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The Psalter
he Psalter is the first Belarusian printed book. It is one of the most
popular books in Christianity and forms part of the Old Testament.
The book origins from the Hebrew Holy Scripture (Tanakh), where
it is called
(Tehilim) meaning “praises” and is placed in the third
part – Ketuvim. While preparing the Greek translation (Septuagint) the book
was named “Рsalms” (Greek: Ψαλμοί) and this name was taken by the majority
of other languages (for example, English). The Slavic people called this book
Psalter (Church Slavonic: Ψалтирь) in accordance with the name of a musical
instrument “psaltery”.
The Psalter consists of 150 or 151 (in different traditions) psalms or songs
of spiritual content. In different religions and translations they are divided into
several types and parts; even numbering of psalms differs slightly.
All the psalms are composed in poetic form and many of them are marvelously beautiful. Theologians and literary critics often divide them into several
genre types: prayers, hymns, songs, philosophical meditations, lamentations,
curses, historical reviews and even a bridal song. All the psalms are unified
by the commonness of religious meanings, enounced by intimate appeal of a
person to the Lord.
In accordance with the ancient tradition, David, second king of Israel, is
considered to be the author of palms-appeals. Some psalms, however, contain
anachronisms – evidences of later time of creation. According to researchers, psalms could be composed by several persons (up to 10). Probably, the
Psalter was being created gradually; it was being rewritten and refined until
it obtained features of canonic text.
As far back as in the times of king David psalms had been used in Judaic
worship services. In the Holy Temple psalms were read by the Levites. In
ancient times the Psalter became the most popular book of the Holy Scripture.
Thus, in the Dead Sea Scrolls (39 scrolls) it is met more often than other biblical books.
In Christianity the Psalter also plays an important role. In all Christian
confessions the reading of the Psalter is the most important part of everyday
church service and spiritual reading outside of church. Such popularity of the
Psalter is connected with wide subject coverage of the texts contained in this
book: they are suitable almost for every prayer and church service. In connection with this just after the invention of book printing European publishers often released the Psalter as a separate book or together with the New Testament.
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The Psalter is also met among first East Slavic manuscripts of the 11th
century and it is considered that its initial Church Slavonic translation was
prepared by Saints Cyril and Methodius. The book exerted great influence on
ancient Slavonic writing. Its first Cyrillic edition was released in 1495 in Montenegro. Following the classic editions of the Psalter, the publishers released
Explanatory Psalter, containing theological interpretations of psalms, and Successive Psalter, containing a number of additional texts necessary for church
services.
In Belarusian lands this book was widely used not just for clerical needs but
also for studying and religious-moral upbringing. Probably, such popularity of
this book became the reason why Francysk Skaryna chose it as his first edition.
On the example of such book it was easy to determine whether his publications
would be appreciated by the public. In connection with that he paid close attention to the preparation of this edition.
Thus, Belarusian book printing started from very popular edition – Psalter – one of the most respected and emotionally exalted books of the Bible. It
opened a wholes series of biblical editions that were prepared and released by
Francysk Skaryna in 1517–1519 and laid basis for Belarusian book printing.
The date the book was released (or, rather, sent to the printer’s) is known
precisely as the publisher indicated it in the edition – August 6, 1517. This date
is considered the beginning of the Belarusian book printing.
In the Introduction to this book one may read about the importance Francysk Skaryna attributed to the first edition of the Psalter. The enlightener
points out that “the Psalter is the only book that includes all these things,
teaches and preaches them. For the psalms that it contains are like depository
of all spiritual riches”. In poetic form he proves that each and everyone needs
Psalter.
Understanding the exceptional meaning of the Psalter for educational and
religious purposes, the first printer said, “So I, Francysk son of Skaryna from
Polack, doctor of medical sciences, seeing a great virtue in such a small book,
ordered to print the Psalter with Ruthenian letters (thus Skaryna calls words of
the Old Belarusian language. – A. S., H. K.) in Slavonic language first of all for
the honor of God in Trinity united, His Most Holy and Blessed Mother Virgin
Mary and all the God’s saints, and then for common good because I was born
among these people by the grace of God”. Here, among other things, we see
one of the first patriotic statements about native people and their language in
the Belarusian writing.
Besides considerations on lofty mission of the Psalter, Francysk Skaryna describes major techniques of producing a book, tells about the system of
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references used in it, about glosses on the margins containing explanations of
words unknown to readers.
