Mikhail Lermontov
Russian writer, poet and painter (1814–1841)
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov ( LAIR-mən-tof, US also -tawf; Russian: Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов, IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil ˈjʉrʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈlʲerməntəf]; 15 October [O.S. 3 October] 1814 – 27 July [O.S. 15 July] 1841) was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death in 1837 and the greatest figure in Russian Romanticism. His influence on Russian literature is felt in modern times, through his poetry, but also his prose, which founded the tradition of the Russian psychological novel.
Lermontov grew up in Tarkhany and received excellent home education from his grandmother, nurturing his talents in languages, music, and painting. However, his health was fragile, and he suffered from scrofula and rickets. His grandmother's strict control caused him emotional turmoil, leading to his development as a lonely and introspective individual. In 1827, Lermontov moved to Moscow with his grandmother and joined the Moscow University's boarding school. He excelled academically and started to write poetry. By 1829, Lermontov had written notable poems. His literary career began to take shape, with his early works reflecting the influences of Alexander Pushkin and Lord Byron. Lermontov's early education included extensive travel to the Caucasus for his health, which greatly impressed him and influenced his work.
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Biographical claims are most persuasive when dates, appointments and relationships can be traced to records created close to the events described. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q46599. VIAF identifies the subject as 14772733. The Library of Congress control number is n81032540. 5 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 1 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1814, 1841, 1837 and 1827.
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This entry incorporates text from “Mikhail Lermontov” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.