Ivan Rukavishnikov

Ivan Sergeyevich Rukavishnikov (, 15 May 1877, – 9 April 1930) was a Russian Silver Age symbolist poet, writer, playwright and translator from Ukrainian language.

Biography Born in Nizhny Novgorod to a millionaire staroobryadtsy merchant, Rukavishnikov studied archeology in Saint Petersburg University. In the 1890s he also studied art, but then, inspired by the early works of Maxim Gorky, decided to devote himself to literature entirely.

Rukavishnikov debuted as a published writer in Nizegorodsky Listok in 1896, then left his father's home, severed all ties with his family and, left without a penny, embarked upon the life of a bohemian in the Russian capital, starting to publish his realist stories in the Gorky-backed Znanye almanacs and his symbolist poems in Vesy, the haven of Russian modernism. In 1901 his first short novel Birds-Eaten Crop (Семя, поклеванное птицами) came out. Three collections of poetry which came out in 1901–1904 made little impact and in retrospect are regarded as unoriginal, forcefully plodding several routes set by the trailblazers of the time like Konstantin Balmont, Andrey Bely and Vyacheslav Ivanov. Written under the strong influence of Gorky and Korolenko.