A.S. Barsov and Academic Book Printing in the 18th century

Abstract

In 2018, we celebrated three hundred years birth anniversary of the prominent Russian scholar A.S. Barsov (1718—1763). While scientific legacy of other Lomonosov’s contemporaries has been hugely studied in dozens of articles and books, Barsov’s name has been rarely mentioned in the indexes of the extensive literature devoted to M.V. Lomonosov. Meanwhile, a vast array of documents have been preserved and partially published, indicating that Barsov played an important role in the development of book printing in Russia and elaboration of the Russian literary language norms. The purpose of the article is to determine the role of A.S. Barsov in the process of formation of new, secular culture in the post-Petrine time. The authors attempted to highlight the life and manners of academic students and employees in the middle of the 18th century, to show in what difficult conditions there were created the book masterpieces of the Academy, preserved in hundreds of libraries around the world. The article established the main milestones of A.S. Barsov’s life path. He was born in the family of priest; studied at the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. After five years at the Academy Gymnasium and University, he was examined by professors and appointed proofreader at the Academic printing house; later on — supervisor of the printing house and its Figure chamber; shortly before his death, he was subjected to severe administrative sanctions. The authors analyse the fate of A.S. Barsov as one of the typical representatives of the early development stage of the academic science in Russia. The article introduced into scientific circulation a number of sources that allow assessing from a new, unexpected angle the evolution of the Academy of Sciences in the 1730s — 1760s. The authors revealed the degree of influence of his activity on the development of publishing activity and librarianship in Russia. The results of this study can be used in preparation of fundamental works in the field of science studies, library science, history of publishing, historiography, as well as special courses on the history of culture.