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The Chronology of "Little Traveller's Book"

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2021

Abstract

While solving the problems of the Book science of 16th century, we have to be very guarded in questions of terminology. This is of particular importance when we talk about "Little Traveller's Book" which starts the history of the typography in Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

There is a widespread belief that above-mentioned book was printed in Vilno approximately in 1522. It would be more correct to say that "Little Traveller's Book" was completed in Vilno.

Its part - eight akathists and eight canons - could have been printed earlier in Prague. This hypothesis can be supported by several arguments.

In contrast with Acts and Epistles of the Apostles (the Apostle, 1525) "Little Traveller's Book" is not dated anywhere and regarding the content it is heterogeneous (composite) publication. In the content of "Little Traveller's Book" particularly stand out the akathists and canons that content unique wood engravings, endpieces, vignettes, borders and initials.

Two wood engravings were made by "Master of New Testament" whose works were published in Prague Book of Psalms (1517). The autonomy of akathists as a particular publication is accented by publisher's acrostic colophon written in the last akathist via initials.

The Akathists housed in Wroclaw (Wroclaw University Library, Nr. 305071) can represent Prague period of typography. The "Evidence" of E.

Nemirovkij about Vilnius origin of akathists is incorrect.