“Work with old-printed books is a meditation”
An exhibit of Ukrainian old printed books of the 16th-18th centuries from a private collection has been launched in Kyiv. Scholars hope that public displays of collections will become a good tradition for collectors
The Museum of Books and Book Printing of Ukraine is hosting an exhibit of Ukrainian old printed books of the 16th-18th centuries from the unique private collection of collector and patron Vitalii Haiduk. The collection counts for over 500 items. “Most of the books have one, three copies at maximum, in scientific collections of Ukraine. There are many books that are not even present in scientific collections of Ukraine. Most importantly, the collection includes publications not known to scholars, and we have included them on the lists,” the museum’s director Valentyna Bochkovska-Martynovych told The Day.
In 1574-1650 a total of 25 printing shops were operating in Ukraine, in 1651-1720 – only 13. Haiduk’s collection includes 21 publications of the most famous Ukrainian printing shops of that time in Lviv, as well as Ostroh, Derman, Kyiv, Univ, Novhorod-Siversky, Chernihiv, Pochaiv, and Berdychiv. The collection practically presents the whole history of Ukrainian typography, from its beginning till the end of the 18th century. In particular, the collection includes Lviv’s Apostle of 1574, which was printed in Ivan Fedorov’s printing shop. Haiduk’s collection shows a number of Fedorov’s unique printed books, including the Ostroh Bible of 1581. “There used to be two copies of the Ostroh Bible in the collection, but the collector in his time gave one of them to the National University of Ostroh Academy,” Bochkovska-Martynovych explained.
According to the scholars, “not every collector today, especially a famous person, has a desire to give his collection for public display.” “I think that a public display of the collection and involvement of people who can professionally work with it is a very important step,” the director of the Museum of Books and Book Printing of Ukraine explained.
It is important that besides public display of the collection, its attribution by scholars, and the exhibit, Haiduk has funded the publication of the popular book of a gift format Collection of Ukrainian Old-Printed Books of the 16th-18th centuries. The larger part of the pressrun will be granted to scientific establishments of Ukraine, universities, and embassies of the countries with active and powerful Ukrainian diaspora.
Director of the Museum of Books and Book Printing in Ukraine Valentyna Bochkovska-Martynovych and Deputy Director responsible for research Liudmyla Khaukha, assisted by the leading Ukrainian scholars who study old printed books, have worked on the books for several years. “Working with old-printed books is a kind of meditation. We let it through ourselves. While reading these books, we pondered over the sense of our life,” Valentyna said.
“We don’t know for sure what Ukrainian old-printed books are being preserved in Ukraine, not only in private collections, but even in the state funds. There is no single list of Ukraine’s book monuments,” deputy head of the department of old-printed books and rare editions of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine Halyna KOVALCHUK explained.
According to the scholar, the Vernadsky Library will also seek possibilities to publish quality catalogues dedicated to old-printed books, over 4,000 editions of which are being stored in the funds. “This year, our employees have to finish the many-year work on creation of the catalogue of Ivan Fedorov and Petro Mstyslavets’s publications, the catalogue of Pochaiv Old-Printed Books, and the catalogue of the publications of the Berdychiv Printing Shop. But unfortunately, we cannot publish the catalogues in a good design,” the scholar summed up.
The exhibit will last in the Museum of Books and Book Printing till October 15 at Ivana Mazepy (Sichnevoho povstannia) St. on the territory of Kyiv Cave Monastery.
