National libraries: Facsimile edition of the “Personal Chronicle of the 17th century” presented at the National Library of the Komi Republic

From May 2 to June 3, 2012 the Fund of Rare Book of the Komi Republic presents to readers the exhibition of the legendary multi-volume “Personal Chronicle of the 17^th century”.

In 2011 the National Library of the Republic became the owner of a unique scientific facsimile edition – “Personal Chronicle of the 17^th century”.

The front (i.e. an illustrated “in the faces”, with the image of people) Chronicle, was made for Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 40-60 of 16^th century especially for the Royal library in a single copy.

The illustrated Chronicle tells about the World (with the creation of the world) and Russian history up to 1567. In accordance with traditions of Russian Chronicles the weather chronicles (annual events) are interspersed with narrative stories, or lives and legends.

The uniqueness of the Chronicle is not only in the broadest coverage of the historical material, but also in the way of its design. At more than 10 thousand of pages are presented over 17 thousand thumbnails (images) in an unusually beautiful color palette.

The “Personal Chronicle” does not have any analogues in the World culture neither the breath of historical events nor the wealth of illustrated material. By virtue of its immensity, antiquity and exceptional value, the Chronicle belongs to such national relics as the Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell and it is rightly called the King-Book.

Due to the very large size and being scattered across multiple repositories this unique manuscript was available just to a very limited number of historians and art critics. Now being translated into a scientific publication the “Personal Chronicle” is available not only to specialists but to anyone interested in Russian chronicle history.