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Rossiiskaya Gosudarstvennaya Biblioteka, Russia-Moscow
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Apostle Top of page
Acts and Epistles of the Apostles 
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"Acts and Epistles of the Apostles" or as the book is generally called "Apostle" is the first Russian printed publication, which is exactly dated. The book was brought out by the renowned Moscow enlightened Ivan Fedorov (about 1510 to 1583). The work on the "Apostle" began on the 19th of April 1563 and finished on the 1st of March, 1564. In the afterward to the book Ivan Fedora briefly set forth the history of the origins of the first Moscow state printing house founded on the initiative of the tsar Ivan the Terrible. The ratio of the height to the width of the type page is 210 x 140 mm and is close to the so-called golden section. In thoroughly thought out proportions and perfect polygraphic execution lies the secret of that impression of harmony and shapeliness which the book produces. Rich and peculiar is the artistic attire of the book. Apostle Luke is depicted on the frontispiece, the book has 48 artistic headpieces transferred from 20 boards. More information about this treasure Oktoikh Top of pageOktoikh  Click image for larger versionOktoikh is the first printed book of the Cyrillic script. It was brought out in Cracow in 1491 by Schweipolt Fiol native of Franconia. Oktoikh is one of the most widespread liturgical books of the Orthodox church. The text is prefaced with a frontispiece with a picture of the crucifix, at the end there is a colophon complete with printer's mark. The ornamental attire of the book is modest and made up of one headpiece and one initial. In the world there are seven copies of the book of five hundred years, with the only complete one being kept by the Russian State library. In the past the book was owned by Wroclaw reformer and bibliophile Johann Hess (1490 to 1547). More information about this treasure Book of Mars Top of pageBook of Mars or of martial deeds from the Russian troops of His Majesty the Tsar  Click image for larger versionCollection of engravings and dispatches dealing with operations of the Russian army against the Swedes during the Northern war. It was Peter the first who took the most active part in preparing and editing the book. The engravings were executed by A. Rostovtsev, A. Zubov, P. Pikart, A. Schonbek. In 1713 the publication of the "Book of Mars" remained unfinished: apart from main engravings and explanatory notes related to the events from 1702 to 1710, in some copies of the "Book of Mars", there were additional sheets of engravings and dispatches applying to hostilities from the subsequent years. The "'Book of Mars" has come down to us in but few copies differing from each other in number of engravings and dispatches. The Russian state library possesses two copies. More information about this treasure Khitrovo Gospel Top of pageThe Khitrovo Gospel  Click image for larger versionThe Gospel belonged to Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich but in 1677 he bestowed it on boyar Bogdan Matveevich Khitrovo, who in the same year handed it over to the Troitse-Sergiev cloister. The book is written in the Russian uncial in two colomns on 300 parchment sheets of the size 32,2 x 24,8 cm. The binding is made of boards covered by velvet. There are silver engraved corners with the evangelists and an intercolomn space with the crucifix and interceding saints on the upper case and five oval silver beetles on the lower one (the binding was executed in the 17th century). There are eight miniatures in the book: four with pictures of the evangelists and four with the depictions of the evangelists' symbols - an eagle, an angel, a lion, a bull - preceding their pictures. Prior to the 'Khitrovo Gospel' no symbols of the evangelists were ever depicted on separate sheets in Russian manuscripts, which constitutes its iconographic peculiarity. They are painted in round lockets against a golden background with amazing freedom. The portrayal of the angel is reputed to rank among the best works of Russian medieval painting. Just this miniature is thought to be executed by Andrei Rublyov. There are four headpieces and plenty initial letters in the book - all of them are painted in colours and gold. The Khitrovo Gospel had constantly been kept in the sacristy of the Troitse-Sergieva lavra. After the nationalisation of the monastic library it was incorporated in the holdings of the Russian State Library. More information about this treasure Gospel Top of pageGospel  Click image for larger versionThe so called narrow typed Gospel is the first Moscow printed book. Like other six books put out in the first Russian anonymous printing house (no data about it have been left over) the Gospel appeared without any imprint, but Russian scholars have convincingly proved its Moscow provenance and rough dating. Previously the book had been thought to date from 1560's. The eldest entry in one of the copies of the "Gospel" kept by the Russian state library in Moscow in Russia was made in 1558. More information about this treasure |