Russia & Siberia, 1750s

A collection of the earliest views of the Russian cities on the Volga river and in Siberia engraved by Russian masters. These views are part of the series that included in total 34 prints. Their publication spanned almost forty years from the creation of the first drawings until the issue of the prints and involved in the process seven artists and twelve Russian engravers.

Views, including Vue de la ville de Kokchajsk du côté de la Wolga (34 x 43 cm; sheet 49 x 59 cm); Vue de la ville de Sinbirsk au nord-est (35 x 45 cm; sheet 48.5 x 60 cm); Vue de la ville de Mangasei, Vue de la ville de Kousneszk (two views on one plate 49 x 36 cm; sheet 59.5 x 48.5 cm); Vue de la ville de Pénze sur la Soura du côté du nord-est (19.5 x 45 cm; sheet 24.5 x 59.5 cm), with captions in Russian and French, printed on Dutch handmade paper watermarked C & I Honig IV;

The cities perspectives were drawn on the spot between 1733 and 1766 during two great expeditions; the originals were later corrected and re-worked from 1748 to 1768 before being printed at the Academy from 1769 to 1771. The view of Mangazey offered here and of other Siberian cities from this series are based on the drawings made during the Great Northern Expedition (1733–1743) sent on the order of the Empress Anna Ioanovna. Under the leadership of Vitus Bering the expedition had to map the eastern reaches of Siberia, and if possible to continue onto the western shores of North America.

Published by the order of Imperatorskaya Akademia Nauk, Skt. Peterburg, 1771-1769