My Friends the Books

A book exhibition titled «Children of Mind and Faith» opened in Kalyga Museum of Local History with an underlying message that e-books won’t take over paper books yet.

The exhibition tells about the history of books starting with the production of paper and shows how books were made before the invention of printing.

One of the unique exhibits is a copy of Psalms of Maximus the Greek made two hundred years before by a Kaluga merchant Stephan Kolesnikov. The religious book is richly decorated with calligraphic texts, colourful vignettes and miniatures.

The first book handwritten and printed in Rus was, of course, the Bible. The book of books and other religious books are the most interesting objects of the exposition.

A place of honour is taken by historical products of Goncharovs stationery manufacture. School students still use copybooks produced at Polotnyany plant.

Another precious exhibit is the «Story of Barllam and Josaphat» dating back to 1680, decorated with coloured engravings.

The first books aimed for children were ABC books — azbukas. The exhibition features an azbuka published in 1807. In this book the young reader does not only learn the alphabet but also learns about zoology, botany, folk customs, Russian poetry, and Aesopian fables.

Museum workers arranged an interactive experience of time travelling to a school in the past. Young visitors will have a chance to try writing on birchbark and wax tablets, and those not attentive enough will be warned with a punishment of birching (whipping) and kneeling on peas.

Once a week visitors will be able to witness a creative process: Honoured Artist of Russian Federation Alexander Shubin will make etchings in the museum hall.

Lifetime editions of classics, portrait of Ivan Turgenev with his signature, refined writing tools will leave you in awe. Be sure to have a close look at the portrait of Leo Tolstoy «drawn» with the text of Chapter 14 of The Kreutzer Sonata. And to think that it was created in 1900, long before electronic technologies!

Your friends, the books are looking forward to meeting you!

My Friends the Books

Source: znamkaluga.ru