The Russians and Russia in the Correspondеnce between Valentin Jamerai-Duval and Anastasia Sokolova (1762–1774)

This article considers the images of Russian people in the correspondence (1762–1774) between Valentin Jamеrai-Duval, a French self-taught philosopher in Austrian service, and Anastasia Sokolova (De Ribas), a maid of the bedchamber at Catherine II’s court. The publication of 126 letters, carried out in 1784 by the well-known Russian diplomat F. A. Koch, was an important political project aimed at popularising Russia’s achievements during the first period of Catherine II’s reign among a Western European audience. The letters contain detailed factual information on the history, culture, geography, and domestic and foreign policy of the Russian Empire, as well as its economy and religious life. The correspondents focus on the reform activities of Catherine II and the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. Images of numerous highly educated Russians favourably complement the positive image of the country, overcoming the usual stereotypes. Thus, the publication of Duval and Sokolova’s correspondence fits into the new trend for understanding the image of Russia in Western Europe that developed in an academic context between the 1770s and 1780s. At the same time, the publication of letters from both correspondents, resembling in their content the correspondence between Catherine II and Voltaire, was meant to prepare readers for the forthcoming publication of the latter correspondence and prevent the negative consequences for the empress

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Empire · Humanities · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Reign · Russian history · Turkish · Central European and Russian historical studies · Classics · European Political History Analysis · Historical Influence and Diplomacy · History · Law · Philosophy

• Russia

  Open Access•Larisa Soboleva•Quaestio Rossica•2019

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