Mariya Semyonovna Zhukova (1804–1855) was a Russian writer, considered one of the first professional women writers in her country. She achieved prominence with the publication of the novella collection *Evenings on the Karpovka* (1837–1839), in which she sensitively explored the lives and aspirations of women in provincial society. Her literary output also includes the novella *The Baroness von Reithal* and the travel diaries *Sketches of Southern France and Nice* (1844), the result of her stays abroad for health reasons. Her works were published in prominent literary journals of the era, such as *Sovremennik*, and received praise from influential critics, including Vissarion Belinsky. Although she did not receive formal awards, her primary recognition was her success in establishing herself in a male-dominated literary landscape, contributing to the legitimization of the female writer in Russia and introducing a profound female psychological introspection into her narratives.