Savva Mamontov: biography, personal life, patronage, interesting facts

Maecenas Savva Ivanovich Mamontov was a descendant of a merchant family. He was born on October 2, 1841 in the Siberian city of Yalutorovsk. When the boy was 8 years old, he moved with his parents to Moscow. Father Ivan Fedorovich traded with wine. With his wife Maria he had seven children, including two early-dying daughters. Ivan Fedorovich moved to Moscow after becoming a merchant of the first guild, and began to manage all the forecourt of the province. The affairs of the merchant went uphill, so the family lived on a broad foot. The Mamontovs had a mansion rented on Meshchanska Street, in which evening parties and balls were arranged.

Childhood

Although Mamontov belonged to the merchant class, the orders in the family were very different from the traditional ones in this environment. In the life of this family an important place was occupied by literature, art, theater, music. The manners of Ivan Fedorovich were more like the manners of an English lord than a merchant. Of course, the way of life of the elders greatly influenced the interests that Savva Mamontov acquired. The biography of the patron would have developed differently, if not for the tastes of his own family. In addition, the tutor educated the boy, who learned it in foreign languages and European manners.

First Savva studied in a regular gymnasium. Then his father transferred him to the Institute of Civil Engineers in St. Petersburg. This decision was far-sighted. Just then, railroad construction was developing in Russia. Engineering professions in general have become extremely in demand. Most of all the pupil, however, loved the German language. Two years later, his father took him from St. Petersburg because of an epidemic of scarlet fever.

Youth

At the age of 19 Savva Mamontov, whose biography was characterized by numerous unexpected turns, entered the capital's university, but then moved to Moscow, where he chose the law faculty. Despite this specialty, the main passion of the young man was the theater. He did not miss a single loud premiere and revolved in the circles of the Moscow intelligentsia. To the Mammoths, even the amnestied Decembrists even looked in.

Ivan Fedorovich continued to successfully conduct business. He had several sons, but none of them was interested in entrepreneurship. Father's hopes were placed on Savva. In 1862, he sent his son to Baku, where he was to deal with the trade affairs of the Transcaspian partnership. A few months later Savva Mamontov, whose biography had made the next zigzag, became the head of the central Moscow branch of this organization.

In 1864 the businessman went to Italy. First, he wanted to do his health, and secondly, he was going to look at the silk trade. For this purpose, Lombardy was chosen. It has long been famous for its silk and silkworm industry. In Milan, Savva Ivanovich Mamontov met with the local legendary theater "La Scala", where the best world operas were staged. The merchant was interested in this kind of art and even began to take amateur singing lessons.

Personal life

Young Savva Mamontov, whose personal life was extremely successful, met his future wife Elizaveta Sapozhnikova during her first Italian trip. The girl's father was a major silk merchant, because Sava's marriage union only strengthened the serious social status of his family.

Ivan Fedorovich Elizabeth really liked, and he with great joy approved the choice of his son. After the festive ceremony, the couple again went to Italy - this time on a honeymoon. The wife of Savva Mamontova gave birth to five husbands. Their daughter Vera was portrayed by the painter Valentin Serov on his famous painting "A Girl with Peaches".

Magnate heir

Father Sava Ivan Fedorovich died in 1869, after which his family business passed to his son. The successor was assisted by parental assistants. With them, the young businessman not only preserved, but also multiplied the parental heritage. So in 1872 at the head of the Society of the Moscow-Yaroslavl Railway a new director, Savva Mamontov, rose up. The biography of the merchant was associated with a wide range of business areas. Simultaneously with the railway, he owned a trading office that supplied construction materials. Gradually, Mamontov used to lead and active social life.

The ancestral nest of Savva Ivanovich was the estate Abramtsevo, bought from writer Sergei Aksakov. Spouses believed that their children better to grow out of town away from unnecessary fuss and unhealthy conditions. Always distinguished by an ebullient love for activity, the magnate made from Abramtsevo a prosperous estate with his own school, church, greenhouses, a garden, a hospital, a bridge and a dam on the river Vora.

Patronage activity

Despite the business activity, the merchant continued to be interested in art. He was familiar with all the main figures of the Russian intelligentsia of his time. In Abramtsevo even a circle of cultural figures was formed, which was organized by Savva Mamontov himself. Interesting facts about the life of the intellectual and philanthropist were combined with the news of the next major transactions and enterprises. Mamontov got all-Russian fame after he completed the construction of an important railway for the economy in the Donetsk Coal Basin. Communications were built in 1882. Eight years later Savva Ivanovich sold them to the state for a fortune.

Mamontov had a special weakness for artists. He was friends with Apollinarius Vasnetsov, Isaak Levitan, Vasily Surikov, Valentin Serov and other painters. The merchant was a relative of the creator of the main Moscow gallery Pavel Tretyakov.

Patron of Arts

If necessary, philanthropist Savva Mamontov helped artists not only morally, but also materially. He was a true godfather of many young talents. Painters for months lived right in his house. Thanks to Savva Ivanovich, such stars as Vrubel, Vasnetsov, Korovin and Serov stood on their feet. Some of their paintings, which later became generally recognized classics, were painted in the Mamontov Estate. Although the merchant did not collect directly, his paintings settled with the advent of new acquaintances from the art world.

