Photo: Monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov
Photo and description
In the spring of 1564, the first book was printed in Moscow. This event was recorded in historical documents, so it is considered to be the beginning of book printing in Russia. The first book to be published in print, rather than handwritten, was The Apostle, and the first printer was Deacon Ivan Fedorov. The book was published at the Printing House, which was created in the 50s of the 16th century by decree of Ivan the Terrible. At the beginning of the 20th century, a monument to Ivan Fedorov was erected next to the building of the former Sovereign's Printing House. True, during the last century it was moved twice: in the 30s during the expansion of Teatralny Proyezd and in the 90s during the construction of a shopping complex.
Sculptor Sergey Volnukhin and architect Ivan Mashkov became the authors of the monument to the first printer. Sergey Volnukhin with his project won a big competition, which was attended by other famous architects of Moscow (Ivan Zholtovsky and Nikolai Andreev) and even their foreign colleagues. Fundraising for the construction of the monument has been going on for thirty years at the initiative of the Moscow Archaeological Society. And only in 1901, Sergei Volnukhin began to create a bronze statue of Ivan Fedorov. The opening of the monument took place in October 1909.
About what Ivan Fedorov looked like, the creators of the monument could only guess, since the images of the first printer were not preserved. Despite the fact that Fedorov was a deacon, he was depicted in the clothes of an artisan. In one hand, the master holds the printed page of the book, and with the other he holds the typesetting board into which the letters were inserted. The statue is placed on a high pedestal made of black polished stone, on one side of which there is a printed sign of the master, cast in bronze, and on the other - his motto.
Pyotr Mstislavets helped Ivan Fedorov to work on the Apostle, and it took them a whole year to publish this book. In 1565, the next edition, The Clockworker, came out of the printing house. Ivan Fedorov also published other religious books, primers and books for reading.
“... it did not suit me either by plowing or by sowing seeds to shorten the time of my life,
because instead of a plow, I master the art of hand tools,
and instead of bread, he should sow spiritual seeds in the universe
and distribute this spiritual food to everyone according to order ... "
On October 12, 1909, a bronze monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov (1510-1583) was unveiled in Moscow.
Created by an architect Ivan Mashkov according to the project of the teacher of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture Sergei Volnukhin- artist, sculptor, one of the founders of symbolism and modernity in Russian plastic arts.
The idea of perpetuating the memory of the great master was born in the circles of the Moscow Archaeological Society as early as 1870. It was then that, at the initiative of the scientist Alexei Uvarov, an all-Russian subscription was opened. Printing workers also participated in it, in particular.
Fundraising continued for 39 years. By the beginning of the 20th century, the total amount of money collected was more than 29 thousand rubles. However, the competition of projects was not successful; the commission did not accept any, the construction was postponed.
In a new competition in 1901, whose jury included the historian Vasily Klyuchevsky and the artist Apollinary Vasnetsov, Volnukhin's project won.
Sergei Volnukhin worked on the monument for about two years.
photo - S.M.Volnukhin working on sculpture
starosti.ru
Ivan Fedorov served as a deacon of the Church of St. Nicholas Gostunsky in the Kremlin. After the construction of the Sovereign's printing house in Moscow in 1553, he headed the Printing House, in which, together with Peter Mstislavets, he printed the first book in Russia, "Acts and Epistles of the Holy Apostles" ("Apostle").
Therefore, the first printer is depicted with a freshly printed impression of this book in his right hand, with his left hand he supports the printing board. Nearby, on a bench, lies a matzah (a leather pad on the handle for stuffing paint onto a set).
On the pedestal, above which rises the figure of Ivan Fedorov in the clothes of a townsman, there is an inscription: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Gostunsky, deacon Ivan Fedorov, below it is the date the printing of the Apostle began - April 19, 1563. (the book was published on March 1, 1564 - the official day of the beginning of book printing in Russia) and on a bronze disk a kind of ex-libris with which the first printer marked his publications: a hand holding a shield with the letters "I" "F"; between them is a curved strip in the form of a Latin “S”, above it is a detail resembling an arrowhead.
Researchers decipher these stylized images as a river bend (according to the ancient saying “books are the essence of the rivers that fill the universe”) and a square, a tool used to type letters. However, Ivan Fedorov began to use such a sign to designate his publications later, having already settled in Lvov; after the Moscow printing house was burned down in 1565, Ivan Fedorov, together with his assistant Peter Mstislavets, were forced to flee Moscow.
photo - I. Gaidel. 2004
On the reverse side of the pedestal are engraved the words of Ivan Fedorov from the afterword to the book he published: "The first to start printing holy books in Moscow" and the motto of the first printer: "For the sake of my brethren and my neighbors."
History has not preserved for us a single drawing, portrait or description of Ivan Fedorov's appearance. The historian Ivan Zabelin helped the sculptor to plunge into the era, and the medieval costume was taken from the collection of the artist Sergei Ivanov.
Despite belonging to the clergy, Ivan Fedorov is presented in secular clothes and with a strap intercepting his hair (a detail indicating belonging to artisans). This is due to the fact that in the 16th century, many representatives of the lower clergy were forced to engage in crafts so as not to fall into poverty. The board and matzah at that time were still preserved in the Moscow Synodal Printing House.
