Memorable dates of Russia: The exhibition of archival manuscripts, timed to the 270th anniversary of the birth of G. R. Derzhavin, in Moscow

The Russian State Library (Moscow) opened an exhibition of archival manuscripts, dedicated to 270th anniversary of the birth of Derzhavin. The exhibition includes personal archives and manuscripts from the collection of NIOR RSL.

The exhibition in the famous Rumyantsev hall gives an idea of the poet’s social circle and that his writings were most in demand in a particular period of our history.

At the beginning the visitors are offered the originals: notes of Gavriil Romanovich addressed to Vasily Zhukovsky and Stepan Zhikharev (no date).

The exhibition displays the messages of Derzhavin to Alexander I, Prince Fyodor Nikolayevich Golitsyn (curator of Moscow University), and “a piece of paper with the inscription of Countess Catherine Petrovna Shuvalova” (State Lady Catherine II). There is also a wonderful example of the autobiographical genre, “Notes of all known incidents and genuine cases enclosing a life of Gavriill Derzhavin” (the 1802 list edited by the author).

Poems that have come to us in the lists of the beginning of XIX century are also presented.

The exposition also includes a list of unofficial Russian national anthem, written in 1791 on the occasion of taking by Suvorov the Ottoman fortress during the Turkish War.