Date: 22.05.2014
On April, 22nd the culturological monograph “The Images of Abkhazia”, donated to the Russian State Art Library by the author, Doctor of Sociology, Professor Alexander Orlov-Kretchmer, was presented in the conference hall of the Library.
According to the Director of the Library Ada Kolganova “the publication of the monograph is a great event not only for book-publishing and the scientific world but also for the culture of the vast region that covers a number of countries. Trilogy is an example of a thorough and extremely rigorous scientific research. It is especially important for our Library that a part of illustrative material – that has a separate scientific and cultural relevance – was provided for publishing from the collections of RSAL”.
The trilogy “The Images of Abkhazia” (M.: Vikmo–M, 2014) includes more than 2600 illustrations – paintings, graphic works, antique photographs, archive documents from the period of affiliation of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus into the Russian Empire and first decades of the 20th century. Rare replicas were finally found by the author after the years of constant searches in numerous museums, libraries, archives and private collections all over the world. Reasonable part of the images was attributed and published for the first time.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Abkhazia I.M. Ikhba thanked the Library for understanding and support stating how important it was that “the presentation of such a unique work takes place in the famous library” and mentioned that the book had attracted huge interest in Abkhazia: “due to the photographs, documents and pieces of art published in the monograph people can remember once again the history of the Abkhazia’s people, the hardships that it had to face to become independent”.
The slides shown at the presentation included the postcards dated the beginning of the 19th century with the views of historical places and beautiful nature of Abkhazia.
Co-organizers of the presentation were the Russian State Art Library, The Embassy of the Republic of Abkhazia, Russian Library Association (The Section of Art and Museum Libraries). The presentation was actively participated by the responsible representatives of the Embassy, the representatives of the expert community, artistic unions, scientific communities, Abkhazian community of Moscow and mass media.
