A Sportsman’s Sketches(1847-1851)

The stories were written by Ivan Turgenev, based on true stories he had heard on his family estate. The writer presents a diverse range of characters from the Russian hinterland, with their daily struggles and problems. The stories were published successively in issues of the ‘Sovremennik’ literary journal and were, later, published as a book. The work was considered groundbreaking at the time: Turgenev was the first to depict peasants as intelligent, talented, as well as deeply emotional individuals. ‘Sketches’ were illustrated at various times by renowned Russian artists, including Boris Kustodiev.

Translated by Constance Garnett, Publisher Heinemann, 1913