On his operation, and Clara Milich. 1883

Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883)
On his operation, and Clara Milich. 1883
Autograph letter signed ('Iv. Turgenev') to 'P.V.' [Pavel Vasilyevich Annenkov], 50 rue de Douai, Paris, 9 February 1883.

In Russian. Two pages, 156 x 107mm, on a bifolium. Provenance: Stargardt, 11/12 June 1974, lot 278 – Freeman, 10 April 2014, lot 394.

The dying Turgenev on his operation, following Kant's advice, and the origins of his last story, Clara Milich. 'The operation left no trace except for a large scar on my stomach. I have not been complaining – not out of a desire to show my stoicism but because of a system recommended by the philosopher Kant – during pain, try to be aware of it: the pain itself decreases, as thinking always reduces nervous excitement. Old Kant turns out to be right, and his system helped me'. Unfortunately, however, his chronic, persistent pain has not gone away, he is increasingly immobile, and 'even writing is difficult for me'. Turgenev goes on to discuss the origins of his last story, Clara Milich (based on the story of the actress Yevlaliya Pavlovna Kadmina (1853-1881)): 'In Clara Milich I was interested in the mental process of Aratov – I saw her only once, did not say two words to her, and invented her biography etc – as far as possible making it serve my purpose. It is no fault of mine if the public wants to see a portrait in my work ... Other audiences (in France, for example) have understood C.M. correctly'. Turgenev apologises for not writing more, but 'the pain in my shoulder and side is almost intolerable'.

Published by Pushkin House, I.S. Turgenev. Novyye Issledovaniya i Materialy. 2016, p. 535. Turgenev had undergone an operation to remove a tumour from his lower abdomen, but this did little to relieve his suffering, and he was obliged to use morphine with increasing frequency in the months before his death on 3 September. His late masterpiece Clara Milich was based on the story of an actress, Y.P. Kadmina, who committed suicide on stage in Kharkov in 1881: the character of Aratov is based on a zoologist named Alenitsyn who fell in love with her. Turgenev had met Alenitsyn once, but as he says here had only seen Kadmina on stage. The recipient, P.V. Annenkov (1813-1887) was an important critic and memoirist, and a close friend of Turgenev's from the 1840s onwards.

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