Antiquités Du Bosphore Cimmérien Conservées Au Musée Impérial De L'Ermitage
Imprint
S. Petersburg': v' Typographii Imperatorscoi Academii Nauc'., MDCCCLIV.
Physical Description
2 vols.; 548 mm.
General Note
Vol. I: [xxii], cli, [iii], 279, [1] p., frontis. [or add. engr. t.-pl.], 2 maps (fold.), [5] plans, 44 [i.e. 45] pl.: [9] illus. The plans are lettered A, Aa, Ab, B, C. There is a bis pl. 12. - Vol. II: [8], 339, [1] p., pl. 45-86. There are bis pl. 63 and 70.
Contents
Vol. I: [Half.-t., t.p. (Russian), add. engr. t.-pl., t.p. (French)] - Predislovie / Préface [by F. Gilles] - Preduv'domlenie / Avis A Nos Lecteurs - Soderzhanie Pervago Toma / Index Du Tome Premier [i.e. table of contents] - Istorichescoe Vvedenie / Introduction Historique - Topographia / Topographie [with 2 maps, 5 plans] - Avertissement [on measurements] - Opisanie risuncov' / Explication Des Planches [with 44 plates] - Popravci / Corrections. - Vol. II: [Half-t., t.p. (Russian), t.p. (French)] - Soderzhanie Vtorago Toma / Index du Tome Deuxième [i.e. table of contents] - Opisanie Rusincov' / Explication Des Planches [with pl. 45-86] - Nadpisi / Inscriptions [1-79] - Popravci / Corrections.
Responsibility Note
The Preface is signed by F. Gilles; but most of the catalogue entries were by Ludolf Eduard Stephani.
In Volume I the frontispiece and the last plate (both printed in colour) are signed as drawn by Solntsev (Solnzeff), colour-printed by Darleng (d'Harlingue) and chromolithographed by Syemechkin (Semetschkin). The two maps are signed as drawn by Guzeyev (Gouzeief) and engraved by Garmuyev (Garmouief) or Petelin(e). The five plans are signed as drawn by Syemechkin after G. Dyubryuks (Dubrux) or Shmakov (Schmakoff) or Byegichev (Beguitcheff), Stephansky and [D.V.] Kareisha (Kareischa). Plates 1-43 are all signed as drawn by R. Picard (Rod. Piccard), apart from no. 12a, which is signed as drawn by Th. Solntsev. They are signed by various engravers - C. Athanasyev (C. Afanassief), D. Andruzskii (Androuzskii), Cheskiy (Tcheskii) or Rod. Piccard. In Volume II most plates are printed in colour and are signed as drawn by Solntzeff, colour-printed by d'Haringue (apart from six signed as colour-printed by A. Munster (nos. 47, 49, 52, 53, 58, 62)) and chromolithographed by Semetschkin. The four non-coloured plates (nos. 79, 80, 85, 86) are signed as drawn and engraved by Rod. Piccard.
The in-text illustrations of Volume I are not signed, but the 'Avis A Nos Lecteurs' states that they are wood-engravings from drawings by Byegichev (Béguitcheff); and some of those in Volume II are signed by him.
References
On the antiquities of Kerch see Y. Kalashnik, Greek gold from the treasure rooms of the Hermitage (2005).
On lithography in Russia see G.A. Miroliubov, 'Early Russian lithography' [exhibition catalogue] (1976) [in Russian]; A.F. Korostin, 'Russian lithography in the nineteenth century' (1953) [in Russian]; E. Gollerbach, 'The history of engraving and lithography in Russia' (1923) [in Russian].
Summary Note
A parallel title is given in French, on a second title-page: 'Antiquités Du Bosphore Cimmérien Conservées Au Musée Impérial De L'Ermitage. Ouvrage Publié Par Ordre De Sa Majesté L'Empereur ... Imprimerie de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences ...'. The text is printed throughout in Russian and French in parallel (and the inscriptions of Volume II are printed in Greek letter). The publication-date of 1854 is given on the title-pages of both volumes; the two maps of Volume I carry the date 1853. A note on the versos of the French title-plates states that 200 copies were printed.
The work describes ancient Greek objects excavated near Kerch (ancient Panticapaeum) in Crimea (now in Ukraine), including objects from the tumulus of Cul-Oba. The port had been occupied by Greeks and Romans from the the sixth century B.C. until it was virtually destroyed by Huns in 370 A.D., and had been surrounded by an extensive necropolis.
The plates show: (Volume I) miscellaneous sculpture (frontispiece), two maps of the Kerch region, five plans of tumuli, gold and silver objects and jewellery; (Volume II) vases (red-figure), terracottas, glass, rare wooden objects and coins. The in-text illustrations are views of the local terrain and monuments.
In Volume I two plates (frontis. and pl. 44) are printed in colour; in Volume II all are printed in colour apart from pl. 79, 80, 85, 86.
The free public Museum of the New Hermitage had been opened by the Emperor Nicolas I in 1852. The Emperor had himself visited Kerch in 1840, where he was presented with a golden mask and other objects from the tumuli.
Reproductions
S. Reinach, Antiquités du Bosphore cimmerien (1854) reéditées avec un commentaire nouveau et un index général des Comptes rendus (1892).
Provenance
Purchased for RA Library in 1881 (see RA Annual Report for 1881, p. 47).
Binding Note
19th-century half red morocco, red cloth-covered boards; spine lettered 'Antiquités Du Bosphore Cimmerien Tome I. (II.)' and 'R.A.'