Afanasy Afanasievich Fet (Dec. 5, 1820 - Dec. 3, 1892), or Foeth, later changed his name to Shenshin, was a poet who dominated the Russian poetry during the last quarter of the 19th century. 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Afanasy was the illegimate child of a German woman named Foeth by a rich Russian landlord named Shenshin. He spent his youth studying at the Moscow University, and serving in the army (until 1856). Stigma of illegitimacy haunted him all through his life, but it took years of litigation to obtain a right to use the prestigious name Shenshin (1876). Promotion in the army ranks helped him to secure the longed-for admission to Russian nobility, just in time when the serfdom was abolished. Moscow State University campus M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (Московский Государственный Университет имени М.В.Ломоносова, often abbreviated МГУ, MSU, MGU) is considered the oldest university in Russia, founded in 1755. ... A nations army is its military, or more specifically, all of its land forces. ... A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in order to recover a right, obtain damages for an injury, obtain an injunction to prevent an injury, or obtain a declaratory judgment to prevent future legal disputes. ... The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the Windows of the Lodge of the Heralds. ...

Fet's portrait by Ilya Repin.

Fet was often described as a mean personality of reactionary political views, but this doesn't concern his poetry. He held the view that a poet's lifestyle has little bearing to his art, and that artist doesn't have to be sincere. While in the army, he made friends with another officer, Leo Tolstoy, whom he always admired. Later he settled at the Stepanovka manor in his home district of Mtsensk and visited his illustrious neighbour as often as possible. In his later years, he also wrote literary reminiscences and translated works of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. Ilyá Yefímovich Répin (Илья́ Ефи́мович Ре́пин) (August 5, 1844 (Julian calendar: July 24) – September 29, 1930) was a leading Russian painter and sculptor of the Peredvizhniki artistic school. ... Leo Nikolayevitch Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й) (September 9 (August 28, O.S.), 1828 - November 20 (November 7, O.S.), 1910) was a Russian novelist, reformer, and moral thinker, notable for his influence on Russian literature and politics. ... Arthur Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer (February 22, 1788 – September 21, 1860) was a German philosopher. ...

When Fet first published his poetry in 1842, he was timid enough not to trust his own artistic taste. He therefore submited his verse to the examination of Ivan Turgenev, whom he respected as an arbiter of literary tastes. This tradition continued for many years, until Fet understood that Turgenev had expurgated from his verse the most personal and original elements of his artistic vision. 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Ivan Turgenev, photo by Félix Nadar (1820-1910) Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (Ива́н Серге́евич Турге́нев, November 9, 1818 - September 3, 1883) was a major Russian novelist and playwright. ...

Subjects of Fet's poetry are far from being original: unhappy love, modest nature of Central Russia, perfection of Greek statuary, and majesty of God. But he treated them in an impressionistic manner, always trying to catch a moment of volatile change. He could write a poem consisting of nouns only and yet making an impression of restless dynamism. Impressionism was a 19th century art movement, that began as a private association of Paris-based artists who began publicly exhibiting their art in the 1860s. ...

His last pieces, arguably influenced by Baudelaire, are intricate and obscure: the images are meant to evoke (rather than to record) subtle associations of half-forgotten memories. He once said that the most important thing in poetry is a thread that would bind all the rambling associations into a tightly structured short poem. Charles Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (April 9, 1821–August 31, 1867) was one of the most influential French poets. ...

Fet was never a popular poet during his lifetime. But he had a profound influence on the Russian Symbolists, especially Innokenty Annensky and Alexander Blok, and as such is firmly established among all-time Russian greats. Blok in 1907 Alexander Blok (Александр Александрович Блок, 1880- 1921) was probably the most gifted lyrical poet that Russia produced since Alexander Pushkin. ...

A sample of Fet's poem, with rhymes dropped

When you were reading those tormented lines

In which the heart's resonant flame sends out glowing streams

And passion's fatal torrents rear up,-

Didn't you recall a single thing?

I can't believe it! That night on the steppe

When, in the midnight mist a premature dawn,

Transparent, lovely as a miracle,

Broke in the distance before you

And your unwilling eye was to this beauty drawn

To that majestic glow beyond the realm of darkness,-

How could it be that nothing whispered to you then:

A man has perished in that fire!

15 February 1887