Literary Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature RAS. Literary Museum Pushkin House

IN explanatory dictionary Vladimir Dahl explains the word “oof” as follows: “simpleton, simpleton, weakling, rotten.” An example of the use of this word is immediately given: “The booby of the King of Heaven!” That's right - with exclamation point. But what kind of special simpleton could the Heavenly King Himself have? And why is the memory of him preserved in the Russian language?

It is most likely that the word “boob” was formed from Scandinavian name Olaf. This story is like this. The baptizer of Sweden, King Olaf, had a daughter, Princess Ingigerda. The Norwegian king, also Olaf, nicknamed Fat, wooed her. He was “short, stocky and strong”, had “beautiful eyes, a sharp gaze,” reports “The Saga of St. Olaf.”

The Norwegian has already proven himself to be a real Viking: from the age of twelve he fought first with the Danes against the British, and then regretted it English king Ethelred II the Unreasonable - and went over to him, helping him return to the throne.

The English introduced Olaf to the Christian faith, and at about age nineteen he was baptized. He accepted Christ deeply and sincerely.

In 1015 (he was twenty years old), Olaf decided to retire to the Holy Land. But in a dream, a formidable husband appeared to him and ordered him to abandon this intention: “Return to your patrimony, you will forever be the king of Norway.” And Olaf obeyed. Having become king, he united the disparate parts of the country into a single Norway and baptized his people. Since 1024, Christianity has become the only religion in the state.

King Olaf, like any Viking, was straightforward and simple in his military style. Where it was not possible to come to an agreement with people, he quickly took up arms and punished disobedient subjects. He brought order: he did not allow anyone to steal, rob, or carry out unjust trials. He punished those who were guilty - even to death. Regardless of faces.

Olaf wanted to marry the Swedish princess Ingigerda: this would help settle controversial territorial issues with Sweden and stop border wars. Ingigerda liked the decisive Norwegian, who was also a Christian, like herself. But her father did not love Olaf. And although the wedding had already been agreed upon, he married his daughter to another - Yaroslav of Novgorod, the son of the great Prince of Kyiv Vladimir.

Olaf of Norway married stepsister Ingigerda - and became the brother-in-law of the Novgorod princely couple.

People often want justice, but they only prefer that others do what is fair rather than themselves. The Norwegians were tired of living in moral strictness - and they expelled King Olaf from the country. The king of Denmark, Knut the Mighty, helped them - and he himself began to rule Norway.

Together with his son, Olaf came to his brothers-in-law in Velikiy Novgorod. Yaroslav the Wise was already the Grand Duke of Kyiv, but he often visited his beloved city, whose residents always helped him in critical situations.

Yaroslav and his wife received their Norwegian relatives very warmly. Olaf turned out to be an amazing person: a king and at the same time a Christian ascetic. The Lord gave him the gift of healing - and Princess Irina (that was Ingigerd’s name at Baptism) sent the sick to him.

Olaf prayed and asked the Lord to show him the right path in life. He thought again about the Holy Land and monastic tonsure. But the same formidable husband again appeared to him in a dream vision and ordered him to return to Norway: “There are your possessions.”

Olaf went home with a small army and died in battle. The Norwegians quickly repented of killing their king. Knut the Mighty, no longer restrained by Olaf's presence in this world, showed a harsh disposition and oppressed the people.

But Olaf became the king of Norway forever! A year later, his incorruptible relics were found - and the saint is now considered the heavenly patron of his country.

Saint Olaf was also revered in Russia. Temples named after him stood in Novgorod and Staraya Ladoga. But at some point he fell off the “list” of saints - and there is nothing special about that. His brother-in-law, the blessed prince Yaroslav the Wise, returned to Orthodox calendars. And all the Yaroslavs who were baptized in his honor finally had a name day.

But how did Olaf become the proverbial “oaf of the King of Heaven”? But he behaved like a simpleton who knew nothing about earthly affairs. And at the same time he fulfilled God’s will for himself. And the Norwegians did what people usually do: they killed - and then they only realized who.

It is surprising that the Swedish princess Ingigerda herself became the holy blessed princess Anna of Novgorod, and both contenders for her hand are also saints. Or maybe there is nothing surprising here? With whom you make friends, you will lead such a life.

