Video: Princess Midnight: the mystery of Evdokia Golitsyna, mistress of the St. Petersburg salon
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Princess Evdokia Golitsyna was one of the most famous personalities of the 19th century. Perfectly educated and charming, she drove men crazy with her beauty and intelligence, but her reputation remained impeccable. In high society, Golitsyna became famous for the idea of opening a St. Petersburg salon, which was visited by the most famous people of the era. She held receptions exclusively at night, for which they soon began to call her nothing but Princess Nocturne, or Princess of Midnight … The reason for this was a terrible prediction, once heard from the fortuneteller Lenormand …
Evdokia Golitsyna (née Izmailova) received her surname from her husband, the famous prince Sergei Golitsyn, for whom, by great grace, Emperor Paul married her. However, the marriage was not happy, the newlyweds were too different. They lived in Russia for several years, and later were forced to move to Dresden, since Sergei Golitsyn fell into disgrace. Golitsyn returned from exile alone, and Evdokia decided to stay in Europe and build a new life. Here she managed to meet true love - Prince Mikhail Dolgorukov. Evdokia could not achieve a divorce, so an official marriage with Dolgorukov was impossible. And life has destined a short story for lovers - in 1808 the prince was killed in the war.
The reputation of Evdokia Golitsyna has always remained unblemished. Returning to Russia, she opens a salon, she is surrounded by the best people of that time. Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Batyushkov and, of course, Pushkin (the future great poet was 18 years old at that time). The great poet falls under the spell of Evdokia and begins spending nights in her salon. Of course, the princess was flattered by such attention, but her attitude towards the poet was only condescending.
Pushkin dedicates three poems to Evdokia Golitsyna, one of which perfectly characterizes the poet's attitude to his muse. Where is a woman - not with cold beauty, But with a fiery, captivating, lively? Where can I find an easy conversation, Brilliant, cheerful, enlightened? With whom can you not be cold, not empty? I almost hated my fatherland - But I saw Golitsyna yesterday reconciled to my fatherland.
Golitsyna's salon worked exclusively at night. In her youth, the girl heard a prophecy that her life would end at night, and since then she vowed to stay awake after sunset and sleep during the day. Interestingly, information about the death of Evdokia has not been preserved, therefore, it is not possible to judge whether Lenormand's prediction came true. At the end of her life, Evdokia was engaged in self-education. According to some testimonies, not a trace of her former beauty has remained. Thus ended the life of the Princess of Midnight …
Evdokia Golitsyna became one of Pushkin's many muses. Find out who else was included in Don Juan list poet!
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