Where the monument to Ivan Fedorov was erected.

Implementation was constantly delayed. Finally, the competition for the monument design began. The monument to Fedorov was opened on October 12, 1909.

The pioneer printer is depicted at work - examining a fresh print of the page of the Apostle. With his left hand he holds the typesetting board. Despite belonging to the clergy, Fedorov is presented in secular clothes with a strap holding his hair, like an artisan. This is a reminder that in the 16th century, members of the lower clergy had to engage in crafts to survive. On the front side of the pedestal there is an inscription: “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Gostunsky, Deacon Ivan Fedorov.” Below it is the date of the beginning of printing of the “Apostle” - April 19, 1563. The book was published on March 1, 1564 (March 14, new style). Now it is Orthodox Book Day.

In the center of the pedestal on a bronze plaque there is a printed sign of Ivan Fedorov: a hand holding a shield with the letters “I” “F”, between them there is a curved strip in the form of the Latin “S”, above it there is a detail resembling an arrowhead. Researchers decipher these images as a bend in the river (according to the ancient saying, “books are the rivers that fill the universe”) and a square for typing letters. Ivan Fedorov began to put this sign on his publications already in Lvov, after unknown persons burned down the Moscow Printing House in 1565.

The location for the monument was chosen to be historical - not far from where the Sovereign's printing yard was located. But in 1934, during the expansion of Teatralny Proezd and demolition, the monument was moved.

And in the 1990s, during the construction of the Nautilus shopping complex, the monument to the pioneer printer was moved closer to the hotel. As a result, now Ivan Fedorov actually stands on the site of the Trinity Church in the Fields. It received its name from the special fields where judicial duels took place. When the investigative authorities failed to cope, the disputants were asked to go out into the field and resolve the issue with their fists. Then they believed that the right would win. This was probably the case in half the cases.

In 1934, the temple was demolished and a park was built in its place. The monument to Ivan Fedorov stood in place of the refectory. And in the early 2000s, during the construction of retail premises and an underground parking lot, archaeologists uncovered the foundation of the Trinity Church in the Fields. Now anyone can see it.

Monument to the first printer Ivan Fedorov - a Moscow sculptural monument to the creator of the first Russian dated printed book; one of the most famous in the city. Installed in 1909 in front of the Kitai-Gorod wall, next to Tretyakovsky Proezd; sculptor S. M. Volnukhin, architectural design by I. P. Mashkova. Nowadays it is located near house No. 2 on Teatralny Proezd.

Subscription to raise funds for the installation of a monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov was opened in 1870; The initiator of the installation was the Moscow Archaeological Society. For a number of reasons, the implementation of the idea was constantly postponed; Finally, in 1901, a competition was announced for the best project. Not only prominent Russian sculptors took part in it, but also sculptors from Austria-Hungary, France, Serbia and Bulgaria. The sculptor N. A. Andreev, popular at the beginning of the 20th century, also participated in the competition (together with the architect I. V. Zholtovsky), but the jury declared the winner the project of S. M. Volnukhin and I. P. Mashkov (Volnukhin presented several versions of the monument, receiving 1st and 2nd prizes).

The grand opening of the monument took place on October 12, 1909 in the presence of city authorities and representatives of various organizations and was accompanied by a religious procession. The next day, an anonymous wreath appeared at the monument with the inscription “To the First Martyr of the Russian Press,” hinting at the asceticism of the pioneer printer and the dangers he had to face in Moscow.

The location for the monument was chosen to be historical: nearby (on Nikolskaya Street) are the chambers of the former Sovereign Printing House, erected in the 17th century on the site of Ivan Fedorov’s printing house. Here, by the way, already in Peter’s time the first Russian newspaper “Vedomosti” was published. However, the monument now does not stand where it was installed in 1909: first, in 1934, during the expansion of Teatralny Proezd and the demolition of the Kitai-Gorod wall, it was moved deeper, then, already in the 1990s, during the construction of the Nautilus shopping complex, it was moved closer to the hotel "Metropol".

