Nikita Akinfiyevich Demidov () (7 September 1724 – 7 May 1789) was a

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

industrialist and arts patron.

Life

He was the younger son of

Akinfiy Demidov Akinfiy Nikitich Demidov () (1678 Tula - 5 August 1745 Yatskoye Ustye, Menzelinsky Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate) was a Russian industrialist of the Demidov family. Life He was the eldest son of Nikita Demidov and increased the family fortune ...

, brother of

Prokofi Demidov Prokofi Akinfiyevich Demidov (1710–1786) was a Russian industrialist and philanthropist; he was also Russia's first millionaire. The eldest son of Akinfiy Demidov, Prokofi inherited the enormous Demidov family fortune on his father's death in 1 ...

and father of

Nikolai Demidov Nikolai Nikitich Demidov (9 October / November 1773 Chirkovitsi village near Saint Petersburg – 22 April 1828) was a Russian industrialist, Privy Councillor (Russia), privy councillor, diplomat, lieutenant colonel, collector, and arts patron ...

. He was married three times: firstly to Natalia Yakovlevna Evreinova (1732-1756), secondly to Maria Sverchkova (1644–1776) and thirdly to Alexandra Evtikhievna Safonova (1745-1778). His children from the first marriage were: * Akinfiy Nikitich Demidov and * Elizaveta Nikitichna Demidova. From the third marriage: * Jekaterina Nikitichna Lvova (1772-1832), *

Nikolai Nikitich Demidov Nikolai Nikitich Demidov (9 October / November 1773 Chirkovitsi village near Saint Petersburg – 22 April 1828) was a Russian industrialist, privy councillor, diplomat, lieutenant colonel, collector, and arts patron of the Demidov family. L ...

and * Maria Nikititchina Durnova (1776-1847). Inheriting mines and metallurgical factories in the Urals and Siberia, he was also a major landowner, with properties in central and southern Russia and in Italy. He left eight metallurgical factories, a huge annual income and 12,000

serfs Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery. It developed dur ...

to his son Nikolai on his death. He was an amateur scientist, the first member of the

Demidov The Demidov family (Russian: Деми́довы), also known as Demidoff or Dimidov, is a prominent Russian nobility, Russian noble family that rose to immense wealth and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Demidovs became a wealth ...

family to protect the arts actively and a major traveller, journeying abroad to see Europe's industrial innovations, manners and culture. In 1786 he published a ''Journal'' of his foreign travels, and also corresponded with

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...

and

Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a prominent figure during t ...

. In 1779 he set up a medal to reward a success in mechanics, to be decided by the

Russian Academy of Sciences The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation; and additional scientific and social units such ...

References

1724 births 1789 deaths Scientists from the Russian Empire Philanthropists from the Russian Empire 18th-century explorers from the Russian Empire 18th-century businesspeople from the Russian Empire

Nikita Nikita may refer to: * Nikita (given name), people with the given name, including variants * Nikita, Crimea, a town in Ukraine * Nikita the Tanner, a character in East Slavic folklore Film and television *''Little Nikita'', a 1988 film * ''La Femm ...

18th-century philanthropists Industrialists from the Russian Empire {{Russia-business-bio-stub