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GL Winter REV 2004 W I N T E R e 2 0 0 4 GGennadeionennadeion NewsNews A SPECIAL INSERT TO THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Manuscripts Exhibit Set for May nly a few specialists know that the Gennadius OLibrary, well known for its wide variety of printed books, incunabula, maps, archives, and other rare collections, also pos- sesses a collection of Byzantine and post-Byzantine manuscripts. To promote a wider knowledge of these manuscripts, the Greek Palaeographic Society, in collabo- ration with the Library, plans to organize an exhibition dedicated to the Gennadeion’s manuscript collection in May 2004. This precious collection was assembled mainly by John Gen- nadius himself, thanks to his Exhibition Highlights Recent Gift to Gennadeion extensive interest in all things connected to the intellectual life ostcards say with a single opened in December at the On a postcard printed in Bulgaria of post-Byzantine and modern image what the sender Gennadius Library. The exhibi- in 1912, the personification of Greece. The exceptional value of might have said with a tion also honored Mr. Betancourt, Greece points the way for the the collection lies in the fact that P thousand words. In the early who has donated a selection of Kings of Bulgaria, Serbia, Monte- although it does not include modern era, before newspapers, his extensive collection of period negro, and Romania as they charge impressive artistic manuscripts of magazines, and the airwaves postcards to the Library. Ottoman soldiers. the kind usually found in muse- were saturated with instant im- The book and exhibition Photo courtesy of the Archives of the Gennadius Library. ums, each manuscript is a unique ages of distant lands and cul- portray the history of Greece and literary document. The collection tures, postcards played a central the Balkans over a 35-year period covers a wide variety of topics role in communicating not only that was critical in the formation southern Balkans were mirrored and spans the thirteenth through sites and monuments, but also of the modern Greek state. It elsewhere in these turbulent the nineteenth centuries. Its political events and government begins with the defeat of Greece years, which marked the death- oldest text is a Gospel on a piece propaganda. in its war with Turkey in 1897, throes of the Ottoman Empire of parchment, of extremely small “The postcards of the late and ends in 1922, with another and Czarist Russia. dimensions, written in Cappa- nineteenth and early twentieth defeat and the abandonment of Mr. Betancourt, who is Profes- docia in the year 1226. From a century provide a unique record Greece’s territorial hopes in Asia sor of Art History and Archaeol- palaeographical point of view, the of the history of a dynamic pe- Minor. In between, Greece ogy at Temple University, began most interesting manuscripts are riod when the modern world fought in the Balkan Wars and collecting postcards over 20 the theological, liturgical, ecclesi- began,” writes Philip Betancourt expanded its territory to include years ago, drawn by their signifi- astical, philological, philosophi- in the introduction to his cata- Crete, Macedonia and the city of cance as an original source of cal, medical, music, and law logue of the exhibition Greece Thessaloniki, part of Epirus, information on a momentous documents—both Byzantine and and Her Neighbours in Historic Thessaly, and many Aegean is- time in Greece, where he has continued on page G2 Postcards: 1895–1920, which lands. The dramatic events in the continued on page G3 G2 G E N N A D E I O N N E W S Plan of Early 19th c. Athens Newly Acquired he Gennadius Library recently acquired a manu- Plan de la ville d’Athènes. Tscript topographical plan Photo courtesy of the Gennadius Library. of Athens, Plan de la ville d’Athènes avec les monuments qui avaient été élevées à antiques et les ruines existantes, l’honneur de 2 poètes qui levé en 1826. Measuring 49 x 62 avaient fait les meilleurs pièces cm., the plan is drawn in black de comédie” [columns erected in with various sites in the city honor of two poets who com- marked in red. The name of the posed the best comedies] is the artist does not appear anywhere, choregic monument of Thrasyl- but on the back of the plan there lus, but the identity of “Colonnes is a note in pencil that the plan is faisant autrefois partie d’un “dressé et dessiné par Alex de Temple” [columns that were Jaquershind [?] en 1825 [?].” once part of a temple] is impos- Unfortunately, his identity re- sible to determine. The locations mains a mystery; he does not of many mosques and Greek seem to be mentioned in either churches are marked, but the the Larousse Grand Encyclopédie Tower of the Winds is not or any other art history dictio- Athènes, avec le Plan de cette ville four “Ouvertures des