Sophie Tutcheff (paternal aunt)

Identity

Full name: Sophie Grigorievna Tutcheff, nee Bashkirtseff (nicknames: Sonia, Sonitchka)

Relationship: Marie's PATERNAL aunt -- sister of Marie's father (Papa/Constantin Bashkirtseff). Daughter of the General (Paul Grigorievitch Bashkirtseff).

Married name: Mme Tutcheff, married to M. Tutcheff (described by Marie as "un excellent bonhomme gros comme un tonneau" -- an excellent fellow fat as a barrel).

NOT to be confused with: "Ma tante" in the early diary, who is Nadine Romanoff, nee Babanine -- Marie's MATERNAL aunt. See MA_TANTE.

Role in the Diary

Sophie Tutcheff appears in two distinct phases:

Early Diary (1873): Visiting Relative

In carnets 001-002, Sophie visits Nice with her son Emile. She appears alongside but SEPARATELY from "ma tante" (Nadine Romanoff). For example, February 23, 1873: "nous etions maman, ma tante, Sophie, Emile, Dina, moi." She is treated as a guest, not a permanent household member. Marie throws carnival bouquets while calling out "Sophie Grigorievna."

Later Diary (1875+): Family Enemy

From carnet 004 onward, Mme Tutcheff becomes one of the family's most dangerous enemies. Marie describes her with increasing venom:

• "cette vipere" (this viper) -- carnet 06
• "sa bouche de serpent" (her serpent's mouth) -- carnet 09
• "calomnieuse envenimee" (poisoned slanderer) -- carnet 09
• "usees comme la figure de Mme Tutcheff" (worn out like Mme Tutcheff's face) -- carnet 09

She spread damaging gossip about the Babanine-Bashkirtseff family in Nice society and was closely associated with the enemies who fueled the Romanoff lawsuit scandal.

Affair with Prince Constantin Eristoff

Marie reveals (carnet 09): "Le prince Constantin est l'amant de ma tante Tutcheff" (Prince Constantin is my aunt Tutcheff's lover). This liaison was part of the broader family scandal.

Connection to the Romanoff Scandal

Mme Tutcheff actively worked against Maman and Ma tante (Nadine Romanoff) in Nice society. Marie writes: "La Tutcheff pretend qu'elle n'a rien fait" but Marie identifies her as a key source of the calumnies that damaged the family's reputation.

The family identified three main enemies in Nice: "Tutcheff, Skariatine et Boukowski" (carnet 08).

Visit to Papa (Carnet 09)

During Marie's visit to her father in Russia (carnet 09), she encounters Mme Tutcheff directly. Marie maneuvers against her influence over Papa:

"Je ne la menage pas cette bonne tante, et comme je ne fais qu'appuyer sur l'influence qu'elle exerce sur mon pere, il tache... homme faible et orgueilleux, de prouver qu'elle ne le domine pas."

Marie describes their tense meeting: "Mon pere m'amena Mme Tutcheff... Je me levai pour lui tendre la main et effleurer de mes levres sa bouche de serpent, et je me rassis aussitot la laissant debout."

Son: Emile Tutcheff

Emile visited Nice with his mother in early 1873. He appears in the diary's social life briefly before departing. Indexed as "Tutscheff (Emile)" in the Apostolescu transcription.