Not a single lifetime image of Ivan Fedorov has survived; this circumstance, on the one hand, created additional difficulties in creating the monument, on the other, it opened up the possibility of a free artistic interpretation of the image. The sculptor gave Ivan Fedorov’s facial features a calm and concentrated expression: he is depicted at the moment of work, examining a fresh print of the page of “The Apostle.” With his left hand he holds the typesetting board. Despite belonging to the clergy (Ivan Fedorov was a deacon of one of the churches in the Kremlin), the pioneer printer is presented in secular clothes; Moreover, the sculptor depicted him with a strap that caught his hair - a detail characterizing his belonging to the artisans. In the 16th century, many members of the lower clergy were forced to engage in some kind of craft in order not to fall into poverty. Volnukhin depicted Fedorov’s costume based on consultations with the historian I. E. Zabelin.
The pedestal was designed by Mashkov in a simple, laconic form and is twice as tall as the sculptural figure, so that Fedorov’s silhouette would rise above the Kitai-Gorod wall and look against the sky. On the front side of the pedestal made of black polished labradorite is the inscription: “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Gostunsky, Deacon Ivan Fedorov”; below it is the date of the start of printing of the “Apostle” - April 19, 1563 (the book was published on March 1, 1564; this date is considered to be the beginning of book printing in Rus'). In the center of the pedestal, on a board cast from bronze, the seal of Ivan Fedorov is depicted: a hand holding a shield with the letters “I” “F”; between them there is a curved strip in the form of a Latin “S”, above it there is a detail resembling an arrowhead. Researchers decipher these stylized images as a bend in the river (in accordance with the ancient saying, “books are the rivers that fill the universe”) and a square, a tool used to set letters. However, Ivan Fedorov began to use such a sign to designate his publications later, having already settled in Lvov; after the Moscow printing yard was burned in 1565, Ivan Fedorov and his assistant Pyotr Mstislavets were forced to flee Moscow.

On the reverse side of the pedestal there is a quotation from the afterword to the book he published: “I first began to print holy books in Moscow” and the motto of the first printer:

“For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors. »

Nikolskaya Street, not far from which the monument is located, has long been famous for its bookstores and was the largest book trade center in pre-revolutionary Moscow.
In the 40s - 60s of the 20th century, the image of the monument often appeared on posters reporting on Moscow book markets.
In the movie “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed,” Sharapov met Anya at the monument.

Photo: Monument to the first printer Ivan Fedorov

(1510-1583) was opened in Moscow on October 12, 1909. It was created by the architect Ivan Mashkov according to the design of the teacher of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture Sergei Volnukhin, an artist, sculptor, one of the founders of symbolism and modernism in Russian plastic art.

The idea of ​​perpetuating the memory of the great master was born in the circles of the Moscow Archaeological Society back in 1870. It was then that, on the initiative of the scientist Alexei Uvarov, an all-Russian subscription was opened. In particular, printing workers also took part in it.

Fundraising continued for 39 years. By the beginning of the 20th century, the total amount of money collected was more than 29 thousand rubles. However, the competition for projects was not successful, the commission did not accept any, and construction was postponed.
In a new competition in 1901, the jury of which included historian Vasily Klyuchevsky and artist Apollinary Vasnetsov, Volnukhin's project won.

Ivan Fedorov served as deacon of the Church of St. Nicholas Gostunsky in the Kremlin. After the construction of the State Printing House in Moscow in 1553, he headed the Printing House, in which, together with Pyotr Mstislavets, he printed the first book in Russia, “The Acts and Epistles of the Holy Apostles” (“Apostle”). That is why the first printer is depicted with a freshly printed copy of this book in his right hand, and with his left hand he supports the printing board. Nearby, on the bench, lies a matzah (a leather pad on a handle for stuffing paint into a set).

