The Silver Age of Russian literature introduced many new names to the world, among them Mikhail Kuzmin. He came from a family of descendants of the famous French actor Jean Offran and became known as a poet, translator, and prose writer. Kuzmin, being a childhood friend of the People's Commissar Chicherin, was the first Russian writer to touch upon the theme of same-sex relationships, which sparked heated discussions and condemnation in society.

Mikhail Kuzmin was born in 1872 into a well-off family and received an excellent education. In gymnasium, he met the future People's Commissar Chicherin, who later helped him avoid repression. Their friendship was strong, but we will focus on Kuzmin's literary activities. Since childhood, he was passionate about music, but over time his interests shifted towards literature, and in 1905 he debuted as a writer.

The beginning of his creative path was not easy; personal upheavals hindered his work. However, in the second half of the 1910s, Kuzmin achieved success and began publishing in major publications. He also performed with poetic concerts, combining poetry with music. Vyacheslav Ivanov had a significant influence on his work, drawing him into the "Society of Advocates of Artistic Word" and the magazine "Apollo."

After the establishment of Soviet power, Kuzmin remained in Petrograd, where, thanks to Chicherin's support, he continued to publish. He was not afraid to experiment and turned to various literary directions. However, over time, censorship intensified, and living in the USSR became increasingly dangerous. Nevertheless, Kuzmin died a natural death on March 1, 1936. After his death and the weakening of Chicherin's position, his books disappeared from the shelves, and until 1989, his works were not published.