Tchaikovsky
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Aleksandra Snegireva-Jurgenson

Russian painter (b. 1869; d. 1946), born Aleksandra Petrovna Jurgenson (Александра Петровна Юргенсон, Aleksandra Petrovna Jurgenson, Alexandra Petrovna Yurgenson); known during her first marriage as Aleksandra Petrovna Svetoslavskaia (Александра Петровна Светославская, Aleksandra Petrovna Svetoslavskaja, Alexandra Petrovna Svetoslavskaya), and after her second marriage as Aleksandra Petrovna Snegireva-Jurgenson (Александра Петровна Снегирева-Юргенсон, Aleksandra Petrovna Snegireva-Jurgenson, Alexandra Petrovna Snegireva-Jurgenson).

Tchaikovsky playing cards. Drawing by Aleksandra Jurgenson

Aleksandra was the daughter of Tchaikovsky's publisher Petr Jurgenson (1836–1904) and his wife Sofiia (b. Sots, 1840–1911). Tchaikovsky knew the Jurgenson family well, and he corresponded with many of them, including Aleksandra.

In her memoirs of the composer Aleksandra recounted how Tchaikovsky liked to take part in the children's preparations for Christmas and Easter, often coming round to their house during Holy Week to help them paint Easter eggs. He also liked to tease the Jurgenson children, especially little Aleksandra, to whom he sent many joking letters. When Aleksandra started attending classes at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, Tchaikovsky insisted that she should paint a portrait of him. However, in the end he only turned up for one session, and the sketch which Aleksandra made for this portrait was lost. Before she took up painting seriously she had, though, made a drawing of Tchaikovsky playing cards, and this has survived (see left) [1].

Tchaikovsky's works dedicated to Aleksandra Snegireva-Jurgenson:

• L'espiègle—No. 12 of the Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72 (1893).

Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Aleksandra Snegireva-Jurgenson:

• 6 letters from Tchaikovsky to Aleksandra Snegireva-Jurgenson have survived, dating from 1884 to 1893.

Notes:

1. Aleksandra Snegireva-Jurgenson, «П. И. Чайковский в семье П. И. Юргенсона» [P. I. Tchaikovsky in the Family Circle of P. I. Jurgenson], in: Воспоминания о П. И. Чайковском (1980), p.102–105 [back]