Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/236

 202 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. ANTIQUITIES OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE. (Text in the Russian language.) Pruiliiceil uiuUt the ilirectiun of an Imperial Commission. By S. Stroganov, M. Z;i2oskin, J. Snegirev, and A. Tli. Yeltnian. Folio. 7 vols., each containing 75 plates, printed iu chromolitliography and gold. St. Petersburg, 1852. Some of our members may recollect amongst the specimens of Chromo- lithography exhibited by Russia iu the Great Exhibition of 1851, a series of magnificent plates of objects of antiquity. These, it appears, were portion of the work of which the title is given above, some examples of which have recently arrived in this country, aud one of them has been secured by the British Museum ; ' and we may say without fear of being accused of flattering the Autocrat of Ilussia, that the work is au honour, not onlv individually to every one concerned in it, but also nationally. In the 525 plates of which it is composed, almost every class of objects of antiquitv, religious, civil, military, and artistic, is represented. There is a barbaric magnificence about the articles of Jewelry which is perfectly characteristic, being a combination, as it were, of Indian, Arabic, and Bvzantliie art. The earlier of the Christian painting, are grim enough it is true, but others arc exquisitely elaborated, although with an uniformity of treatment of subject which is the result of the canons of sacred art iu the Greek and Russo-Greek churches. It is true that the antiquities of the Russian empire cannot reckon upon an origin of more than a few centuries, and hence the elements of Byzantine art which had so large an influence on the artistic productions of Europe between the Vth and Xlth centuries, must be looked for elsewhere than in the work before us. The publication of the important work to which we have invited atten- tion, commenced in 1S-H>, under the auspices of the Imperial Commission for the purpose of publishing the anti(piitios of Russia. It forms six divisions — 1. Sacred images, crosses, church utensils and ornaments, and priestly vestments. 2. The ancient imperial dignity, imjierial insignia and dresses. 3. Armour and arms, horse armour and trappings, chariots, «kc. 4. Imperial, civil and military costumes, pictures and portraits. 5. Ancient household furniture, apjdianccs for the table, <tc. 6. Ancient Russian architecture. The whole of the jdatcs have been issued, but the text is not yet completed, It mav be interesting to our readers to mention that there arc elaborate details of several bronze gates, enriched with sculpture, a class of medi;oval anti'piities to which the attention of the Institute was drawn by Mr. Nesbitt, in his valuable Memoir on the Bronze Doors of the Cathedral of Gnesen.-' ' The pr<HH mark » " Russian l^m- Casts from several lironzo scnlpturrd pire," 770;5, ii. doors, of nuiiiievjii work, have liecn ob- ^ Areli. Journal, vol. ix., pp. 2 1 .''•, IJiJO. tJiinedfor the CryatulPaiacu at Sydenham.