They wanted to install a monument on Theater Square, which the city authorities refused, under the pretext that "it is not possible to clutter up the square with structures." As a result, it was decided to install the sculpture near Tretyakovskiy Proyezd, on the spot where the Sovereign Printing Yard was located in the 16th century, next to the Kitaigorod wall. From time immemorial, the nearby Nikolskaya street was called "book street" by the people.
Moscow, square near Teatralny proezd. In the foreground on the left is a monument to the pioneer printer I. Fedorov,
behind the wall of Kitay-Gorod, the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity is visible, which is in the Fields,
1929
.
Postcards and old photographs from the collection of Sergeev Denis
Honoring the memory of Ivan Fedorov on the opening day of the monument was marked by numerous events throughout Moscow. The townspeople showed great interest in the event and took the most active part in the celebrations.
The next day after the erection, a wreath appeared at the monument with the inscription "To the First Martyr of the Russian Press."
The location of the monument to the pioneer printer has changed several times.
The first time it was moved deeper into the street in 1934, during the expansion of the Theater passage and the demolition of the Kitaigorod wall.
Printing was invented in Europe in the middle of the 15th century. In the middle of the 16th century, it also came to Russia. Ivan Fedorov - the first who began to print books. Monuments to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov were erected in the cities where he lived and worked - in Moscow and Lvov.
Ivan Fedorov
In 1563, the first printing house, the Printing Yard, was opened in Russia. By order of Ivan the Terrible, a printing press with a set of letters was ordered from Poland and a consultant from Denmark was invited. Ivan Fedorov (Moskvitin), the deacon of St. Nicholas Gostunsky Church in the Kremlin, headed the Printing Yard. Together with Peter Mstislavets, the first book was published there in 1564 - "The Acts and Epistles of the Apostles" (Apostle). A year later, the second book, The Clockworker, saw the light of day. I must say that the monks at the monasteries were previously engaged in copying books. This occupation was profitable and honorable. There is a legend that it was they who set fire to the Printing Yard of Ivan Fedorov, which burned to the ground. After the fire, Fedorov and Mstislavets left Moscow. Historians believe that the reason for their departure from the capital was different. At the same time, book printing in Moscow did not stop; already in 1568, a new printing house was launched under the leadership of Andronik Nevezha.
Departure from Moscow
Ivan Fedorov leaves Moscow for Lithuania, to Hetman Khodkevich in his Zabludov estate. There, in 1570, he published the book Psalter with the Book of Hours. After the death of Khodkevich, he went to Lvov, where he printed the second edition of the Apostle. In Lviv, he tries to do business, but to no avail. Having moved to Ostrog, Fedorov printed the Ostrog Bible, the first complete Bible in the Church Slavonic language. Ivan Fedorov died in 1583 on the outskirts of Lvov and was buried in the St. Onufrievsky Monastery. Monument to Ivan Fedorov erected in Moscow.
First book
The masters printed their first book "The Apostle" for a whole year. A handwritten semi-character was chosen as the font. This font was traditional for copyists of church books. For her, glued French paper was used. Each of the 534 pages of the "Apostle" had exactly 25 lines. The book was released in a very large, at that time, circulation - 2000 copies. Currently, about 60 of them have been preserved in libraries. The Apostle was designed in the style of handwritten books. The binding was made of wood covered with embossed gold morocco and brass clasps. The beginning of each chapter was distinguished by a floral ornament, and inserts and initial letters were made with red cinnabar. The paint turned out to be so resistant that it has not faded in our time.
Petr Mstislavets
Researchers believe that Mstislavets is the author of the font of early printed books. He left Moscow with Fedorov and worked with him in Zabludovo with Hetman Khodkevich. After that, he parted with Fedorov and moved to Vilna, where, with the help of local merchants, he equipped a new printing house. A monument to him was erected in the city of Mstislavl, Mogilev region in Belarus.
History of the monument
The monument to Ivan Fedorov in Moscow was unveiled on October 12, 1909. The author of the monument was one of the founders of Art Nouveau and symbolism in sculpture, a teacher at the Moscow School of Architecture and Sculpture, Sergei Volnukhin. The architect of the monument is Ivan Mashkov. As early as 1870, the Moscow Archaeological Society launched a campaign to create a monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov. Scientist Alexei Uvarov opened an all-Russian subscription, and printing workers also took part in collecting money. The collection of money for the monument lasted 39 years, and about 29 thousand rubles were collected. The first competition of projects did not reveal the winner. In 1901, a new competition was organized, the jury of which included the artist Apollinary Vasnetsov and the historian Vasily Klyuchevsky. Volnukhin's project won the second competition.
Type of monument
The first printer is depicted with an impression of the book "Apostle" in his right hand, which he had just printed. In his left hand he holds a printing board. On the bench is a special pad for stuffing paint (matzo). On the pedestal is stamped the date of publication of the first book April 19, 1563 and the ex-libris "I.F", which marked all the master's books. On the reverse side of the monument are written the words from the afterword to the "Apostle". Unfortunately, not a single portrait or description of the appearance of Ivan Fedorov has been preserved. The sculptor Volnukhin used the advice of the historian Ivan Zabelin to create the appearance of Fedorov, and the costume of the townsman artisan was borrowed from the collection of Sergei Ivanov. The printed board and the matzah pad were found in the Moscow Synodal Printing House.
