Mikhail Lermontov

From 17 July to 31 December, 2014 the National Library of Belarus (3rd floor, circular corridor) holds the exhibition "Unsaid, great, wonderful..." dedicated to the 200th anniversary from the date of the birth of the Russian poet, writer, playwright and artist M. Lermontov (1814–1841).

The anniversary exhibition contains more than 200 documents, including the collected works, selected works, Lermontov’s separate editions of novels, poems, dramas, as well as biographical and literary studies of Mikhail Lermontov’s life and work.

The exhibition includes a lot of illustrations to his works, portraits and drawings.

The centerpiece of the exposition takes books of the 19th century and the early 20th century; it is mainly various collected works of the classics of Russian literature. The most valuable among them is a one-volume Complete Collection of Works which has an inscription in verse form. The edition of the 1903 year has calico decorated in Art Nouveau style and 40 unique illustrations made by the Russian traveler and artist A. Chikin.

There is also another unique book – M. Lermontov Essays in one volume from the series "The Ruble Edition" in the exhibition. The book was printed in 1891 in Glazunov’s Printing House, which had the privilege on the publication of the poet’s works, and donated to those who "graduated from the city specialized schools on 30 May, 1913" by the St. Petersburg City Council.

The exhibition also includes M. Lermontov’s modern editions. Together with separate editions of the novel A Hero of Our Time, poems The Novice and Demon, the play Masquerade, the poem Borodino there are also literary studies on M. Lermontov’s most significant works.

The Russian poet’s creativity was close to the Belarusian classics. The first translations into the Belarusian language were made in the 20s of the 20th century. There are translations made by Y. Kolas, A. Zaritsky, A. Velyugin. The exhibition presents the book with M. Lermontov’s selected poems translated by A. Kuleshov which includes the poem The Novice and Demon. This edition of the 1969 year has a lot of illustrations. A. Kuleshov obtained the Yanka Kupala Prize for these and some other translations.

Some part of the exhibition is devoted to the Lermontovian studies. An invaluable source of reference information about the poet is Lermontov Encyclopedia – the first personal encyclopedia in the Russian language. The exhibition also includes works by famous explorers of the poet’s life and work: P. Viskovaty, B. Eichenbaum, V. Mikhailov, abbot Nestor (V. Kumysh), N. Kotlyarovsky, etc.

This exposition gives an opportunity to join the beautiful, unique and wonderful world of Lermontov’s poetry.