Museum complex

Isbornik of Sviatoslav of the year 1073

the scribe – dyak Ioann
Kiev
1073
Parchment, ink, cinnabar, boards, leather, tempera; block lettering, tempera painting
33,6 х 24,7 х 11 cm
It was found in 1817 in the library of the Resurrection Monastery near Moscow (to date is city Istra, New Jerusalem Monastery) during archeographic expedition leaded by P.M. Stroev and K.F.Kalaydovich, since 1834 were kept in the Synodal library. It was donated to the State Historical museum as a part of the Synodal library in 1920
Showcase 12

“Isbornik” – one of seven accurately dated old Russian ancient manuscripts of XI century that has remained to date. It was found in 1817 in the library of the Resurrection Monastery near Moscow (to date is city Istra, New Jerusalem Monastery) during archeographic expedition leaded by P.M. Stroev and K.F. Kalaydovich. This finding of the ancient manuscript appeared to be the biggest event in national science. From the very beginning after it was discovered the “Isbornik” became an object of a focused study of researchers that is explained by its uniqueness of content and artistic design. Isbornik of Sviatoslav contains texts of different authors from Aristotle to the first “church fathers” and Byzantium historian patriarch Nikephoros (IX century). The manuscript is unique – it is some kind of encyclopedia which includes articles: theological-dogmatic,ethical and moral, historical, literature-theoretical and calendar. Researchers found out that the Isbornik was written from an ancient Bulgarian manuscript that belonged to the Bulgarian tsar Simeon, which ascends to the Greek protograph (893–927) after the order of the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise – Iziaslav of Kiev.
As a result of a grand-ducal strife the manuscript came to the new prince of Kiev Sviatoslav who was Iziaslav’s brother. After the manuscript was captured, prince Sviatoslav ordered to the artist two miniatures with the image of his family – “The family of Sviatoslav” and “The Savior enthroned”. These miniatures after his order were placed in the beginning of the text of the Isbornik. The first miniature that depicts prince Sviatoslav with his wife and sons is called by historians of art “the first Russian secular portrait”.
Besides first two miniatures the manuscript has a rich decoration ascending to Byzantium illuminated manuscripts of IX–X centuries.
It is decorated by four architectural frontispieces (an image that is placed on the opening page with the title on a black band), headpieces (an ornamental thematic composition made for highlighting or decorating the beginning of a chapter or a part) and initials (capital letters). Magnificent four frontispieces are made in Byzantium style of enamel type in shape of a church in section, in a portal sanctifiers are depicted – “Synaxis of the Holy Fathers” – authors of texts of the Isbornik. There is an ornament of tiny images on the gold: crosses, pearls, a Byzantium brunch, a lily flower – by the edges of the image peacocks, hens, lions, hares are placed. In the manuscript on the sheet 2-2 on the reverse is placed a “Praise to prince Sviatoslav” written in gold on a colorful headpiece-frame. In a part of “calendar” systems on the marginal of the book 12 signs of the zodiac are depicted in cinnabaric outline and light tempera coloring.

More information...

In the end of the manuscript on a page 263 on the reverse a concluding remark about the writing of the book is placed. From it we know the name of the manuscript’s scribe – “dyak Ioann” and the date of its creation – 6581 (year 1073), and also the name of the one who ordered the manuscript (his name was written over the erased inscription that is proved by a damages layer of a parchment) prince of Kiev Sviatoslav Yaroslavich, the son of Yaroslav the Wise.

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