From January, 15th, to December, 30th, a book exhibition “Born in Polotsk” devoted to the 525th birth anniversary of Francysk Skaryna (~1490 – ~1551) runs in the National Library of Belarus (in the circular corridor, on the 3rd floor).
Francysk Skaryna is a patriotic and humanistic symbol of Belarus. All his life the celebrated son of Polotsk aspired to instill respect for the treasures of universal culture in his compatriots.
The exposition “Born in Polotsk” includes about 300 reference, scientific, popular scientific, literary and art editions, and also illustrations devoted to Francysk Skaryna, the Belarusian and East Slavic first printer, humanist and educator, astronomer, physician, poet and translator.
The exhibition consists of the thematic sections as follow: ”The name and the deeds of the first printer” , ”Spiritual heritage of Francysk Skaryna” , ”Skarynijana”, ”The Universe started from Polotsk...”. The sections present editions covering different aspects of spiritual and political history of Belarus and characterizing the epoch, social and cultural environment in which Francysk Skaryna lived and worked.
The exposition features the book by P.V. Vladimirov Doctor Francysk Skaryna, His Translations, Printed Editions and Language (Petersburg, 1888) about which Professor Vladimir Picheta said: “it was the first fundamental study that started research work and deepening of all the questions concerning Skaryna’s activities”. However, the interest to Skaryna had emerged in the 1770s yet.
The life and activity of this famous son of Polotsk are covered in numerous scientific and popular scientific editions, collections of papers written by Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian scientists. The exposition includes works by Е.L. Nemirovsky, V.А. Chemeritsky, А.I. Maldis, V.М. Kazberuk, V.F. Shmativ, Y.А. Labyntev, О.А. Loyko, S. Braga and other known researchers.
The exhibition’s gem are five facsimile books of Francysk Skaryna. They are published within the bounds of the project for facsimile reconstruction of Scorina’s complete set of works carried out by the National Library of Belarus and Vneshekonom Bank.
The exposition also presents scientific papers by researches A.N. Bulyka G.Y. Golenchenko, V.N. Konan, S.А. Podokshin, А.I. Zhuravsky and А.А. Yaskevich about Scorina’s philosophic and humanistic outlook, his role in the development of the Belarusian language, literary and writing.
In his editions Skaryna emphasized constantly and persistently his Polotsk origin: “Placed by Doctor Francisk, son of Scorina, from the celebrated city of Polotsk”. Also this city is glorified by grand princes Rogvolod, Rogneda, Vseslav Charodey, educators Eufrosinia of Polotsk and Simeon of Polotsk. The last exhibition section is devoted to this famous city where the first printer was born.
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