The House of Aspasia is a small wooden two-story building with a light blue, almost white, façade, which is trimmed with azure-coloured carvings with azure-coloured carvings. The house is located in Dubulti (Jurmala district). Such buildings here are enough. They have been building up the holiday coast since the beginning of the 19th century.
The owner of the house - Johanna Emilia Lizette Rosenberg, married Elza Pliekshane, entered the history of Latvian and world poetry under the pseudonym Aspasia. She was born 04(16) March 1868 on the farm Dauknas in Zalenieki parish.
Aspasia was the wife and faithful companion of the Latvian poet, social activist and playwright Jan Rainis (Pliekshan). She was his immediate secretary, his strictest critic, and, of course, his muse. Aspasia had extraordinary talent as a poet, novelist and playwright. When she met Janis Pliekshan (editor of the newspaper "Dienas Lapa") in 1894, she already had written plays that were performed at the Riga Latvian Theatre. The plays brought Aspasia success and recognition. But at the same time, she was fired from the theatre. The play "Lost Rights" had an overly denunciatory nature. In it, Aspasia criticises the morality of society and explicitly calls on women to fight for their rights as men.
Janis for a long time could not decide to read his poems to the chosen one. But soon she expresses her opinion. "I reread your last poems and admire them, everything you wrote is original, extremely original. This is not at all the blindness of love, you are familiar with my harsh criticism. I am convinced of your talent. I will keep my word and help you grow, as you helped me". Thus, the inspired Janis Pliekshan becomes the poet Rainis. For the first time his poems under under this pseudonym will be published on 1 November 1895.
Rainis always opposed inequality in the social strata of society, repressed by the authorities. In 1897, Aspasia wrote to her lover in prison: "My beloved, dear! I would give up my freedom a thousand times if only I could be imprisoned with you. A sip of water and a dry crust is all I need".
Once married, they live happily ever after together. But many trials Aspasia will face. She and her husband will go through long exile, through exile and on to international fame and recognition. Aspasia would go on to create great poetry, but she would be irrevocably relegated secondary roles. Her husband's fame will not allow her own talent to flourish. to its full potential.
After her husband's death, the poetess purchased this house in 1933. She moved here from Riga to Dubulti. For the last 10 years of her life, Aspasia lived in this house, not alone, but together with her devoted housekeeper Annushka - practically a member of the family. Creative people used to gather in the house, read poetry and play music. But in the last three years of her life, she was very lonely. Passed away Aspasia 05 November in 1943.
After Aspasia's death, the house will degenerate little by little. It will be taken over the property of the municipality. Gradually, household items, furniture will start to disappear. Every summer it will be occupied by temporary tenants who will have no interest in the history of the house. who have no interest in the history of the house or in protecting it. Aspasia's house was once was once a beautiful building, but now it's lost its beauty and upkeep.
Fortunately, in 1990, at the suggestion of Latvian intellectuals, Aspasia's house will be reconstructed. This would be done by people who admired the talent of the poetess. According to eyewitness accounts and photographs, they would choose furniture for the house, and restore its interior decoration. In 1996, the Aspasia Museum, which is a branch of the Jurmala Museum of Art, will be created in the reconstructed house. Vases, crockery, books, paintings, statuettes, clothes of that time will be donated to the museum by the citizens of Jurmala and Riga, belonging to the public organisation Aspasia's Heritage. The organisation is run by Ruta Dzenite. There are also some things donated by Ruta Marjas. This is a large painting by Latvian artist Tsielavs, a Viennese set - a handbag, scarf and belt made of felt, a black silk. embroidered shawl on a mannequin in the dressing room.
And again the house began to live its former life, as if the mistress had never left it. It was once again well-maintained and beautiful. Once inside, you're plunged back into that a beautiful time, and you forget about the present.
Tourists are attracted by the cosy atmosphere of the house, tours accompanied by with a tea party. Aspasia's poems are read here in the language of the visitors. There is pleasant music. In a large room with no furniture, located on the ground floor, there are exhibitions of paintings, photographs and sculptures. This room can accommodate about 50 people. And in the street in front of the house there is a white-washed monument to to Aspasia. It was created by the famous sculptor Arta Dumpe.
Aspasia House Museum is one of the most beautiful and interesting memorial museums in Latvia.