cisternes” shown. nary. It may be that he was a (Valognes, 1835). [well openings], several impor- Despite its shortcomings as French engineer, part of one of The sites are recorded using tant sites are not thoroughly an archaeological record, the the French scientific missions, letters and numbers, but the identified and others are omitted plan, acquired from a local rare- who came to Greece during the descriptions are vague and they entirely. For example, on the book dealer in Athens, is a note- nineteenth century and drew often show the designer’s lack of Acropolis the artist labels “Le worthy addition to the Gennad- maps and plans of Athens. In archaeological knowledge in Parthenon,” “Le Temple d’Erech- eion’s collection of materials fact, the plan is almost identical spite of the title of the map, thée,” “Les Propilées,” “Logement produced by early travelers and to another plan made in the same which suggests that antiquities de Gourras” [hero of the Greek visitors to Greece. e year (1826) by J.F. Bessan and were the focus of his attention. War of Independence], and published in his work Souvenirs Thus, while the plan records “Magasin à poudre” [powder — Sophie Papageorgiou de l’expédition de Morée, en 1828, archaeologically unimportant magazine], but not the Nike Head Librarian, suivis d’un Mémoire Historique sur features, such as the locations of Temple. A site marked “Colonnes Gennadius Library Byzantine Manuscripts Library Celebrates Two Book Presentations continued from page G1 wo books recently pub- President of the Gennadius Li- In February the Library and post-Byzantine, some decorated, lished in Athens were brary Catherine deG. Vanderpool. Oceanida Publications marked others not. Tpresented at the Gen- As architect, Ms. Kalligas, the publication of Library Trustee The exhibition will include nadius Library this winter. along with her husband Alexan- Edmund (Mike) Keeley’s book representative manuscripts from H Bυαντιν Mνεµ ασ α και dros, has devoted herself to the Aκρ ατντας στα ρια (“Border- the Gennadeion’s collection. Also ι Πηγς της Ιστρ ας της , Gen- preservation and restoration of lines,” as the author himself in May, the Library will host a nadius Library Director Haris Movemvasia. Ms. Kalligas also translates it). The memoir tells seminar in which palaeographers, Kalligas’ collection and analysis delved into the textual sources the story of the author’s many art historians, theologians, law of textual sources for the town of for the history of Monemvasia for journeys across cultural divides, specialists, musicologists, and Monemvasia, was published by her doctoral dissertation at the from his first years in Greece, other experts will present lectures Estias in December. To mark the University of London, under the when Mr. Keeley’s father was the on topics pertaining to each occasion, the Library hosted a supervision of the late Donald American Consul in Thessa- manuscript group. The event celebration with speakers includ- Nicol, a former Director of the loniki, to his time as a student in addresses not only the scientific ing Charalambos Bouras, Profes- Library. With an introduction Washington, D.C. and Princeton, community but also the wider sor at the National Technical from Sir Steven Runciman, the to his return to Greece as an adult. public interested in manuscripts University, Athens; former British thesis was published in 1990 as Speakers at the event included as a testimony to the culture of Ambassador to Greece, Sir Byzantine Monemvasia: the the writers Thanassis Valtinos and their time. e Michael Llewellyn-Smith; and Sources. The new publication is Dimitris Daskalopoulos. e — Maria L. Politi, President, a translation. Greek Palaeographic Society G E N N A D E I O N N E W S G3 World Opera Project Adds New Dimension to Mitropoulos Competition ome to a significant per- Colors, organizer of the Mitrop- and the job of preparing and of the Orchestra of Colors, in the sonal archives belonging oulos Competition, and the Ath- conducting the opera. open-air theater at Olympia. Hto the late composer and ens Concert Hall embarked in The 2003 competition fo- Since the first year of the conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos, 2001 on the World Opera cused on singing, for the first Mitropoulos Competition, the the Gennadius Library has also Project, a four-year artistic effort time. In order to cast the opera, Orchestra of Colors has invited actively supported the annual to commission and to create a auditions were held in Boston, the Director of the Gennadius Mitropoulos Competition since new operatic work for the Olym- Munich, Tokyo, and Athens. Library to present the first-prize its establishment in 1996 on the pics. In the 2001 “Composing Twenty-eight candidates from 21 medal, in recognition of the centenary of his birth.
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