As a friend of Dantes's wife was ruined by only one candle: Anastasia Khlyustina, Countess de Sircourt

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

She was the owner of one of the most famous secular salons in Paris. A friend of the Goncharov sisters, who hosted the Dantes spouses, while they were refused from many houses after the tragic duel on the Black River. At Anastasia Khlyustina's guests felt themselves surrounded by the most sensitive attention and immersed in the most highly intellectual, subtle conversations. And the flame of an ordinary candle destroyed her, in an instant destroying her health and, if not beauty, then at least an interesting external personality.

Hostess of a high-society salon in Paris

This is already a lost and, probably, almost forgotten culture - to open salons where high society gathers - not for the sake of PR, not for the sake of establishing business ties, but to give guests the opportunity to exchange views on issues of interest to them, to bring interlocutors, to reconcile those who disagree. Salons were one of the highest forms of social communication, and many aristocrats sought to create in their living rooms some kind of action in which everyone present would be involved and which would represent a game of mind and a competition of talents. And some saw in their salons a way to search for the truth on important political issues, to determine the urgent tasks of art - Khlyustina belonged to such mistresses.

In the Paris salon of Anastasia Semyonovna, married to the Countess Sircourt, the most elected society gathered on Thursdays. An apartment not far from the Champs Elysees received within its walls both statesmen, and famous writers, and the military, and artists. It was prestigious to appear in Madame de Sircourt's drawing-room, but most importantly, visitors got real pleasure from such evenings. Luxurious surroundings, interesting conversations, skillfully guided by the hostess in the right direction, and the countess herself - not considered a beauty, she was bright, elegant, had a sharp mind and at the same time - an extraordinary tact. In Paris, she was nicknamed the Russian, or northern, Corinna - after the heroine of the novel Germaine de Stael, a writer and also the hostess of a high-society salon. Anastasia Khlyustina was inspired by the society and the atmosphere that accompanied her youth, when she, traveling with her mother in Europe, visited the houses of the Marquise de la Tour in Paris, Zinaida Volkonskaya in Rome. There, among the most educated people of her time, she felt at ease, because she herself received an excellent education for that time.

How the fate of Anastasia Khlyustina turned out to be connected with Europe

Anastasia Khlyustina was born in 1808, in the family of a wealthy landowner and officer of the Ulan regiment Semyon Khlyustin and a nee Countess Tolstoy. She was the eldest of the children, spent her childhood and adolescence in Moscow, her circle of acquaintances and friends included the Goncharov sisters - Ekaterina, Alexandra and Natalia (who later became Pushkin's wife). The girl studied ancient Russian literature, philosophy, botany, spoke French, English and German, played musical instruments.

At the age of eighteen, she went abroad with her mother to improve her health. Traveling in France, Italy, Switzerland, as well as a noble origin, gave Anastasia the opportunity to get acquainted with the European elite. In 1827, in Paris, she first met the Comte de Sircourt, a historian and publicist, whom she married three years later. Adolphe de Sircourt was smart, had an excellent memory and deep knowledge of science. He was a Catholic, for this reason the wedding took place twice: according to the Catholic rite in Geneva, then, in Bern, according to the Orthodox - according to the faith of Khlyustina.

However, even here, salon acquaintances left an imprint on the countess's life. Often visiting the Parisian house of Sofia Petrovna Svechina, a lady-in-waiting, a writer, a convinced Catholic, the Countess de Sircourt also decided to change her religion, adopting Catholicism. It happened in 1841. By this time, she had already spent more than a dozen years in the status of a diplomat's wife, even helped her husband in his service, performing the functions of a secretary.

Happy life and accident

In 1830, immediately after the wedding, they had to leave Paris - the July Revolution broke out, for several years the Count and Countess lived in Switzerland, Germany and Italy, before returning to the French capital again. They also visited Russia, it happened in 1835. On that short trip, Anastasia met Pushkin.

Then, after his death, she will write to Zhukovsky: "".

Khlyustina herself often and successfully took up the pen - her acquaintance with the poet inspired her to write the article "Alexander Pushkin", by that time her reviews of Russian literature and translations of Russian poets had already appeared in print. Italy. She started her salon since 1837, when she was already living in Paris. Among her guests were Marshal of France Emmanuelle Grouchy, Alfred le Vigny, a writer, one of the founders of French romanticism, the first Prime Minister of Italy Benso de Cavour.

When communicating with people, Khlyustina attached importance not to their political views, but to their actions, valued intelligence and talent in the interlocutors, was kind, loyal to her friends, preached peace and harmony, reconciled opponents and disputants, and therefore her salon was often the only possible meeting place for irreconcilable seemingly opponents - for political, religious or philosophical convictions.

On August 18, 1855, an accident occurred at the Circourts country house in Saint-Cloud. Anastasia brought the burning candle too close to her head, which caused her hair to catch fire. The Countess received serious burns, she was partially paralyzed, and then she suffered from pain all her life. But Khlyustina's salon continued to exist despite the injury she received - which is the best confirmation that the ladies of that time really saw their vocation in the role of a hostess hosting a high society.

She died in March 1863 at the age of fifty-five. The death of Anastasia Khlyustina was mourned in many countries - those who happened to become part of her society. After the death of his wife, Adolphe de Sircourt left Paris. He died sixteen years later.

About the beauties-aristocrats of Russia: here.