Hermitage Days - 2011
Hermitage in the world of publishing

During Hermitage days, the Foyer of the Hermitage Theater was home to the traditional exhibit of the work of the museum's publishing department. In 2011, the State Hermitage Museum's publishing house released 46 books and brochures. As always, the museum's publishing activities are diverse and intended for different categories of readers.

This year, four Hermitage collection catalogues were published. These volumes, easily recognizable from a design standpoint by their green covers, are full publications of the hermitage collections. In the Hermitage, as in any other museum in the world, only some of the exhibition pieces held in the collection are actually displayed. Catalogues of these collections give both to the specialist and to the general reader an opportunity to become familiar with all of the artifacts stored in the museum's repositories. The collection catalogues appeared this year include: Italian Art of the 13th-17th Centuries (Author: T.K. Kustodiyeva). This book represents the publication of the world famous Hermitage collection of renaissance painting, including masterpieces from the brushes of Simone Martini, Fra' Filippo Lippi, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael.

Scholarly literature occupies a significant place in the Hermitage's publishing activities, in particular, the Papers of the State Hermitage Museum. These are themed anthologies of scholarly articles won various subjects and often materials from scholarly conferences in the Hermitage. In 2011, materials from conferences on Egyptology, Western European art, Byzantine Art and the reign of Peter the Great were published.

The annual scholarly periodical Announcements of the State Hermitage Museum is dedicated to questions of the attribution of exhibition pieces and the history of the Hermitage and the formation of its collections. This publication is produced in both Russian and English Versions.

Every year, the Hermitage publishes several scholarly monographs. This year was published monograph by I.P. Zasetskaya, The Treasure of the Khokhlach Barrow. The Novocherkassk Hoard. This is the first scholarly publication of one of the most interesting and mysterious of the Hermitage collections, the so-called Novocherkassk Hoard, accidentally discovered in 1864 on the outskirts of Novocherkassk. Many years of research have made it possible to determine that the barrow was the burial site of a noble Sarmatian woman. This book lays out the history of the discovery and study of this complex, gives a full description of all artifacts discovered there, their attribution, as well as a reconstruction of how these items might have been used during the Sarmatian period. The book contains a large number of illustrations, including some depicting famous artifacts of Sarmatian art that are currently on display in the Hermitage Treasure Gallery. The second monograph (Author: G.A. Printseva) entitled The Siberian Journey of Pavel Pyasetsky is dedicated to a sweeping panoramic view of the Russian scientist and traveler P. Pyasetsky, depicting the trans-Siberian railroad in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. The book includes an hour and a half long film, showing this panorama in full.

As is usual at the Hermitage, many striking, elegant catalogues for temporary exhibits were published. However, the museum is directing more and more attention to publishing the pieces in permanent exhibits. This year, one such publication was Ancient Egypt in the Hermitage. New Discoveries (Author: A.O. Bolshakov).

The latest volume of the Custodian series, which describes striking personalities in the history of the Hermitage, is dedicated to Andrey Valentinovich Pomarnatsky a specialist in Russian culture of the 18th-19th centuries.

Popular brochures were published for a wide range of readers. This year, their themes included the collection of Russian toys, a story about the Hermitage's attics, and other fascinating topics. The second edition of one of the most popular brochures The Peacock Clock was published, along with a new English version.

There are now several dozens of books in the State Hermitage Museum Publishing House's portfolio. Next year's releases will include new monographs, albums, popular brochures, publications of archival materials and, of course, catalogues.

The curator of the exhibit is Natalya Vyacheslavovna Martynenko, deputy head of the Scholarly Library of the State Hermitage Museum.

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