Patronage of Savva Ivanovich very much helped the young artists of the Peredvizhniki. In 1880, with the help of a merchant, a large edition of their album was published. Also Mamontov organized Moscow art exhibitions. Together with the noblewoman Maria Tenisheva, he financed the famous magazine "The World of Art".

Passion for music and theater

Painting was not the only interest of the merchant. Music - this is another art, which was sick Sawa Mamontov. Interesting facts about his tastes are well known on regular creative evenings, which the businessman arranged in his house. There were works by Schumann, Beethoven, Mozart, Glinka, Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and other famous composers. He did not abandon the vocal lessons of the Mammoths himself sometimes appeared before the guests. He also put home plays. One of the performances was played by the young Konstantin Alekseev, who later became the world famous theater director Stanislavsky.

In 1882, private troupes were legally allowed in Russia. One of those who immediately took advantage of the new opportunities was Savva Mamontov. Abramtsevo was not only a refuge for artists. Maecenas was interested in opera, and, disappointed by the disdainful attitude of the Russian public to this art form, decided to organize opera productions. He dreamed of whole works on stage, in which the work of musicians, artists, singers and actors could unite. Nothing like domestic productions are not different.

In the selection of the new troupe Savva Mamontov was assisted by conductor Nikolai Krotkov. The organizers decided to invite young performers who had not yet performed in state theaters. Mamontov himself did not occupy any position in the created theater, although he regularly attended rehearsals and communicated with the actors.

Own troupe

At the beginning of 1885, the first performance of the Mamontov troupe "Rusalka", staged by the composer Alexander Dargomyzhsky, took place in the building that belonged to the Lianozovo Theater. Decorations for him were created by Isaac Levitan and Apollinarius Vasnetsov. Then they worked on other performances ("Faust" and "Windsor pranksters"). There is no doubt that Savva Mamontov's "creative children" became the first theater artists in Russia. Until then, serious painters were not engaged in scenery for productions, considering this craft inadequate to their level. There was a separate niche of illustrators depicting the same operatic background landscapes: ancient ruins, medieval castles, the nature of Italy. The troupe of the "railway king" changed this settled order.

For quite a long time Mamontov's experimental opera was not successful with the audience. Affected by the lack of experience of young "unfired" actors. Entrepreneur, however, well, let go of his hands, even despite the harsh remarks in the press and criticism of friends who believed that a serious tycoon should not engage in such nonsense. The first high-profile tours of the theater were held only in 1898, when the mammoth troupe conquered St. Petersburg.

In addition to these monuments in Sergiev Posad and Yaroslavl, a kind of monument to Savva Mamontov - the artists who became famous for his opera. They include the star of the scene Shalyapin, composers Rachmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky.

Interesting Facts

Mamontov's patronage was not limited to art alone. For a long time he was chairman of the Delvigovsky Railway School in Moscow. Savva Ivanovich financed the construction of educational institutions, including in the northern provinces. They established the Kostroma Industrial School. In St. Petersburg, the tycoon organized the publication of the liberal newspaper "Russia". It was closed in 1902, after a feuilleton appeared there, ridiculing the members of the royal family.

Charitable interest to the north of Mamontov appeared thanks to the construction of a railway to Arkhangelsk. This project was very laborious and complicated. From the very beginning, he did not promise quick and tangible profits. Savva Ivanovich took up construction only from the sense of civic duty and the realization that it was the new line that would accelerate the economic development of the north.

The road to Arkhangelsk was completed in 1897. It was of tremendous importance both for the northernmost region and for the whole country. Despite the scale of his activities, Savva Ivanovich did not aspire to state recognition. He did not look for ranks and awards, he did not make connections with the powers that be. Nevertheless, the tycoon had high-ranking well-wishers and patrons. One of them was the Minister of Finance Sergei Witte. After the construction of the railway in Arkhangelsk, the official achieved the award of the Mamontov Order of St. Vladimir fourth degree.

Bankruptcy and recent years

In the 1890s, Savva Morozov set to work on his biggest entrepreneurial project. It consisted in the creation of an association of transport and industrial enterprises. To this end, the tycoon acquired several obsolete and demanding modernization plants. Their repair was worth a lot of money. Gradually the family of Savva Mamontov lost more and more money. In 1898, having found himself in a difficult situation, the businessman decided on a risky financial operation with shares of the Yaroslavl Railway. As a result of the sale of securities Mamontov finally went bankrupt.

Trying to escape the financial collapse, the patron received a state concession for the construction of a railway from St. Petersburg to Vyatka. However, this only aggravated the situation. In 1899 Mamontov ran out of money, he could no longer pay with numerous creditors. Moreover, the state represented by the Ministry of Finance appointed an audit of the prepared road.

It came to court. Savva Ivanovich was imprisoned for several months, he lost his property. The businessman was accused of stealing funds. At the trial, he was defended by the outstanding representative of the national legal profession, Fyodor Plevako. Mamontov was acquitted, he was released under the incessant applause of the public. However, he has no more capital left. Savva Ivanovich spent the rest of his life outside of public life. After the trial, he moved to a small house next to Butyrskaya Zastava. Mamontov communicated only with a narrow circle of old friends, among whom were artists and artists, famous all over the country. Maecenas died on April 6, 1918 at the age of 76 years. He was buried in the village of Abramtsevo.