Gavrilova Natalya I.,
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Irkutsk, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Alexandra Ksenofontovna Medvednikova: Materials for the Biography (On the Issue of Studying Dynamics of Patterns of Charitable activity of Merchant Class Women in the 19th – early 20th Century)
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2019-3-3
The article is devoted to the study of the biography of A.K. Medvednikova, a representative of Irkutsk merchant families of Sibiryakovs аnd Medvednikovs. Charitable activity of A.K. Medvednikova is considered as a manifestation of one of the gender and generational models of philanthropy of the 19th century. It was typical for women of the merchant class of the age cohort born in the 1810–1820s. Representatives of this generational cohort were among the first to actively engage in social activities related to charity. The analysis of Medvednikova’s motivation and forms of participation in charitable activities is carried out taking into account the characteristics of her age, family, educational and economic status, value orientations. The role of charity family traditions and the depth of religious attitudes are emphasized. It is proved that the active work of her husband, merchant of the 1st Guild I.L. Medvednikov in the public arena, created the opportunity to expand the public sphere of activity for Alexandra Ksenofontovna. On the basis of archival materials introduced into scientific circulation, the autor considers the main features of the lifestyle of the Medvednikov married couple in Irkutsk and Moscow; reveals the conditionality of Church charity priorities of Medvednikovs in Moscow and the peculiarities of the Medvednikovs’ relationship with the Siberian Association, including the Irkutsk merchants who moved to Moscow in the middle – second half of the 19th century. The author analizes reasons for which the Medvednikovs’ membership in Moscow charitable societies (including the “Society for the help to Siberian Paris in Miscow”) was only nominal. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of the A.K. Medvednikova’s bequest. According to this bequest, more than 5 million rubles were donated to various charitable needs. The specificity of A.K. Medvednikovs’ bequest in favor of the Irkutsk self-government is emphasized. This bequest was one of the few examples of close cooperation between the donor and municipal authorities in the appointment of bequeathed capital. The author comes to conclusion that A.K. Medvednikova implemented a member of “women’s charity” typical of her generation.
Publishing: 30/06/2019
How to cite: Gavrilova N.I. Alexandra Ksenofontovna Medvednikova: Materials for the Biography (On the Issue of Studying Dynamics of Patterns of Charitable activity of Merchant Class Women in the 19th – early 20th Century) // Historical Courier, 2019, # 3 (5). Article 3. [Available online:] http://istkurier.ru/data/2019/ISTKURIER-2019-3-03.pdf
Links: Issue 3 2019
Keywords: gender; charity; merchants; donations by bequest; Medvednikovs; Sibiryakovs; Irkutsk; Moscow