Museums: 17th–20th cc. graphic works and rare editions go on display in Omsk

On December 17 2010 the M.A. Vrubel Omsk Museum of Fine Arts launched an exhibition called “A Priceless Gift. Russian and foreign graphic works of 17th-20th cc. from the collection of the academician Ye.M. Lavrenko” (Leningrad – St. Petersburg).

The exhibition continues to familiarize visitors with a collection of a prominent scholar and collector Ye.M. Lavrenko (1900–1987). The exposition features graphics works by Russian and foreign masters of 17th – 2nd half of 20th c. and rare books, donated by the academician Lavrenko and his family to the museum from 1984 to 2004.

One of the rarest exhibits at the exposition is a so-called “English album”. It is called — “A Century of Drawings. Collection of graphic works in imitation of drawings”. Being issued in 1778 in one of the best presses of London, it contains 64 graphic sheets. Prints made from original drawings by Rembrandt have been included into the exposition.

The exhibition puts on show over 50 rare editions of 18th – beginning of 20th cc. (books, pre-revolutionary magazines, exhibition catalogs, reference books, encyclopedias on art), many of them are presently considered to be bibliographic rarities.