Nikolai Vladimirovich Stankevich was born on October 9, 1813, in Ostrogozhsk, Voronezh province, and died on July 7, 1840, in Novi Ligure, Sardinia. He was a Russian writer, poet, publicist, and thinker, as well as the organizer and leader of a group of like-minded individuals known as the "Stankevich Circle." This circle included notable figures such as Mikhail Bakunin, Vissarion Belinsky, Vasily Botkin, and Konstantin Aksakov.

Stankevich came from a wealthy noble family. His father, Vladimir Ivanovich Stankevich, was the leader of the nobility in the Ostrogozhsk district, and his mother, Ekaterina Isifovna Kramer, was the daughter of a local doctor. Nikolai grew up in a large and close-knit family, received his education at the Ostrogozhsk district school and a private boarding house in Voronezh. His younger brother Alexander also became a writer. At the age of 16, Nikolai published his patriotic poems.

In 1830, he enrolled in Moscow University in the philological department, where his interest in Russian history and Schelling's philosophy, instilled by Professor Pavlov, only grew stronger. During this time, he met Alexei Koltsov, who shared his poems with him, one of which Stankevich published in the "Literary Gazette" in 1831.

Stankevich gathered a group of like-minded individuals around him, with whom he discussed questions about God, truth, and poetry. In 1833, the composition of the circle changed, but its influence remained significant until 1837. The circle discussed philosophical and historical issues, advocating for the idea of personal and artistic freedom.

After graduating from university in 1834, Stankevich returned to Voronezh province, where he worked as an honorary inspector, but soon returned to Moscow, seeking self-realization. During this time, the circle was joined by new members, such as historian Granovsky and critic Belinsky. They began educational activities in the magazine "Telescope."

Stankevich suffered from tuberculosis, and a trip to the Caucasus did not improve his condition. In 1837, he went to Karlovy Vary for treatment but soon left the resort. He settled with his sister and reorganized the circle, which included both old and new members, including M. Bakunin and I. S. Turgenev. However, his illness progressed, and in 1840, Stankevich passed away in Italy.

His personal life was not successful. His only true love was Mikhail Bakunin's sister, Lyubov. Their relationship was full of tenderness but did not succeed due to the complex nature and fragility of both. Stankevich went abroad, and Lyubov died of tuberculosis.

Stankevich was a person capable of captivating and inspiring others. He was a romantic interested in philosophy and religion and could steer conversations in the right direction. His influence on Russian thought was significant, despite the fact that his poems were not genius, and his play "Vasily Shuisky" was not successful. He united outstanding thinkers around him, and his idealism and charm made him an unofficial leader. Stankevich sought practical application of his theories, and his friends continued his work, preparing the reforms of the 1860s.

Granovsky wrote of Stankevich as a man who was more than a brother, and whose loss was irreplaceable for him.