Philip Vigel, Privy Councilor and member of the literary society «Arzamas», left descendants, not only describe the noble life of the second half of XIX century. He collected prints and lithographic portraits of historical figures XVI - XVIII centuries. His collection of two thousand works he gave the scientific library of the Moscow State University. September 16 in the House opened an exhibition of Polish graphic prints. The result of the joint work of scientists of Moscow State University and Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw has exceeded all expectations: in the collection were portraits, which are never seen in Poland.

At the end of life in their «Notes» Philip Vigel noted that he was a contemporary of four reigns: «I was born with Catherine, was recorded in the service with Paul, actually, and actively continued onuyu when Alexandra and end it with Nikolae». Of the two thousand lithographs and prints of his collection - a hundred portraits of Polish historical figures.

Jerzy Bar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland in the Russian Federation: «There is a different person, I am absolutely clear that as a Pole, I look at Constantine in other than Russian, but it is now and should be that we looked at the story from different points of view and learn to view neighbor ».

For years, the prints were kept without signatures. To identify the historical profile, it took two years of close collaboration between scientists of Moscow University and the Institute of Adam Mickiewicz.

Eugene Dombkovskaya, fellow of the Institute of Adam Mickiewicz: «Those drawings, which were found in the collections Vigelya, they do not exist in Poland, they were unknown in Poland, and Poland is very interesting, because in the collection of Vigelya two thousand works of graphics in general, 100 - this is the schedule Polish ».

Identifying graphic sheet is akin to the historic excavations. For example, the graph looked like Moritz, illegitimate son of King Augustus II, became known only at this exhibition. Graf Moritz Saxon was marshal of France and military theorist, in 1717 participated in the Turkish campaign of Austro-Polish troops.

Faces of the Duke Frederick Augustus of Warsaw and his wife Maria Amalia to study the assembly Vigelya were unknown in Poland. These portraits are likely to appear on the pages of textbooks.

Irina Velikodnaya, Head of Scientific Library of Moscow State University: «Description of a collection - it is almost detective genre, because on the one hand, you find the person you start to fold his life, then it turns out that this man lived a full adventurous life, if it was the XVI - XVIII century, accordingly, you create such a small affair ».

Of the pieces are rare prints of the portrait of the middle of the XVIII century, C. Merial, showing Миколая Radzivill Sirotku - the celebrated warrior, traveler, writer. Note the truly unique sheet is not included in the famous portrait of the Polish directories, such as miniature profile portrait of the late XVIII century - the last image of the Polish king Stanislaw August Poniatowski ... The pearl is a collection of lithographic portrait of Princess J. Lowicz, morganatic wife of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, created well-known Polish master Valentim Slivitskim.

Fine added a number of books: magazines belonging to the collections and Radzivil Zaluskih, as well as several books XVI - XVIII centuries, with portraits of Polish.

The result of scientific work has become not only the exhibition. In Poland, issued a directory of Russian and Polish languages, with engravings, with descriptions and articles by Russian scientists. Half of the circulation has remained in Poland, the remainder being transferred to the Scientific Library of Moscow State University.

exhibition at the House of Graphics (Potapovsky trans., 10, tel. 623-55-54) will operate until 3 October 2008.

Sources: graphichouse.ru , tvkultura.ru