Looking at the portrait of Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev,it's hard to imagine that he could afford any kind of entertainment. Knowing what contribution he made to the development of science, one involuntarily comes to the conclusion that he had to devote himself to the study of chemistry. However, if you take a closer look at his biography, it becomes clear that this is absolutely not the case. Moreover, Mendeleev's hobbies were very far from his familiar world, although they affected to some extent science.
A man who can make suitcases
Around the famous chemist always went a lotridiculous rumors and speculation. So, having heard the question of what hobby Mendeleev had, most people immediately answered - suitcases. At the same time, they undoubtedly believe that this was indeed one of his greatest passions in life. However, the truth is that this was not the main hobby of Mendeleev. Just being in Simferopol, he found himself in a situation where he had nothing to do. At that moment, his school was temporarily closed due to the beginning of the Crimean War, and no other work was forecasted in the near future.
Therefore, the great chemist decided to make some money,gluing cardboard suitcases. Notable here is that his creations came to the liking of buyers. Because of this, he even got the nickname "suitcase master." Therefore, we should not believe that this occupation was Mendeleev’s main hobby. In his free time, he did other things that aroused much more interest and inspiration in him.
Genuine craving for art
For some reason, there is a perception that people working inworld of exact sciences, impassive in relation to works of art. This is pure fiction. And Mendeleev’s second hobby is a clear confirmation of this. So, at the age of fifty, Dmitry Ivanovich discovers the amazing world of artistic art. According to him, he himself did not expect that his heart could beat so tenderly at the sight of the grace of the works of artists.
Therefore, from 1880 Mendeleev beginsto collect the most successful, in his opinion, paintings. At the same time, he valued the work of his compatriots much more than gifts brought from abroad. This passion led to the fact that in 1894 he was elected a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. In addition, thanks to his hobby, Dmitri Mendeleev meets Repin. And this friendship leads to the fact that the gifted artist paints a portrait of a no less gifted chemist.
Under the "brand" of Mendeleev
Another fun hobby of Mendeleev was thathe sewed clothes himself. Naturally, he did this not every day, but quite often. This hobby could be explained by the fact that the chemist had an exceptional design taste, as well as a completely logical need for quality clothing. But that's not all. It is known that Mendeleev participated in the creation of the Yermak icebreaker. In particular, he and his colleagues were engaged in the development of drawings and the appearance of the vessel. Therefore, we can safely say that this pride of Russia was also designed according to the design of Dmitry Ivanovich.
Great passion of a scientist
Если все предыдущие хобби были лишь увлечениями, then the next passion of the chemist can be called the work of his life. From an early age, Dmitri Mendeleev dreamed that he would someday rise into the sky. Therefore, he spent a lot of time studying aerodynamics and mechanics. And his dream came true. In 1887, he made his first balloon flight. The event that occurred on the day of the solar eclipse marked a new stage in the world of balloons. In addition, the feat of the scientist was appreciated by the French Academy of Aeronautics. He was even awarded a diploma on which the inscription proudly appeared: “For his courage in flight to observe a solar eclipse”.
