Nikolai Solovyov as a Critic, Author and Correspondent of Dostoevsky

In 1874, Dostoevsky responded to the death of Nikolai Ivanovich Solovyov in the weekly “Grazhdanin” (“The Citizen”), positively characterizing his literary work. Their association was brief and dates back to 1864, when the then-unknown author sent the manuscript of the article “The Theory of Ugliness” to the editors of “Epoch.” The critic’s worldview and work were shaped by Dostoevsky’s direct influence. The key to the publicist's system of thought was the affirmation of “human dignity,” understood as the inseparable connection between aesthetic and moral principles. Solovyov combatted the nihilism and utilitarianism of the 1860s. The central focus of this debate was the defense of the spiritual significance of art and beauty as the foundations of morality. Solovyov’s articles published in the “Epoch” reveal the author’s original intention, which was based on the use of paradoxical titles. These formulations must be interpreted as a deliberate move in his polemical struggle. The article devotes particular attention to the creative dialogue between Solovyov and Dostoevsky, which can be traced not only in the writer's editorial revisions and notes but also in their correspondence. Surviving letters from Solovyov to Dostoevsky from 1871 reveal the evolution of their dialogue. In his epistolary writings, the critic emerges not only as a sensitive observer of the literary process but also as a profound interpreter of Dostoevsky’s work. The worldview of both authors was based on a number of common principles: the perception of nihilism as a threat to national culture, the appreciation of beauty as a salvific force closely linked to morality, and the affirmation of Christian values — family and faith.