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Caricatures and Satires of Scientists as Historical Sources
 
PIIS020596060007597-8-1
DOI10.31857/S020596060007597-8
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Roman Fando 
Affiliation: S. I. Vavilov Institute for the History of Science and Technology, RAS
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameVoprosy istorii estestvoznaniia i tekhniki
EditionVolume 41 4
Pages717-745
Abstract

This paper analyzes humorous pieces on scientists, published in V. O. Mikhnevich’s satirical dictionary titled “Our Acquaintances” (1884). Turning to a source of this kind allows an unusual perspective on the life and work of many outstanding scientists of the 19 th century and enables revealing new facets of their personalities. In this paper, the author reviews the pieces on A. N. Beketov, A. P. Borodin, A. M. Butlerov, N. P. Vagner, M. S. Voronin, A. O. Kovalevskii, D. I. Mendeleev, I. I. Mechnikov, F. V. Ovsyannikov, F. F. Petrushevskii, I. M. Sechenov, A. S. Famintsyn, L. S. Tsenkovskii, P. N. Yablochkov, and on the representatives of medical sciences S. P. Botkin, A. G. Zakharyin, V. A. Kashevarova-Rudneva, P. Ya. Pyasetskii, N. V. Sklifosovskii, O. A. Chechott, and E. E. Eikhenvald. Some pieces are accompanied with caricature portraits in which the heroes are depicted in the style of the time – with big heads, which was done so as to correctly convey their appearance rather than to mock them. The paper attempts to make a judgment on the balance of truth and fiction in the information provided by Mikhnevich that had contributed to the creation of mythologized images of the scientists and medical professionals in the late 19 th century.

Keywordscaricature, satire and humor, scientific community, myths, historical accuracy
Received18.11.2019
Publication date23.12.2020
Number of characters61849
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