Jean-Marie Chopin was a French-Russian explorer of the Caucasus

Caucasus

The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...

. Son of a French sculptor and employed by Catherine II of Russia

Catherine II of Russia

Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...

, Chopin began his career as secretary and librarian to Prince Alexander Kurakin

Alexander Kurakin

Prince Alexander Borisovich Kurakin, sometimes spelled Kourakine was a Russian statesman and diplomat, a member of the State Council , ranked Actual Privy Counsellor 1st Class ....

, Russian ambassador to France. In 1812 Chopin and Kourakin returned to Russia; after the death of his patron in 1818 Chopin settled in Paris.

Chopin wrote "l'Histoire de Russie", "des Révolutions des Peuples du Nord", "Histoire des Provinces Danubiennes","Histoire du Dannemark", "Histoire du Roi de Rome". Chopin is known for his 1826 translation of The Fountain of Bakhchisaray

The Fountain of Bakhchisaray

For Boris Asafyev's ballet of the same name, see The Fountain of Bakhchisarai The Fountain of Bakhchisaray is a poem by Alexander Pushkin, written 1821-1823....

by Alexander Pushkin (La Fontaine des Pleurs in French). The book was illustrated by his brother; the music for "Tartar sing" by the translator's wife was printed on the supplementary sheet. In Russia, this is the rarest publication of the Poushkine's work published when he was alive.