The opening of the monument to Ivan Fedorov on October 12, 1909 aroused great interest among Muscovites. A huge crowd gathered, and all the roofs of the nearby houses were occupied. They say that when the covering fabric was pulled off the monument, it caught on, and it was not possible to remove it the first time. Muscovites joked that the Russian press could not free itself from barriers and obstacles. On this day, 99 wreaths were laid at the monument. The inscription on one of them was the inscription: "To the first martyr of the Russian press."
Installation location
Initially, it was planned to erect a monument to Ivan Fedorov on Theater Square, but the city authorities refused this request. The formal reason for the refusal was the impossibility of cluttering up the area with foreign buildings. But soon an underground toilet was built on the site where the monument was to be erected. It was decided to install the monument near Tretyakovskiy Proyezd, on the spot where the Printing Yard was located in the 16th century, not far from the wall of Kitay-Gorod. Passing near Nikolskaya street people called "book". The monument was repeatedly moved, the first time it was moved inland in 1934, when the Chinese Wall was demolished and the Theater Passage was expanded. In the 90s, the monument was moved closer to the Metropol Hotel for the construction of the Nautilus shopping center. In Soviet times, next to the monument to the pioneer printer, there was a bookstore "Knizhnaya Lavka", which was popular with book lovers and collectors.
Nowadays
Now the monument is surrounded by chic branded boutiques and car dealerships, where the monument to Ivan Fedorov is clearly out of place. It is impossible to see a single signboard in Cyrillic next to it. Screaming advertising does not contribute to the perception of the image of the Russian creator of printed books. The place where the monument to Ivan Fedorov is erected now attracts lovers of expensive things and luxury. In this regard, Patriarch Kirill appealed to the Moscow government with a request to transfer it. According to the patriarch, such an environment interferes with the correct attitude towards the monument. The issue was submitted to the commission on monumental art. The Commission decided to postpone consideration of this issue, because the sources of funding and the possible installation site are not clear.
To get to the monument to Ivan Fedorov, you need to get to the Lubyanka metro station, go to Lubyanskaya Square to Teatralny Proyezd and walk to the house 1/3 of Tretyakovsky Proyezd.
Monuments and sculptural compositions are the connecting thread between the past and the future for each city. Monuments of Moscow - evidence embodied in stone or metal historical events, a tribute to the people who lived here and worked for the public good.MONUMENTS OF MOSCOW
Monument to the Pioneer Ivan Fedorov
The idea to erect a monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov belongs to the Moscow Archaeological Society. In 1870, an all-Russian subscription was opened. Funds were collected for 39 years. Printing workers took an active part in fundraising. By the beginning of the XX century. the total amount of money raised was about 30 thousand rubles.
The design of the monument was also not immediately determined. The final choice fell on the work of sculptor S. M. Volnukhin and architect I. P. Mashkov. The grand opening of the monument took place in 1909.
The sculpture on a low pedestal depicts the Moscow printing pioneer Ivan Fedorov (real name Moskovitin Ivan Fedorovich). In his right hand he has an imprint, and with his left hand he supports a printing board. Despite the fact that the first printer was a clergyman, he served as a deacon of the church of Nikola Gostunsky in the Kremlin, the author depicted him in the dress of a craftsman townsman. It is not known what Ivan Fedorov really looked like. The sculptor presented us with a generalized image of a Russian person, craftsman and artist. On the pedestal - the date of issue of the first printed book: April 19, 1563 and the sign "I. F." on a bronze disk - a kind of ex-libris, with which the first printer marked his publications. On the reverse side of the pedestal, the words of Ivan Fedorov from the afterword to the book Acts and Epistles of the Holy Apostles (“Apostle”) published by him are engraved: “First, the holy books began to be printed in Moscow” and the motto “For the sake of my brethren and my neighbors”.
A monument was erected near Tretyakovsky passage, not far from Nikolskaya street, where the Printing House was located. It was there that Ivan Fedorov, who headed the printing house of the Printing House since 1563, together with his assistant "Peter Timofeev son of Mstislavets" printed "The Apostle". In 1703, the first Russian public newspaper Vedomosti was printed here. Since ancient times, Nikolskaya Street was a "book" street, there were many bookstores and secondhand bookshops.
The arson of the printing house, where the printers worked, forced Ivan Fedorov and Peter Mstislavets to move to Lithuania. Ivan Fedorov then went to Ukraine, where he created his own printing house, marking the beginning of book printing in Ukraine.
Ivan Fedorov died on December 5, 1583. The Moscow pioneer was buried in Lvov, in the St. Onufrievsky Monastery. In 1983, by decision of UNESCO, the 400th anniversary of the death of Ivan Fedorov was widely celebrated all over the world.
In the 1990s In connection with the construction of a new shopping complex, the monument was moved closer to the Metropol Hotel.
