Učënye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta: Seriâ Gumanitarnye Nauki (Dec 2022)
V.K. Malmberg, the classic of the Russian study of antiquity: The Kazan period in his biography
Abstract
This article considers the Kazan period in V.K. Malmberg’s life. The circle of Kazan secondary school teachers and university lecturers in the intellectual space of Kazan during the second half of the 19th century is reconstructed. The influence of the family members and the German diaspora in Kazan on the development of V.K. Malmberg’s worldview is analyzed. These relationships determined his choice of profession as a historian of ancient art. His deep love for antiquity was cultivated by D.F. Belyaev, a classical philologist and prominent professor at Kazan University. It is revealed that the unrestricted access to Kazan University’s library collection of the latest literature on ancient art directed V.K. Malmberg’s line of reasoning. With a careful study of these materials came a good foundation for his subsequent research, which is proved by the recently published evidence from the epistolary collection of the Austrian National Library. It was at the Museum of Antiquities and Arts of Kazan University where he gained his first experience with teaching and working on museum collections. The hypothesis is put forward that V.K. Malmberg learned about A. Dürer’s works and style in Kazan because he explored the museum collection of Western European engravings available there. Future prospects for investigating the early stages of V.K. Malmberg’s professional endeavors are outlined.
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