Gavronzi
Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 Preface (1884), Book 13 (1879) Type: Place - Estate
Overview
Gavronzi was a countryside estate in the Poltava region of Ukraine where a dramatic custody confrontation occurred between Marie's maternal and paternal family members. The estate featured a yellow pavilion that became the setting for this pivotal family incident.
The Custody Battle at Gavronzi (circa 1864-1865)
Marie's retrospective 1884 preface (paragraph 00.13) provides vivid details of the incident:
Context: Marie's father (Constantin Bashkirtseff) and paternal grandfather (General Paul Grigorievitch) made repeated attempts to force Marie's mother to return. In one dramatic incident, they kidnapped young Marie and Paul and hid them at Gavronzi to use as leverage.
The Yellow Pavilion Confrontation:
The rescue mission led by Marie's maternal grandmother (grand-maman) and uncles culminated in a tense standoff in the yellow pavilion ("pavillon jaune") at Gavronzi:
"je me rappelle parfaitement la scène dans le pavillon jaune à Gavronzi. Paul et moi étions dans une chambre, grand-maman dans une autre et mon père dans une troisième, séparée des autres par un corridor qui coupe en deux le pavillon."
Layout:
- Yellow pavilion divided by a central corridor
- Three separate rooms:
The Confrontation:
- Grand-maman "vociférait des injures" (shouting insults)
- Described as "furieuse, comme une femme dont la vie se passait à crier après ses domestiques"
- Constantin responded "sans se montrer" (without showing himself)
- Remained "tout le temps respectueux relativement" (relatively respectful throughout)
- Marie later attributed his restraint to his natural repugnance for vulgar scenes
Outcome: The children were successfully retrieved "de force" (by force) and returned to their maternal grandmother and mother.
Ownership and Location
The estate appears to have been owned by or associated with the Bashkirtseff paternal family, as it was used by Marie's father and grandfather during the custody dispute. Its proximity to the Poltava region suggests it was part of the Ukrainian estates controlled by the Bashkirtseff family.
Historical Context
Rural estates in 19th century Ukraine often featured multiple buildings including main houses, pavilions, and service buildings. The "yellow pavilion" at Gavronzi may have been:
- A guest house or summer residence
- A hunting lodge
- A secondary residence on the estate grounds
Such estates were common among Russian nobility in the Poltava Governorate.
Related Entries
- #Grand_maman - Led the rescue mission
- #Papa - Constantin Bashkirtseff, who orchestrated the kidnapping
- #Paul_Grigorievitch_Bashkirtseff - The General, who aided his son
- #Paul - Marie's brother, kidnapped with her
- #Maman - The target of the pressure campaign
- #Poltava - The region where Gavronzi was located
%%2025-11-20T00:00:00 RSR: Created stub entry%% %%2025-12-07T16:10:00 RSR: Comprehensive update based on Book 00 paragraph 00.13 describing the custody battle and yellow pavilion confrontation%%