On a small pedestal, above which rises the figure of Ivan Fedorov in the clothes of a townsman, the date of publication of the first printed book: April 19, 1563 and the sign “I.F.” on the bronze disk there is a kind of bookplate with which the pioneer printer marked his publications. On the reverse side of the pedestal are the words of Ivan Fedorov from the afterword to the book he published: “I first began to print holy books in Moscow” and the motto: “For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors.”

History has not preserved for us a single drawing, portrait or description of Ivan Fedorov’s appearance. The historian Ivan Zabelin helped the sculptor immerse himself in the era, and the medieval costume was taken from the collection of the artist Sergei Ivanov. The board and matzah were still preserved at that time in the Moscow Synodal Printing House.

Sergei Volnukhin worked on the monument for about two years.

They wanted to install the monument on Teatralnaya Square, but the city authorities refused, under the pretext that “it is not possible to block the square with structures.” Soon the city government occupied the site intended for the monument with “an underground toilet pavilion with two high projections.” As a result, it was decided to install the sculpture near Tretyakovsky Proezd, on the site where the Sovereign’s printing yard was located in the 16th century, next to the Kitai-Gorod wall. Since ancient times, the nearby Nikolskaya Street was popularly called “book street”.

Honoring the memory of Ivan Fedorov on the opening day of the monument was marked by numerous events throughout Moscow. The townspeople showed great interest in the event and took an active part in the celebrations.

Created in 1909, the monument to the pioneer printer Fedorov is another landmark of Moscow, to which hundreds of tourists and city residents go every day.

Ivan Fedorov

Ivan Fedorov came from the Russian kingdom. Although he was born on the territory, he spent almost his entire life on the lands of the Principality of Lithuania, as well as in Ukraine, in Lviv, which at that time was part of the Russian Voivodeship and for a long time he worked in a Moscow publishing house, opened with the money of the Tsar, the legendary Ivan Fedorov , pioneer printer. A monument to him was originally built near this building.

Nevertheless, it is he who is considered the founder of printing. In the Russian kingdom of the period of Ivan the Fourth, he first published the religious work “Apostle”. It was Fedorov who owned the first printing house in the history of the then state.

The scientist was born between 1510 and 1530. There is a version about his birth in the Vileyka district of the Minsk region.

Consequently, very few memories remain of him today. Some researchers of Fedorov's life believe that he received his education in Krakow, becoming a bachelor. There is a record about him at the city university.

Initially, he was going to devote himself entirely to serving God and was listed as a deacon at the Kremlin Church of St. Nicholas Gostunsky.

Job change

There is no confirmed evidence that Fedorov worked at the Printing Yard of Ivan the Fourth. He is credited with publishing several anonymous pamphlets published in Moscow.

For exactly one year, from 1563 to 1564, Fedorov and his assistant worked on the book “The Apostle.” Ivan Fedorov put his stamp on this book for the first time. The monument to him depicts the first page of the Apostle. A year later, the pioneer printer publishes a new book - “The Book of Hours”.

and Ukraine

After boyar attacks on the printing house, Fedorov and his partner are forced to flee to the Principality of Lithuania. There they settle with Khodkevich, the hetman of Lithuania, and begin to work for him. Hetman bought and opened a printing house for them.

The books “Teaching Gospel” and “Psalter with Book of Hours” are published on the Zabludov estate, where they are located. Fedorov is printing the second edition of “The Apostle” in Lvov. He also wrote his editorial introduction for this book. At the personal invitation of Prince Ostrozhsky, he settled for several years in this city, where he published the world's first Bible in Church Slavonic. I managed to visit Vienna and Krakow. For a long time he corresponded with prominent European luminaries of science.

He died in Lvov, where he was buried.

Printing

As a lower-class church minister, Ivan Fedorov chose for publication the most widespread religious texts of that time. He also published several books on grammar so that every person could learn to write and read.

