Southern Italy in the Moscow House of Maxim Gorky

Abstract

The article is devoted to the “Italian” collection of the M. Gorky Museum in Moscow, one of the brightest themes in the museum. M. Gorky lived in Italy for almost fifteen years – two approximately equal seven-year periods: Capri (1906-1913) and Sorrento (1924-1933). In the Moscow house of the writer, many things still remind of Italy, which was very dear to Gorky. Among these we can find a copy of the painting by Leonardo da Vinci Madonna Litta by A.D. Korin, Panorama of Sorrento by his brother, view of the coastal cliffs near the villa “Il Sorito” by N.A. Benois, etc. The artists who visited Gorky tried to capture everything they saw. In the works created in 1911-1913 in Capri by various artists, we see Naples, Vesuvius, Marina Piccola and Marina Grande, Faraglioni, streets, barges. An important section of the collection of photographs is its Italian part: photographs of Italians – a Capri cab; gardener in Gorky’s house; the son of the owner of the “Caffè Morgano”; Capri singers and amateur musicians. Gorky’s personal library contains books about Italy and works by Italian authors.