of the emergence of a book. Over time, the need arose to join the literary process. Business connections and friendship with Sytin will accompany Nikolai throughout his life. He later received a good education at the Moscow Practical Commercial Academy, from which he graduated in 1884.

Entry into literature

In the same year, he published his first poem, “Abandoned,” in the Rainbow magazine. In 1886, Teleshov took an active part in the preparation of the collection of young poets “Sincere Word”. His first poems bore traces of the influence of Nadson, Fet, Nikitin, and Pleshcheev. This collection did not attract any attention, but was the first experience of entering the literary environment. A deep interest in literary and creative communication will help Teleshov subsequently create the literary association “Sreda”, but for now he is published in the unknown magazines “Family”, “Russia”, in “Citizen”, Prince Meshchersky, “Children’s Reading”, D. I. Tikhomirov . The main theme of the early stories is the life of a merchant and bourgeois (“Rooster”, “Bourgeois Drama”, “Duel”, “Name Day”). Early stories made up the first collection “On Troikas” (1895). Contemporaries found some imitation of Chekhov in the problematics of Teleshov’s early works; Teleshov’s acquaintance with Chekhov in 1888 was natural. The title of the collection was given by an essay published in 1893 in the conservative magazine Russian Review. The essay was dedicated to the Irbit fair and was written based on the impressions of his relative M. A. Kornilov. Interest in the outskirts of Russia was awakened in Teleshov by the works of Korolenko and Mamin-Sibiryak. On the advice of Chekhov, in 1894 Teleshov undertook his own long journey to Siberia, the result of which was a series of stories dedicated to the life of settlers (the cycles “For the Urals” (1897), “Across Siberia” and “Displacers”, the stories “Need”, “On the Move” ", "Self-propelled", "Home", etc.). His stories were distinguished by the everyday nature of the plot, devoid of unexpected turns in the narrative, and by his outwardly dispassionate (“Chekhovian”) style of writing. However, in his legend stories, the writer does not skimp on using fantasy, allegory, and symbolism of images.

At the turn of the century

The period from 1898 to 1903 in the writer’s biography was difficult: it was difficult to write, and I did not want to publish “trifle” and “dull stuff,” to use his own words. By the end of the 90s, Teleshov’s cooperation with the conservative press ceased. He publishes his new works in the liberal magazines “World of God”, “Russian Thought”, “Magazine for Everyone”, numerous collections and almanacs. In addition to Chekhov, V. A. Gilyarovsky, I. A. Belousov, the writer’s circle of acquaintances includes the brothers Yuli and Ivan Bunin, N. N. Zlatovratsky, K. M. Stanyukovich, D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak, editors and employees of Moscow magazines . In 1899, Teleshov and Maxim Gorky met in Nizhny Novgorod. Gorky becomes interested in Teleshov's writing circle and recommends Leonid Andreev, the Wanderer, there. They are joined by Chirikov, Veresaev, Kuprin, Serafimovich and some other writers. Since writers’ meetings were held at Teleshov’s apartment on Wednesdays, it was decided to call the new literary association Teleshov’s Wednesdays. "Wednesdays" lasted from 1899 to 1916. Gorky read his play “At the Lower Depths” for the first time here. The collections “Knowledge”, “Word” and “Nizhny Novgorod Collection” were subsequently compiled from the works of the circle’s writers.

The writer's wife is Elena Andreevna Karzinkina (1869-1943), a representative of a famous merchant dynasty. Thanks to her, artists A. Ya. Golovin, K. K. Pervukhin, A. M. Vasnetsov, I. I. Levitan attend “Wednesdays” - Elena Andreevna graduated from the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, was a student of Polenov, had a wide circle dating among artists. She subsequently became an illustrator of her husband's works. The writer dedicated his “Notes of a Writer” to her. Chaliapin and S.V. Rachmaninov are frequent guests.

Between two revolutions

Around 1905 Teleshov underwent a characteristic evolution to the left of his generation. Notes of social protest appear in his works: “Sedition”, “Loop”, “Between Two Banks”, “Black Night”. For the first time in Russia, he organized a rural gymnasium in the Moscow region for workers, railway employees and peasants. For ten years, the children of the poorest peasants and workers studied there for free (or for a reduced fee) on the principle of co-education. The Teleshov couple provided funds for the maintenance of the gymnasium. In addition, Teleshov was one of the main organizers of the literary, artistic, theatrical and artistic life of Moscow. For a long time he headed the fund for mutual assistance of writers and scientists, was the initiator of the publication of various collections (“Drukar”, “1914”, “To help captured Russian soldiers”) and the production of amateur performances by writers, and was a juror of the court of honor at the Society of Press and Literature. Teleshov enthusiastically embraced the first Russian revolution of 1905, and when the wave of revolutionary upsurge passed, his work did not undergo decadent changes, still affirming human faith in humanistic values ​​(“True Friend,” “Mowers,” “Another Soul”). Rejection of the imperialist war was reflected in the stories “In the Darkness”, “Mine” - the collection “1914”, “Days after Days” - the collection “To help captured Russian soldiers” (1916). The Teleshov couple, using their own funds, organized a hospital in Malakhovka (1915) and built a rural hospital (1916).

