Selected Works

Mikhail Yevgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin (1826–1889) - a Russian writer, journalist, and public figure. His real surname is Saltykov; Shchedrin is a pseudonym under which he published for a long time. The future writer was born in the family estate located in what is now the Moscow region. His father came from an old noble family, and his mother from a merchant family. In 1838, Mikhail entered the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum - a closed educational institution that prepared noble children for state service. Here, Saltykov began to compose poetry and translate foreign poets. Soon, however, he became disillusioned with his poetic abilities and began to try his hand at prose. Saltykov graduated from the lyceum with the rank of Collegiate Secretary. The writer lived poorly, but could not do without a creative outlet: with his last money, he bought tickets to the theater, read a lot, attended literary evenings, and made acquaintances with cultural figures. In 1847, his first articles and then stories began to be published. The success was short-lived: in 1848, the writer was exiled to Vyatka, where he lived for about seven years without the right to continue his literary work. There, he worked many as a junior clerk, and the impressions gained from serving in a foreign land provided excellent material for his future compositions. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, Saltykov began to write actively. In 1862, he retired and fully immersed himself in literature. His works were full of satire, accusatory motives, and allegories, for which the writer often received warnings from censors. It was important for Saltykov to reflect his vision of the world and his understanding of morality in his texts. For a long time, the writer worked and published in "Russkaya Starina". This collection includes works from this period: the novels "The History of One City", "The Golovlyov Family", "The Olden Times of Poshekhonye", and numerous tales. Also included in the publication are "Provincial Sketches" and the cycle "Dramatic Scenes and Monologues".

The texts of the collection are illustrated by Kukryniksy. Under this pseudonym, the folk artists and members of the Academy of Arts of the USSR Mikhail Vasilyevich Kupriyanov (1903–1991), Porfiry Nikitich Krylov (1902–1990), and Nikolai Alexandrovich Sokolov (1903–2000) worked. The Kukryniksy started collaborating while studying at the Moscow Higher Art and Technical Studios. The artists jointly drew caricatures, posters on current topics, and made illustrations for the works of literary classics such as Nikolai Gogol, Maxim Gorky, Anton Chekhov, and, of course, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin.