Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov (Михаи́л Васи́льевич Ломоно́сов)
(November 19 [O.S. November 8] 1711 – April 15 [O.S. April 4]
1765) was a Russian writer and polymath who made important
contributions to literature, education, and science Among his
most important contributions are the founding of Moscow State
University, the revision of the Russian literary language, and
several important scientific contributions. His scientific
studies led to an interest in the technology of mosaics. He
established the first factory outside of Italy to produce
mosaics, and was responsible for producing forty mosaics, of
which more than half still survive. While he lived a century
before Pushkin and the great flowering of Russian poetry,
Lomonosov was among the finest poets of his day, contributing
some of the finest spiritual odes and occasional poetry written
during the 18th century. His contributions to Russian society
were truly incomparable. From peasant to scholar Lomonosov was
born in the village of Denisovka (the name of