Post-October period

After the October Revolution, Teleshov took part in the work of the People's Commissariat of Education. He participated in the organization of the [Museum of the Moscow Art Theater (Kamergersky Lane, 3a), of which he was director since 1923. During these years, he was engaged in children's literature, conceived the cycle “Legends and Fairy Tales”: “Krupenichka” (1919), “Zorenka” (1921). Begins the artistic memoirs “Notes of a Writer” (1925-1943), telling about the events of the literary life of Moscow in the 19th-20th centuries. At his apartments, meetings of members of the city commission “History of Moscow Streets” of the Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Moscow take place. The book “The Beginning of the End” (1933) is a story and stories about the events of the revolution of 1905-1907.

The writer died in 1957 and was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Bibliographic curiosity

N.D. Teleshov entered the history of Russian literature primarily as the initiator of the “Teleshov Wednesdays” and the author of the memoir book “Notes of a Writer.” Teleshov’s “Notes” were repeatedly republished in Soviet times and during the author’s reprints they were supplemented and corrected by the writer. The memoirs are illustrated with photographic portraits of Russian writers. The portraits were notable for the fact that each of them contained a personal gift to Teleshov. Since collecting these portraits was Teleshov’s passion, he managed to obtain dedicatory inscriptions on portraits from Leo Tolstoy, Chekhov, Korolenko, Gorky, Kuprin, Bunin, Serafimovich, Veresaev, Belousov, Skitalets, Leonid Andreev, Mamin-Sibiryak, Zlatovratsky, Spiridon Drozhzhin, Chaliapin and many others. In the 1948 edition of “Notes of a Writer,” among other portraits, there was an illustration that reproduced the famous 1902 group portrait of the Sreda writers. Its difference from the original portrait was that the image of E. N. Chirikov behind I. A. Bunin was carefully retouched. In some way, the emigrant Chirikov was guilty of Stalin’s censorship more than other emigrants - after all, Bunin and Chaliapin were present in the same photo. Of course, the fame and significance of the last two could not be compared with the fame of Yevgeny Chirikov. Many pages of the Notes are devoted to both of them. In addition, in the first years after the war, through the mediation of N.D. Teleshov, the Soviet government for some time hoped to return the Nobel laureate in literature back to the Soviet Union. Chaliapin had long since died by this time. Chirikov, too, had not existed for 16 years, and although Chirikov’s name was mentioned in passing several times in the Notes, even in this case his face darkened Soviet literature.

Addresses in Moscow

• 1904-1913 - Chistoprudny Boulevard, 21;
• 1913-1957 - Pokrovsky Boulevard, 18/15. Passed here

“Teleshov Wednesdays”, the participants of which were the entire flower of literary Moscow at the beginning of the 20th century: L. N. Andreev, K. D. Balmont, V. Ya. Bryusov, I. A. Bunin, A. S. Serafimovich, V. V. Veresaev, A. M. Gorky, A. I. Kuprin and others. There is a memorial plaque on the house.

Bibliography

• On threes. Essays and stories, ed. Sytina, M., 1895;
• Beyond the Urals (From wanderings in Western Siberia). Essays, M., 1897;
• A Little Novel (Children), ed. Klyukina and Efimova, M., 1898;
• Novels and stories, ed. Sytina, M., 1899;
• Stories, 2 vols., ed. t-va "Knowledge", 1903-1908;
• Between two shores, ed. "Liberation", St. Petersburg, 1909;
• Stories and fairy tales for young readers, ed. t-va "Enlightenment", St. Petersburg, 1911;
• Stories, ed. Books of Writers in Moscow, M., 1913-1917 (book 1. Dry trouble; book 2. Black Night; book 3. Golden Autumn; book 4. Sedition);
• Faithful friend and other stories, ed. Book of Writers in Moscow, M., 1915;
• Elka Mitricha, GIZ, M., 1919;
• The same, GIZ, M. - P., 1923;
• Stories, ed. Grzhebina, Berlin, 1922;
• Everything passes. M., 1927;
• Autobiography: “Writers”, ed. V. Lidina, ed. 2nd, M., 1928;
• Migrants. Stories, ed. "Federation", M., 1929;
• Literary Memoirs, ed. Moscow Writers' Association, M., 1931;
• Selected stories, Goslitizdat, M., 1935.
• Favorites. - M., 1945;
• Notes of a writer. - M., 1948;
• Favorites / Join Art. S. Durylina. M., 1948;
• Novels and stories. - M., 1951;
• Teleshov N. D. Notes of a writer: Stories about the past and memories. - M.: Soviet writer, 1952. - 360, p. - 30,000 copies. (in translation);
• Selected Works [Intro. Art. V. Borisova], vol. 1-3, M., 1956;
• Teleshov N. D. Notes of a writer: Memories and stories about the past / Afterword by K. Panteleeva. - M.: Moscow worker, 1958. - 384, p. - (Library for Youth). - 85,000 copies;
• Notes of a writer. Memories and stories about the past. [Afterword K. Panteleeva], M., 1966.
• Stories. Stories. Legends. - M., 1983;
• Selected works. - M., 1985;

Lyrics

• Legends. About three young men. (1901)
• Migrants. Self-propelled vehicles. Story.
• Migrants. Christmas tree Mitrich. (1897) Story.
• Across Siberia. On threes. (1892) Tale.
• Across Siberia. Against custom. (1894) Story.
• Across Siberia. Dry trouble. (1897)
• 1905 Sedition. (1906) Tale.
• 1905 Beginning of the End. (1933) Tale.
• Rooster. (1888) Story.
• Between two banks. (1903) Story.
• Living stone. (1919) Story.
• The best. (1919) Story.
• Rogue. Story.
• Shadow of happiness. (1921)