Prince Dmitry Sergeyevich Gorchakov (1828, 1907) was a collegiate advisor and chamberlain of the imperial court, as well as an adjutant to Emperor Alexander II. He is known as a collector and bibliophile, as well as a fourth cousin and friend of Leo Tolstoy.

Gorchakov came from an ancient princely family. His grandfather, Dmitry Petrovich Gorchakov (1758, 1824), was a well-known satirist and author of librettos for comic operas, as well as a member of the Russian Academy. Dmitry's father, Sergey Dmitrievich, and his uncles, Pyotr and Mikhail Dmitrievich, were military men with a reputation for bravery. In 1848, Dmitry entered Moscow University, but in 1849, with the start of the Hungarian campaign, he joined the military, following family tradition.

During the Crimean War of 1853-1854, Gorchakov defended Sevastopol and was awarded the Orders of Saint Anna, Saint Vladimir, Saint Stanislaus, and a gold saber inscribed 'For Bravery.' After the war, in 1856, he became a flag adjutant to Alexander II in St. Petersburg. In 1867, he retired and, together with his wife, Princess Vera Ivanovna, moved to his Kaluga estate of Baryatino, which he referred to as 'Tarus village.'

At his estate, the prince continued his passion for collecting works of art. His collection grew through travels in Switzerland, France, Italy, and Germany. Ultimately, he amassed an impressive collection that included paintings, graphics, portrait miniatures, decorative applied art, and antique weapons. A special place was held by the Baryatino Library, which contained 6,000 volumes, including rare manuscripts and books. After the revolution, these treasures ended up in various museums across the country.

In the last years of their lives, Prince and Princess Gorchakov spent time abroad, in the southern Tyrol region of Northern Italy, by Lake Garda, due to poor health. They maintained contact with friends and relatives in Russia, dreaming of its future.

Prince Dmitry Sergeyevich Gorchakov passed away on April 26, 1907, and was buried in Moscow, at the Holy Danilov Monastery. His collection was passed on to his son, Prince Sergey Dmitrievich Gorchakov (1861, 1927).