Facial (Illustrated) Chronicle. «The Tsar Book»
Moscow
1560 – 1570
Paper, ink, cinnabar; manuscript, half-uncial, cursive. Binding - wood, leather; stamping
44 х 31 х 8,7 cm
From: the Synodal Library, 1920
Showcase 3
On January 16, 1547 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin the solemn ceremony of "wedding on tsardom" (coronation) of seventeen year old Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan IV took place. According to the religious-political doctrine of the divine origin of power established at that time, tsar received the crown from hands of the head of the Church, Metropolitan Macarius, who actively contributed to strengthening the power of the young sovereign. The formation of the Moscow tsardom, reflecting the well-established independence of Russia, its economic and military power, became the largest political event of the era, which consolidated traditions of monocracy in the country.
The ceremony of the “wedding on tsardom" of Ivan IV is captured in detail in miniatures of the Tsar Book- the last part of the Facial (Illustrated) Chronicle – the largest chronicle work of medieval Russia, dedicated to the events of Russian and world history.
The Facial (Illustrated) Chronicle was made after the order of Ivan IV in 1560–1570-ies in a single copy. The unique monument of ancient Russian book art, which has a worldwide significance, consists of about 10 thousand sheets, combined into ten volumes, decorated with more than 17 thousand miniatures. First three volumes tell about events of sacred and world history, including the text of the Bible, the Trojan history, the ancient East, ancient Rome and Byzantium history, bringing the narrative to the X century. The following seven volumes describe events of Russian history, starting from 1114 to 1553. The narration of history from the “creation of the world” and up to the 1560s in the Chronicle is subordinated to the idea of glorifying the Moscow dynasty and strengthening the autocratic power of the tsar. Moscow tsardom is presented as the heir of ancient monarchies and the stronghold of Orthodoxy.
Volumes of the Facial Chronicle were written and decorated by craftsmen of royal book-writing workshop in Moscow and Alexandrovskaya Sloboda (near Moscow). Miniatures of the Chronicle are made in a light aquarelle coloring, the exception is the last volume of the Tsar Book, which remained unpainted due to the cessation of work, miniatures of the volume are made as ink sketches close to graphic images.
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