Gedeonov, Stepan

Gedeonov, Stepan Aleksandrovich

 

Born in 1815; died Sept. 15 (27), 1878, in St. Petersburg. Russian historian, man of letters, and theater figure. Graduated from St. Petersburg University in 1835.

Gedeonov directed the Hermitage Museum from 1863 to 1878. He obtained a number of masterpieces of world art for the museum. As a historian, Gedeonov is known for his major work, The Varangians and Rus’ (parts 1-2, 1876), directed against foreign and Russian partisans of the Norseman theory. Gedeonov sought to show the Western Slavic origin of the Varangians. He was director of the imperial theaters from 1867 to 1875. Gedeonov wrote a number of dramatic works.

WORKS

Otryvki iz issledovanii o variazhskom voprose, parts 1-2. St. Petersburg, 1862.