The first models for books were made practically according to modern standards. The text contained twenty-five lines on one page. They are almost identical to the modern A4 format. The first printed book had headers and footers, and even superscript and subscript references, which were fashionable in Europe at that time. They were adopted there by Ivan Fedorov. The monument to him depicts a scroll with similar letters.

Two colors were used during printing. Before publishing the book, I had to carefully read the text, correct errors, and change some turns of phrase. The pioneer printer decorated each new chapter with original vignettes and decorative font.

Machine

Almost no data has been preserved about this legendary instrument, on which Fedorov worked day and night. After the publisher's death, only a description of what was with him remained. The machine was manufactured using Italian technology. It also came with wooden parts. The letters were pressed onto the paper using a plate screwed with a large copper screw. A frame for letters was also found there. The machine weighed approximately 104 kilograms. Ivan Fedorov used it with ease. The monument depicts this machine in an enlarged form.

History of the monument

Funds to perpetuate the memory of the great Ivan Fedorov began to be collected in 1870. The collection was initiated by representatives of the Archaeological Union of Moscow. Although the money was raised fairly quickly, the question of who exactly would work on the sculpture remained open.

Where the pioneer printer stands tall, was created in 1909. It took thirty-nine years to raise money for it. Before construction of the monument began, 29,000 rubles were collected for it, an amount unprecedented at that time. The competition of architects and sculptors failed for the first time. The commission did not like any version of the proposed work.

After a careful selection of the best artists from Russia and other countries, sculptor Sergei Mikhailovich Volnukhin and architect Ivan Pavlovich Mashkov were hired. The winning projects were assessed by historian Klyuchevsky and painter Apollinary Vasnetsov.

Description of the monument to Ivan Fedorov

Ivan Fedorov froze on the monument in his favorite pose while working. In one hand he holds a printed board with a set of letters. In his other hand he holds a page he has just made from the book “The Apostle.” The sculpture was made of bronze.

A description of the monument to Ivan Fedorov would not be complete without talking about his clothes. Although the book publisher was a clergyman, the sculptors depicted him in clothes common to those times: a long, buttoned caftan, from under which one could see trousers tucked into boots.

The pioneer printer's hair is tied with a ribbon so that it does not interfere with his work.

The pedestal is decorated with Fedorov's coat of arms in the form of a hand with a shield and initials. Above the letters there is a small tip, like an arrow. Under the sculpture of the master there is the signature “Nicholas the Wonderworker of Gostunsky to Deacon Ivan Fedorov.”

The sculptor could not ignore the book “The Apostle” and placed the date of the beginning of its creation under the name of the book publisher.

Location

The place where the monument to Ivan Fedorov was erected was not chosen by chance. Near it there was once a Printing Yard, which was financed. There the book “Apostle” was published in its first edition. The courtyard was founded in 1553, and then Fedorov began working there.

Under Peter the Great, it was in this place that the Vedomosti newspaper began to be published.

But if tourists ask where the monument to Ivan Fedorov is located, they will be told a completely different place. The reason for this was the relocation of the monument with its pedestal. In 1934, Moscow streets began to be expanded and old buildings were demolished. The Kitai-Gorod wall was gone, and it was decided to move the statue.

And in the 90s, the monument was transported to the Metropol Hotel. From Fedorov’s place of work, the once huge Printing Yard, only a small tower remains. There, in the former “correction”, Ivan Fedorov worked. The tour at the monument is conducted on weekdays and weekends, and ends with an inspection of this tower.

In memory of Fedorov

The Moscow monument is not the only mention of this worthy man, clergyman and educator. In 1997, a museum was opened near the Potocki Palace in honor of Ivan Fedorov. In it you can learn in more detail about the life of the creator of the books, as well as how the printing process took place initially, what books they preferred to publish, and why at first only spiritual literature was published.

Near the museum, Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, “stands” as tall as a man. The monument was made by sculptor Anatoly Galyan.