May 14, 1819
In the Ryazan province, in the family of a high-ranking official, he was born Vasily Dashkov — a famous ethnographer and collector of “Russian antiquities”.
When Vasily was 9 years old, his father was appointed vice-governor of the Kherson province, and 8 years later he was entrusted with the management Olonetsky region (now the Republic of Karelia).
Traveling around the country with his parents, the future ethnographer became interested in folk traditions, customs, and antiques. Even in his youth, he began collecting jugs, plates, embroidered towels, clothing, and jewelry.
At the age of 18, he made an extensive journey through what is now Karelia, following which he published several articles in leading Russian magazines.
Six years later, he published a book with a detailed description of the Olonetsk Governorate, including materials on the region's geography, history, and ethnography. He also described the largest factories, the number of landowners and peasants, and provided a detailed description of folk rituals and customs.
He had a successful career as an official, overseeing the work of Moscow newspapers, prisons, hospitals, educational institutions, and museums. He donated his salary to the needy families of prisoners.
At 48, he invested a fortune—40 rubles—in an ethnographic exhibition at the Manege, which became the first of its kind in the country's history. It was based on Dashkov's personal collection: 288 mannequins depicting various representatives of the Russian Empire, 450 costumes, over a thousand household items, and approximately 2 drawings.
Over the course of two months, 80,000 people visited the exhibition, including Emperor Alexander II. Visitors could explore a Karelian pine hut, a thatched southern wattle and daub hut, or a yurt made of reindeer hide.
He took an active part in the most ambitious construction project of those years—the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. He was elected vice president of the construction committee and was one of its regular donors.
He donated valuable items to museum collections, including Pushkin's autographs, Old Church Slavonic books, paintings, and more—all of which are still on display today.
He died in January 1896, at the age of 76.