The mere fact that the edition of a biblical book contained an authorial
foreword emphasized its innovatory character. However, the aspiration of
Francysk Skaryna to make the book understandable and comprehensible for
common people makes the whole thing even more remarkable.
The larger part of the first Belarusian edition is occupied by the biblical text
translated into Church Slavonic language. Basing on the analysis of its content
one may conclude that the book released by Skaryna is a so-called Simple
Psalter. The edition includes 151 psalms divided into 20 kathismas. They are
added by several biblical songs and prayers of the Old and New Testaments.
The edition finishes with a traditional colophon or afterword where publisher’s imprints are given. They are placed on the front side of 142nd sheet
and are emphasized with artistic organization of the text. The reverse side of a
sheet is left blank.
Since it was the first publishing experience of Francysk Skaryna, the given
edition slightly differed from his following books. It had smaller type page:
146х85 mm, while the size of the type page in other Prague editions was
161х106 mm. As a result, a page of the Psalter edition contained only 20 lines,
while the successive editions had room for 22. The sheets were numbered at
the bottom of a page, not at the top as in later editions. Obviously, Skaryna was
looking for more perfect artistic form, which would correspond to his authorial conception. His efforts succeeded, none of the previous Cyrillic editions
had so rich and perfect artistic decoration as those released by the Belarusian
first printer.
The Psalter was printed in traditional quarto format that later became traditional for all Skaryna’s Prague editions. The edition consists of 142 sheets (283
pages) divided into 17 eight-page and one six-page gatherings. This is the biggest Prague edition in terms of size. There is a mistake in the sheets numbering: sheet 38 is numbered as “30”. The Psalter is the only Francysk Skaryna’s
Prague edition that was printed using paper with watermarks. The Psalter is a
monochrome edition: black text and engravings on the white ground. Starting
from the Psalter, Skaryna didn’t use traditional for Cyrillic books carry-over
words (repetition of first letters or words of the next page in the end of the
previous one) and signatures (sheets numbering by gatherings).
The artistic decoration of the book included two engravings. The first of
them – “King David, the kneeler” – was used twice. On the title sheet under
the engraving the title of the book is placed, “Songs of King David, called
Psalter”. In the second case the engraving is placed next to the first eight lines
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of the text opening the first psalm, in the place where usually capital letter is
placed. Earlier it was considered that this page is the back of a title sheet. This
was connected with the wrong (reverse) placement of a sheet after restoration
in the only known copy.
The engraving “King David, the kneeler” is made laconically, without unnecessary details. All its space is filled with monumental figure of David wearing royal garments with a crown on his head. David is on his knees, his hands
are pointing at the cloud with the depiction of God. He listens to the divine
afflation. Musical instrument reminding lyre lies near him. It’s a necessary
attribute when depicting David. The execution technique of the engraving is
harsh and expressive.
On the back of a title sheet there is one more engraving – so-called family
tree of Jesus Christ with the inscription, “This is the root of Jesse, from which
descended king David and Solomon, and other kings of Israel, and our Lord
Jesus Christ”. It occupies almost the whole sheet and presently there’s only one
extant copy stocked in the National Library of Russia.
In the engraving we see the depiction of Jesse, ancestor of Israelite kings.
From his chest a stylized genealogical tree with symmetrical branches on both
sides is growing. On each branch in the first line there are half-length figures
with the depictions of kings David (with a lyre) and Solomon (with a scepter
and an orb). In the center of the upper part the depiction of Mother and Child is
placed. Such subject matter was widely used in medieval West European and
Renaissant art. In can be found in different book-miniatures and engravings,
icons and pictures, sculpture and artistic glass painting. It is known that this
engraving earlier had been used in other Prague editions of 1498 and 1512.
The usage of plates from other editions was common practice in typographies
of that time.
At the bottom under the engraving there is an inscription often met in early
editions of Francysk Skaryna, “А то ся стало накладомъ Богдана онкова
сына радци места виленского” (English: It was made by Bogdan son of Onk,
burgomaster of the city of Vilna). The same inscription partly preserved on the
last, 142nd sheet, however, the handwriting slightly differs. These inscriptions,
made in handwriting, imitate the book’s typestyle. The same or similar records
about financing of the edition by Bogdan Onkov can be met in the first six editions released from August 6, 1517 through January 19, 1518 (in later Prague
and Vilna editions such inscription wasn’t found). Probably, Bogdan Onkov
sponsored Francysk Skaryna’s activity only in its initial stage. There is a lot of
information about this person in act documents. Onkov is a paternal name or
a surname originated from the father’s named. The father of Bogdan – Onko
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Gritsevich was rich and influential member of Vilna patriciate. Financial business of this family wasn’t limited to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; they also
cooperated with the Grand Duchy of Moscow.
