History of the book: “Portugal. National and Foreign Editions of the 17th – 20th cc. from the Museum of Book” Exhibition in Moscow

Museum of Book of the Russian State Library (Moscow) launches a series of mini-exhibitions of rare books, telling about the history, culture, life and customs of different countries. The first exposition is devoted to Portugal, which was the starting point for sailors who went to the conquest of new lands in the era of great geographical discoveries. It features literature of different genres - from ancient children's atlas to modern poem "Ode to Music".

The gen of the exhibition is a miniature edition "Portugal" (Leiden, 1642) from the series of "State", numbering 35 volumes. It was produced by the famous printing and bookseller Elsevier.

The most interesting exhibits include the first volume of six-volume edition (Moscow, 1768-1778), "Children's Atlas, or the new convenient and conclusive way of teaching geography ..." by F. G. Dilthey. The exhibited copy was held in the library of the Rumyantsev Museum. Of a significant literary value is a prose translation of the poem by a Portuguese poet, Luis de Camoes “Luziada "(Moscow, 1788). The author dedicated his work to the famed navigator,Vasco da Gama who discovered India.

The exhibition also includes several volumes of small-format edition, "Spain and Portugal," by the French journalist and translator, Breton de la Martinier (Paris, 1815). Modernity is represented by the books issued in the 1980s.