M. (Mikhail) Artsybashev

Mikhail Petrovich Artsybashev was a Russian writer and playwright, born in 1878, who became one of the notable voices of literary naturalism. He began publishing in the 1890s, but his reputation grew quickly in the early twentieth century as readers responded to the intensity and boldness of his fiction.

His most famous book, Sanin, brought him wide attention and lasting controversy. Critics and readers alike were struck by the novel's pessimism, sensuality, and open challenge to social and moral conventions, and his other works also became known for their harsh, unsentimental view of human motives.

Artsybashev died in 1927. Though he is not as widely read now as some of his contemporaries, he remains an important figure for readers interested in the more provocative and rebellious side of Russian literature.