Machenka

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-07-06 Diary Coverage: Up to 1874-03-28

Overview

Wife of Uncle Stiopa who visits Nice with him in January 1874 and continues as regular household companion.

Relationship to Marie

Aunt by marriage - wife of Marie's Uncle Stiopa (Stepan).

Characteristics

• Marie criticizes her taste, calling her shopping choices "mauvais genre" (bad style)
• Marie says she cannot get used to her manners
• Despite criticism, becomes regular companion on outings

Social Activities

• Visits Nice with husband Stiopa
• Brings Russian salted foods and preserves
• Stays with Walitsky during visits
• Shops for hats at Mortier

Diary References

1874

• January 7: Shopping trip criticized by Marie
• March 28: Accompanies family to Monaco casino, walks with Marie to casino, returns early on 5 o'clock train

1875

• August 16: Accompanies Marie and Dina on a trip to Wiesbaden to find a carriage and horses, encounters German children shouting "hourra!" at them, moonlit carriage ride home discussing elopement and marriage

Identity (Mon Journal t.8 index)

• «Babanine (Marie Dimitrievna, née Kandiba épouse d'Etienne Stépanovitch), tante de Marie Bashkirtseff : 370, 375». «Machenka» is the diminutive of Maria; her husband is uncle Étienne (Stepan, «Stiopa») Stépanovitch Babanine (tag file TANTE_ETIENNE).
• Diary: «Marie, ma tante, nous reçoit sur le perron» at the couple's estate, Chpatowoka, 14 August 1876 (064.0583). In 1881 Marie calls her «Marie, femme d'Etienne» (091/1881-03-21).

Research Needed

• Full name (Machenka is diminutive of Maria)
• Maiden name
• Age
• Children

«Maria Dimitrievna», «tante Marie»

Machenka is a diminutive of Maria. On 10 June 1874 Marie pities Stiopa, led round «des Bon Marché et des Petit Saint-Thomas» by «Maria Dimitrievna» (020/1874-06-10): Stiopa's wife, i.e. Machenka (confidence 0.8). The former entries MARIA_DIMITRIEVNA, TANTE_MARIE and PETITE_TANTE are merged here.