The portrait depicts Eleanore von Bothmer, the first wife of Fyodor Tyutchev. She was born into the family of a German diplomat, Count von Bothmer and his wife Anna, née Baroness von Hanstein. In 1818, Eleanor married a Russian diplomat, secretary of the Russian mission in Munich, Alexander Peterson. In 1825, her husband died left Eleanor a widow with four sons.
The poet’s acquaintance with her took place in Munich at a time that was difficult for both. In February 1826, Tyutchev just returned to the city from an eight-month vacation that he had to take after his marriage proposal to Baroness Amalia Lerchenfeld had not been accepted. The woman’s family rejected the poor and insufficiently noble groom, despite the mutual feelings of the young couple. In March of the same year, the poet secretly married Eleanore Peterson. The marriage was happy. Eleanore became a loving wife and a devoted friend who was very supportive in difficult life situations. She ran a household, raised children, and took care of her husband.
Eleanore gave birth to three daughters — Anna, Daria and Ekaterina. In 1837, she spent six months in Russia, where she was warmly welcomed by the entire Tyutchev family. Then, with three young daughters, she went back to Europe to her husband, who at that time was in Turin on business.
Eleanore intended to take a steamer to Lubeck and from there to travel by carriage to Turin. However, on the night of May 18–19, a fire broke out on the steamer. During the shipwreck, Eleanore barely suffered physically, but suffered a tremendous nervous shock that required treatment. However, Eleonore feared for her husband, who at that time was infatuated with another woman, Ernestina Dörnberg. So Eleonore did not risk staying in Germany and left for Turin. Her condition worsened, and on August 27, 1838, Eleanor died. The poet grieved the loss and ten years later, on the anniversary of his wife’s death, wrote a poem dedicated to her memory:
The poet’s acquaintance with her took place in Munich at a time that was difficult for both. In February 1826, Tyutchev just returned to the city from an eight-month vacation that he had to take after his marriage proposal to Baroness Amalia Lerchenfeld had not been accepted. The woman’s family rejected the poor and insufficiently noble groom, despite the mutual feelings of the young couple. In March of the same year, the poet secretly married Eleanore Peterson. The marriage was happy. Eleanore became a loving wife and a devoted friend who was very supportive in difficult life situations. She ran a household, raised children, and took care of her husband.
Eleanore gave birth to three daughters — Anna, Daria and Ekaterina. In 1837, she spent six months in Russia, where she was warmly welcomed by the entire Tyutchev family. Then, with three young daughters, she went back to Europe to her husband, who at that time was in Turin on business.
Eleanore intended to take a steamer to Lubeck and from there to travel by carriage to Turin. However, on the night of May 18–19, a fire broke out on the steamer. During the shipwreck, Eleanore barely suffered physically, but suffered a tremendous nervous shock that required treatment. However, Eleonore feared for her husband, who at that time was infatuated with another woman, Ernestina Dörnberg. So Eleonore did not risk staying in Germany and left for Turin. Her condition worsened, and on August 27, 1838, Eleanor died. The poet grieved the loss and ten years later, on the anniversary of his wife’s death, wrote a poem dedicated to her memory:
