Nannies and Governesses in Russia and Russian Literature of the 19th Century

This article describes the role of nannies and governesses in Russian noble families in the 18th and 19th centuries. It presents briefly the guidelines for the upbringing and education of children in the aristocratic families and the influence from European countries, mainly France and to some extent England. The Russian nobility hired foreign teachers, governesses and governors to raise their children in the “Western way”. In contrast to them, the nannies who took care of the children in their earliest childhood, were Russian women, mostly of peasant origin. The article provides examples of the portrayal of governesses and nannies in the literary works of some famous Russian writers. It mentions some real nannies of future writers who played an important role in their lives and influenced them with their moral examples, as well as by telling fairy tales and stories. The article also touches on the topic of depictions of nannies in painting and sculpture.