«Book depository, idols and paintings»: Princes Yusupovs’ book collection

Abstract

The article gives a brief characteristic of the Yusupovs’ book collection. The eighteenth century was the time when collecting got very popular in Russia. Book collections became the main part of the Russian aristocratic society collection and formed private rich collections. The library of Yusupovs’ princely family is an example of such book collection. The study of this matter involves certain difficulties because Yusupovs’ library was divided into several parts and kept in different palaces and country estates in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Spasskoe-Kotovo, Arkhangelskoe, Rakitnoe. It is known that Yusupovs’ library has consisted of about 60,000 of books, 400 of them belonged to the earliest Russian printed art. B. G. Yusupov and his wife I. M. Yusupova set up the traditions of book collecting. The Yusupovs’ library has enraptured his contemporaries. A. S. Pushkin visited this library. His monument was raised in Arkhangelskoe in the poet’s name. N. B. Yusupov inherited his grandfather’s interest in dramatic and music art, and replenished the collection with rare musical editions and claviers. He went down in history as a vice-director of the Imperial Public Library, its patron and the donator. Moreover, he wrote a book about the Yusupovs family history. Felix Yusupov inherited the writer’s talent from his grandfather N. B. Yusupov, and wrote two books. Studying the history of Yusupovs` book collection gives an idea of book and bibliographic culture development throughout the mid XVIII - early XIX centuries. Nowadays the library in Arkhangelskoe has a significant book collection, which is considered to be Russian national treasury.