To the 250th anniversary of the State Hermitage Museum: The exhibition “Books from “Imperial Hermitage Library” in collections of the NLR” in Saint-Petersburg

December 8, 2014 in the hall Korf of the National Library of Russia (St. Petersburg) will be open the exhibition "Books from the "Imperial Hermitage Library" in the collections of the NLR".

By decree of Emperor Nicholas I in the middle of the XIX century several thousand books and valuable manuscripts of the Imperial Hermitage Library moved into storage the Imperial Public Library.

For the first time at the exhibition in the National Library of Russia, visitors can see about 100 of the most interesting manuscripts and books, most of which are of historical value and are unique pieces of art binding.

Among the exhibits - a book with litters of Empress Catherine II, autographed edition by her mother, as well as books that once belonged to Catherine II favorite Alexander Lansky with the bookplate owner.

Among the editions that belonged to monarchs, there are books from the libraries of Peter III, Alexander I and Nicholas I, valuable items with personal dedications of authors. The attention of visitors will be attracted to the album of application to the "Code of Laws of the Russian Empire" with color images of coats of arms of the Russian provinces from the Library of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I, other rarities.

There will be exhibited publications from libraries of Diderot and Voltaire. Among the books of Voltaire can be seen instances with marks of beloved French thinker, famous female physicist Marquise du Chatelet. There are publications with marks of the philosopher himself, including the famous aphorism, "If God did not exist, he should have been invented".

The department of manuscripts will submit copies and facsimiles of rare documents - "Izbornik" 1076, "Titulyarnik" by Alexei Mikhailovich, manuscripts, by which were trained heirs to the throne, the smallest of the known manuscripts - "Books of Clocks" of the XIV century (France), "Grandes Chroniques de France" and "Marine navigation of atlas Battista Agnese". On the opening day of the exhibition, visitors can see authentic prayer in Hebrew of the XV century.

The exhibition will feature a selection of books on various thematic: from astronomy to winemaking, fro editions on medicine to engineering manuals.

The exhibition will run until January 20, 2015.