Treasures from the National Library of Russia
Established in 1795 as the Imperial Public Library, the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg has undergone numerous transformations and has endured hardships alongside the Russian people. After fifteen years of construction, its official opening was delayed by the invasion of Napoleon in 1812, during which the more valuable collections had to be evacuated. It managed to survive the Russian Revolution, albeit with diminished status, and remained defiantly open during the grueling Siege of Leningrad. Today, it is one of the world’s greatest research libraries and houses an impressive collection of medieval manuscripts, including many of Byzantine origin.
Treasures from the National Library of Russia
The National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg is both the oldest public library in Russia and its first national library. The library was established by Catherine the Great (1729–96) in the year 1795, and was built upon the collections of the Załuski Library, the first public library in Poland, which were seized and brought to St. Petersburg by the Russian Army in the wake of the Partitions of Poland, aside from many manuscripts that were looted and sold by Russian soldiers for their own profit. Most of the collection was returned by the Soviet Union in 1921, but much of this was destroyed in World War II. The library’s extensive manuscript collections were primarily added during the 19th century, either acquired by the library or donated to it, and today it houses Russia’s largest collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts, including some of the earliest specimens of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the Quran. In addition to its aim of creating a comprehensive collection of Russia’s printed output, it also has a premiere collection of manuscripts. Some of these pictures are made available to the Western public for the first time in this collection, e.g. a depiction of the Solovetsky Monastery, the title page from a manuscript of Russian hymns.
This rich library is represented here by ten of the finest specimens of medieval illumination that are housed in its collections:
1. John the Evangelist / Beginning of the Gospel of John
Purple Evangeliary, Gr. 53, fol. 329v/330r
Byzantium, 9th, 13th–14th, 17th centuries
Format: 30 x 19.8 cm (Landscape)
Christ’s Birth
Book of Hours, Rasn. Q. v. I. 8, fol. 57v/58r
France, Paris, early–15th century
Format: 31 x 21.7 cm (Landscape)Mark the Evangelist
Gospel Lectionary of Saint Petersburg, Gr. 21, fol. 5v
Byzantium, 9th and 10th centuries
Format: 25.5 x 33 cmInitial Page "B"
Psalter, Lat. Q. v. I. 67, fol. 7r
France, Paris, 1218–1242
Format: 15.3 x 21.7 cmCrucifixion and Descent from the Cross
Missale Remense, Lat. Q. v. I. 78, fol. 26r
France, Reims, 1285–1297
Format: 16.2 x 23.3 cmLuke the Evangelist
Book of Hours of Mary Stuart, Lat. Q. v. I. 112, fol. 13r
France, Paris, 2nd half of the 15th century
Format: 17.7 x 25 cmProwess and Nobility
Letters between Anne of Brittany and Louis XII, Fr. F. v. XIV. 8, Bl. 20v
France, early 16th century
Format: 18.9 x 29.4 cmShah Listens to the Teachings of a Sufi
Gami, Lawaih, Dorn 256, fol. 10v
Persia, ca. 1570
Format: 21.8 x 33.3 cmThe Solovetsky Monastery
Life and Works of Saints Sossima and Sawwati
Solov. 175/175, fol. 16v
Moscow, Trinity Sergiev Monastery, 1623
Format: 19 x 30.5 cmTitle Page
Old Russian Church Hymns
Hirmologion, NSRK F. 607, fol. 1v
Russia, 19th century
Format: 22 x 34.4 cm
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Kassette Schätze der Russischen Nationalbibliothek
- Origin
- France
- Date
- 9th–19th century
- Genre
- Illustrations
- 10 wonderful miniatures from the important manuscript collection of the Russian National Library
- Content
- Ten leaves from important manuscripts from the National Library of Russia
Gospel Lectionary of Saint Petersburg
Mark the Evangelist
This thousand-year-old miniature exhibits the return to more classical forms that occurred in the Byzantine world during the 9th and 10th centuries, which was a result of the Empire’s resurgent status as the richest and most powerful state in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Russian Tsars saw themselves as the protectors of Orthodox Christianity as well as the inheritors of Byzantine artistic traditions. As a result, Russia possesses some of the greatest collections of Byzantine art worldwide.

Letters Between Anne of Brittany and Louis XII
Prowess and Nobility
Anne of Brittany was idealized by royal propaganda during her own lifetime and presented as a perfect queen, a personification of peace, and the union of France and the long-independent and powerful Duchy of Brittany. She was described as being witty and well-read by contemporary sources, commissioning some truly magnificent illuminated manuscripts.
The Queen was also known for her fierce temper and independent will, ruling as duchess in her own right. She is shown here enthroned and holding court, her soldiers waiting outside. Labelled with the French words for “Prowess” and “Nobility”, she is depicted as an educated noblewoman with quill in hand, composing one of a fictional series of letters between her and her second husband, Louis XII.

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