Ivan Gorbunov is a Russian prose writer and actor of the second half of the 19th century. He was closely acquainted with the playwright Alexander Ostrovsky, was engaged in rewriting his plays. Fame among his contemporaries brought him accusatory stories written with humor about the life of the bourgeoisie, which he read from the stage.
Biography: early years
Ivan Fedorovich Gorbunov was born on September 22, 1831 in the village of Ivanteevka, on the border of the Moscow and Vladimir regions. My father was a serf at the landowner Batasheva, worked at her linen factory, then got a free job. Soon he began to work in the same factory as a clerk. Only by that time had Batasheva already sold it to another landowner, Shchekin. Later, Gorbunov's father ran the Glazunov paper mill in the capital. Mother was also a freed peasant.
The Gorbunov family had three more children. My father did everything possible to ensure that they lived in prosperity and were educated. As a former forced peasant, he wanted a different life for his children.
Ivan first attended a parish school. There were no other educational institutions in Ivanteevka. The local teacher saw in him certain inclinations for the craft of writing and recommended that his parents send Ivan to study in Moscow. So, in 1840 he began to study at the Nabilkovo Commercial School. Then Gorbunov continued his education at gymnasium number 2 on Yelokhovskaya street (now - Basmanny district of the capital).
After graduating from high school, Ivan became interested in drawing. He entered the school of painting and architecture. In parallel, Gorbunov studied history and the Old Russian language.
Creation
In 1850 he met Alexander Ostrovsky. He invited him to be a copyist of his plays. Gorbunov agreed and settled in the playwright's house. Soon Ostrovsky got him a job at the Moskovityanin magazine.
In 1853 Gorbunov wrote his debut story "Just an Accident". Then came the "Artisan", "The Morning of the Quarter Overseer."
Soon Gorbunov became friends with the famous artist Prov Sadovsky. He was considered the best performer of roles in Ostrovsky's plays. Thanks to this acquaintance, Gorbunov first appeared on the stage, where he played the role of a merchant in one of the plays. A year later, he moved to St. Petersburg and entered the Imperial Theater. On his stage, he went out for 40 years.
Gorbunov went down in history as a pioneer in reading his own stories on stage. He was a brilliant actor. He managed to convey the character of the characters with amazing accuracy. Thanks to his artistry and wit, he quickly became a favorite of the public.
At the end of his life Gorbunov studied the history of Russian theater. He wrote several articles on this topic.
Personal life
There is no information about his wife and children. Ivan Gorbunov died in 1895 in St. Petersburg. The central library of Ivanteevka bears his name. In one of her offices there is a small museum of Gorbunov. His personal belongings can be seen there.