Besides large engravings, the book is decorated with two headpieces. The
first one is П-shaped with the image of flowerpot up in the center and mythical
creatures on the sides with the depictions of heads of a man and woman. Long
tails of the creatures are covered with scale; on the bird’s foot we see claws.
The headpiece is executed with white stroke on black ground. In its center the
xylography is placed – the publisher’s sign of Francysk Skaryna representing
the depiction of sun and crescent. This part is an insertion and made in other
technique (black stroke on white ground). Such method attracts the readers’
attention. It is worthwhile noting that here Skaryna uses his publisher’s sign
for the first time; from then on it was printed in all the editions released by the
Belarusian enlightener.
The second headpiece opens “Songs of Moses”. This is a rectangular headpiece with floral ornament made with white stroke on black ground. In its
center there is a shield with the image of eight-petal flower. Upper part of the
shield is shaded, the lower one is left blank. The flower, for its major part,
belongs to the shaded area.
In the beginning of the Introduction, all the psalms and prayers and also
on the title sheet there are initials of different frames and designs, engraved on
wood and inserted into rectangular frames (in general, 167 impresses from 39
printing blocks). Thus, the impress with the “В” initial was used 11 times, “Б”
letter – 15 times, “Г” – 10 and “П” – 9 times; inside of the frame all of them
are decorated with floral ornament. At that, the images of letters “Г” and “В”
are given in four designs, letters “П”, “Х” and “И” – in three. Many impresses
from these printing blocks are often met in subsequent Prague editions. For the
most part they are made with white strokes on black ground.
In the upper part of the “М” initial we see the depiction of a man with protruded tongue and in the space of the “C” letter – a cornflower. The “Ч” initial
resembles a cup; behind the foot of a letter sun and crescent are placed. The
“Р” initial is very scenic: the image of an owl with its wings spread in the oval
curve of the upper part and along the edges, and at the bottom – fallen bird with
spread wings. The “Г” initial is decorated with deer lying at the bottom of a
vertical column. Within a frame of the “Х” initial we see the publisher’s sign
of Francysk Skaryna – sun and crescent are drawn with black stroke on white
ground of the shield. The “В” initial is decorated with the depiction of wolves.
In this book the readers first saw famous typestyle of Francysk Skaryna that
was used in all his Prague editions. The researchers suppose that it ascends to
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the Belarusian half uncial, however, has its own features. The art drawing of
some letters of his typestyle (letters “ч”, “ж”, “ю”) was unique. From cursive
types the depiction of letters differs in the fact that vertical strokes of letters are
drawn perpendicularly, not with tilt as in manuscripts. Francysk Skaryna didn’t
use oblique and cursive types, though he certainly knew them. The typestyle of
the first Belarusian editions is an important and remarkable phenomenon in the
typographic art. Skaryna could be the creator of a script that is national at its
core. Nobody could create it without being a native speaker and bearer of local
manuscript traditions. Probably, he could turn to the engraver to prepare printing
characters, order matrix and typeset itself giving to the craftsmen his drawings
of letters.
The Psalter was put into scientific circulation by St. Petersburg scientist
Ludwig Bacmeister in 1786 when he published on the pages of his “Russian
Library” information that in the capital of the Russian Empire a convolute
of the books published by Francysk Skaryna that contained a fragment of
the Psalter was available for purchase. There isn’t any information about
present location of this copy and the publication is left behind. Later the edition was described by Alexey Viktorov, Russian bibliographer, who in 1867
published the news about the book bought by Russian merchant-collector
Alexey Khludov at the Nizhny Novgorod fair. Khludov bequeathed his book
collection to St. Nicholas Monastery of Common Faith in Moscow, from
where in 1917 the collection was brought to the State Historical Museum of
Russia.
In the Alexey Khludov’s copy there is an inscription on the back of the last
sheet telling that the book once belonged to peasant Loghin Matveev from
Poshekhonsky Uyezd, the volost of Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. Poshekhonye is a small town on the Volga River. The fact that a copy of the Psalter
belonged to one of its inhabitants tells about the wide dissemination of Skaryna’s books in Russia.
