Origins & Early Life

Vasily Kirillovich Trediakovsky (Russian: Василий Кириллович Тредиаковский; 5 March [O.S. 22 February] 1703 – 17 August [O.S. 6 August] 1769) was a Russian poet, essayist and playwright who helped lay the foundations of classical Russian literature. The son of a poor priest, Trediakovsky became the first Russian commoner to receive a humanistic education abroad, at the Sorbonne in Paris (1727–1730) where he studied philosophy, linguistics and mathematics.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Soon after his return to Russia, he became acting secretary of the Academy of Sciences and de facto court poet. In 1735, Trediakovsky published A New and Brief Way for Composing of Russian Verses (Novy i kratky sposob k slozheniyu rossiyskikh stikhov), a highly theoretical work for which he is best remembered. It discussed for the first time in Russian literature such poetic genres as the sonnet, the rondeau, the madrigal, and the ode. In 1740, Trediakovsky received a physical beating at the hands of the imperial minister Artemy Volynsky. Volynsky was arrested on charges of conspiracy and misconduct, but Trediakovsky became, "a subject of constant mockery", according to Elif Batuman: "His very propensity for receiving...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Charles Perrault — Contemporary (Died in 1703) (1703): Foundational French author, credited with establishing the modern genre of the fairy tale.
• François Boucher — Contemporary (Born in 1703) (1703): Master of the Rococo style, celebrated for idyllic and voluptuous paintings.
• John Wesley — Contemporary (Born in 1703) (1703): Founding father of Methodism, an influential English theologian and evangelist.
• Arthur Guinness II — Contemporary (Born in 1768) (1768): Anglo-Irish brewer, banker, and politician who managed the expansion of the Guinness brewery.
• Canaletto — Contemporary (Died in 1768) (1768): Master Vedutista: Celebrated painter of Venetian and Roman cityscapes.
• Encyclopædia Britannica — Contemporary (Born in 1768) (1768): A long-running, general-knowledge English-language encyclopedia.
• Adam Ferguson — Shared historical date (02-22 · Died) (1816): Scottish philosopher, historian, and 'father of modern sociology'.
• Adolphe Quetelet — Shared historical date (02-22 · Born) (1796): Pioneering Belgian statistician, founder of anthropometry, and social scientist.
• Alexander Fleming — Shared historical date (08-06 · Born) (1881): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Andy Warhol — Shared historical date (08-06 · Born) (1928): Pioneering Pop Art figure who blurred lines between high and low culture.
• 1703 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1703
• February 22 (02-22) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 22
• 1768 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1768
• August 6 (08-06) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 6