Lopukhin, Ivan

Lopukhin, Ivan Vladimirovich 

Born Feb. 24 (Mar 6), 1756, in the village of Voskresenskoe, in present-day Kromy Raion, Orel Oblast; died June 22 (July 4), 1816, in Voskresenskoe. Russian statesman and publicist. Nobleman.

In the early 1780’s, Lopukhin became closely associated with the Moscow Masons, joining the Rose Croix Order. In 1783 the Masonic group known as the Society of Friends established two printing shops in Moscow, one in the name of N. I. Novikov and the other in Lopukhin’s name. Lopukhin was active in the Printing Company from 1783 to 1792, and when the company was dissolved by the government, Lopukhin suffered persecution. His works occupied an important place in Russian Masonic-mystical literature. In his social and political views, Lopukhin was a monarchist, an opponent of revolution, and an apologist for serfdom. As a senator and inspector, he advocated humane judicial decisions and mitigated harsh sentences. His Memoirs were published in 1860.

REFERENCE

Surovtsev, A. G. I. V. Lopukhin: Ego masonskaia i gosudarstvennaia deiatel’nost’ St. Petersburg, 1901.