In 1904 the National Library of Russia (at that time – Imperial Public Library) acquired a copy of the Psalter; however, the circumstances of purchase
are unknown. We are not aware about other copies of this edition.
Probably, the Prague edition of the Psalter was very popular and became
rare during the lifetime of the publisher. In connection with this after his return
to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and opening of typography in Vilna Francysk
Skaryna first of all republished the Psalter, which formed basis of so-called
“Little Travel Book”. That is why it’s safe to say that the endeavour of Francysk Skaryna did not go unnoticed, which inspired him for continuation of his
publishing activity.
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Thus, the Prague Psalter is the rarest of all the books released by Francysk
Skaryna. Moreover, both extant copies are not full: the copy form the collection of the National Library of Russia lacks the last sheet and the one from the
collection of the State Historical Museum – the first sheet.
The facsimile reproduction of the Psalter published by Francysk Skaryna
was made basing on digital copy from the collection of the National Library of
Russia (sheets 1–141), complemented with the copy from the State Historical
Museum in Moscow (sheet 142).
Aliaksandr Suša,
Halina Kirejeva
КНИЖНОЕ НАСЛЕДИЕ
ФРАНЦИСК А СКОРИНЫ
Том 14
ПСАЛТИРь
BOOK HERITAGE
OF FRANCYSK SK ARYNA
Volume 14
THE PSAlTER
НАЦЫЯНАЛЬНАЯ БІБЛІЯТЭКА БЕЛАРУСІ
КНІЖНАЯ СПАДЧЫНА
ФРАНЦЫСК А СК АРЫНЫ
Том 14
ПСАЛТЫР
Факсімільнае ўзнаўленне
Мінск
2016
УДК 27-242.5
ББК 86.37-21,041
К533
Па блаславенні Мітрапаліта Мінскага і Слуцкага,
Патрыяршага Экзарха ўсяе Беларусі Філарэта
Рэдакцыйны савет:
Н. І. Качан ава (старшыня), Б. У. С вя тл о ў, Л. С. А н а н іч,
У. У. Макей , М. А. Жу р аў ко ў, У. Р. Гу с ако ў
Рэдакцыйная калегія:
Р. С. Матул ь ск і (старшыня), А. А. Су ша, Г. У. К ір э е ва ,
Г. Я. Га ле н чан ка, Я. Л. Немі р о ў ск і ,
Ю. А. Лабы н ц аў, А. А. Лу кашан ец
Аўтары ідэі:
Р. С. Матул ь ск і, П. У. Ка л ау р
Адказны рэдактар А. А. Су ша
Навуковы кансультант Г. Я. Га л ен чан ка
Пераклад на англійскую мову Г. М. Кава л ен ка
Літаратурны пераклад прадмоў Францыска Скарыны
на сучасныя беларускую і рускую мовы А. У. Б р азг у н о ва
К533
Кніжная спадчына Францыска Скарыны = Книжное наследие Франциска Скорины =
Book heritage of Francysk Skaryna / Нацыянальная бібліятэка Беларусі ; [рэдакцыйны
савет: Н. І. Качанава (старшыня) і інш. ; рэдакцыйная калегія: Р. С. Матульскі (старшыня)
і інш. ; адказны рэдактар А. А. Суша ; навуковы кансультант Г. Я. Галенчанка]. – Факсімільнае
ўзнаўленне. – Мінск, 2013 – .
Т. 14 : Псалтыр = Псалтирь = The Psalter. – 2016. – 323 с.
ISBN 978-985-7125-11-1
Выданне ўяўляе сабой першае поўнае факсімільнае ўзнаўленне кніжнай спадчыны Францыска Скарыны.
Яно заклікана пазнаёміць шырокую грамадскасць з адным з найбольш каштоўных скарбаў айчыннай культуры –
выданнямі беларускага і ўсходнеславянскага першадрукара, якія захоўваюцца ў розных краінах свету.
Будзе карысным для даследчыкаў, выкладчыкаў, студэнтаў, навучэнцаў і ўсіх, хто цікавіцца гісторыяй і культурай
Беларусі.
УДК 27-242.5
ББК 86.37-21,041
ISBN 978-985-7125-11-1 (т. 14)
ISBN 978-985-7039-17-3
©
©
Дзяржаўная ўстанова «Нацыянальная
бібліятэка Беларусі», 2016
Афармленне. Таварыства з дадатковай
адказнасцю «Калекшн», 2016
Алесь Суша