Calligraphy was considered to be the best medicine for body and soul, brain training and a remedy for foolishness in ancient Russia. Monasteries used to be the centres of book-writing from time immemorial. It was pious and honorary work. Chronicles, historical novels, miscellanies, philosophic and legal treatises were created in the monasteries along with church books.
The traditions of handwriting were continued in the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve. First of all, it concerns organization of master-classes in Russian calligraphy for museum employees and children who attend the Sunday school of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. Such events are an attempt to interest visitors in the art of beautiful writing, to help them master print culture, to acquire first skills and to learn more complicated methods of work with a broad pen, and to tell them about the history of Russian calligraphy.
The master-classes take place in the “Doll’s House” of People’s Artist of Russia Marina Vasilieva. Every pupil is provided with a specially prepared place for writing and a set of necessary calligraphic tools and materials. Practical lessons give a chance to understand the laws of letter forming and the basics of writing rhythm formation. First they became familiar with Ustav - the most ancient kind of Cyrillic writing typical for the manuscripts of the 11th-13th centuries using original texts: the museum exhibits presented at the display “Book Heritage” and the facsimile edition of the Kiev Psalter of 1397. It helps to show beauty and singularity of the Russian writing, gives an opportunity to touch the past as an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
Everybody who wants can attend the museum master-classes – both once or regularly. They are usually delivered by Marina Vasilieva in the “Doll’s House” located in the cell of the monastery fortifications (the area of the New Town) once a week. For further information, please, call: +7-911-542-55-57.
