In this article, an important segment of A. Sturdza’s essays is researched: the elite pantheon (sketches of great personalities of Russian and universal culture) with whom the writer collaborated during his time. We consider the research of this aspect important and necessary since it offers opportunities for creating an integral image of the emblematic oeuvre of Sturdzian life, as well as data and inedited information on the conceptions, principles, aspira- tions and ideals of the of 19th century culture’s most important representa- tives – Jukovski, Karamzin, Gogol, Pushkin, C. d’ Istria, etc.