Natalia GOLDOVSKAYA

“You see, just this hour he took a hundred for her:
God sent a booby." -
“All this, uncle, is so,” the nephew answered, “
Yes, I’m a fool, I don’t know who got into it:
Look closely: you took a fake piece of paper.”
So Krylov in one of his fables portrayed a merchant fooled by a clever rascal.
Word " oaf” and means: simpleton, simpleton, fool.
What is its origin? Here scientists think differently.
1. Perhaps it came from the word “lokh” - “blank” or “lukh” - “fool”, preserved here and there in dialects.
2. From own name Oluferium.
3. From “bglukh” - “deaf”, “deaf”.
4. It may happen from Arabic word“ool” meaning: “fool”, “rude”.
There is another most compelling explanation: the word “ooluk” is nothing more than “volukh” - a shepherd of oxen. After all, the Russian language has formed similar derivatives from “horse” - “groom” and from “pig” - the abusive “svintus” (formerly “svin-tukh”, that is, a swineherd).
If so, then the idiot is literally- this is a shepherd. In figurative terms - an ignorant, narrow-minded, stupid person.
But what relation does a booby have to the king of heaven, to God?
People say: "by God offended person“, and we understand: this is the same as “fool,” only in a veiled, softened form. They used to say the other way around: “a fool in Christ,” because people who were “poor” and “poor in spirit” were considered acceptable Christian god, his favorites. In the stories about Christian saints, many of them earned this title precisely because of their “simplicity” and incomplete intelligence. Naturally, a “booty” could be considered as a person under special heavenly protection.
Some thought this seriously, others not without ridicule. So, obviously ironically, the Cossacks, in their famous letter to the Turkish Sultan, called him “our god is a fool,” although this is neither the same as the expression “ the king's booby heavenly" It is unlikely that such a title could seem honorable to the padishah.

Boob of the King of Heaven — colloquialism, meaning “simp”, “simpleton”, “blank”. The origin of the word "boob" is not exactly known. There are several explanations for the etymology of this word. According to linguist I. Sobolevsky, the word “boob” comes from “volukh,” that is, “shepherd of oxen,” that is, an extremely simple person. In ancient times, the name Berk was in use in Rus', but it gradually disappeared, as the word “boob” became a common noun. The complete combination of “the boobies of the King of Heaven” is believed to be most likely a product folk art, indicating the closeness of naive people to God. This expression is used not only in colloquial speech, but also in fiction.

P.S. On my own behalf, I will add that this expression is a free reworking of the first phrase of the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ:

“When He saw the people, He went up into the mountain; and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Makarova emb., 4

The Customs building is located on the Makarov embankment next to the spit of Vasilievsky Island, where, according to plans early XVIII century should have been created main square St. Petersburg. Then they began to distribute plots here to rich and noble people. The Lopukhin family, the vice-governor of St. Petersburg S.F. Klokachev, and the Moscow governor K.A. Naryshkin built their mansions on this territory. The place of the latter was later occupied by the city hall.

Customs services were located on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island in the 1730s, after the order of Empress Anna Ioannovna to move them here from City Island. This transfer was due to the relocation of the commercial port to the banks of the Malaya Neva. Customs was located in former house K. A. Naryshkina.

IN early XIX century, the old building no longer met the needs of the Customs, a decision was made to build a new one. In May 1824, a Commission was created for the construction of new customs buildings in St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, which took up this issue. The design of the new Customs building was drawn up by the architect I.F. Lukini, who simultaneously with the Customs House erected the neighboring Northern and Southern warehouses. Construction supervision was carried out by the Minister of Finance A.F. Kankrin. During the presentation of the project to the Emperor, Nicholas I made his own changes to it. He ordered to raise the tower and dome to monitor arriving ships and organize an optical telegraph here.

The foundation of the Customs House was laid on August 30, 1829, construction was completed on September 8, 1832 by raising the flag on the flagpole. At the corners of the pediment three copper statues: Mercury, Neptune and Ceres (ancient Roman gods - patrons of trade, navigation and fertility). They were manufactured at the Aleksandrovsky plant. A clock was installed in the pediment. The tower of the Customs building completed the symmetrical composition of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island; it was located on the opposite side of the tower of the Kunstkamera building.

In 1885, the port from the Makarov embankment moved to Gutuevsky Island. Customs services also moved there, and residential apartments took their place. In 1903, the former Customs building was reconstructed according to the design of the architect N.A. Gakkel. The work was carried out for the needs of the Excise Department, the Provincial Treasury and other institutions of the Ministry of Finance. Apparently, it was then that the clock was removed from the facade. From 1906 to 1917, a small part of the building was again used by the customs department.

After 1917, the first two floors of the Customs building were occupied by various institutions, and the third floor was made residential. For some time, Centerspirt was located here.

Since 1927, the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences has been located in the Customs building (" Pushkin House") And Literary Museum. In 1999, for the 200th anniversary of A. S. Pushkin, a bust was erected in front of the main entrance famous poet. The monument was created 100 years before this event by sculptor I. N. Schroeder. In the courtyard of JSC "Akademstroy" a storage building was built.

The beautiful old building, now occupied by the Institute of Russian Literature, was built according to the design of I.F. Lukini on the Makarov embankment for the St. Petersburg port customs in 1832. Initially, as part of the preparation for ceremonial events, dedicated to the anniversary since the birth of A.S. Pushkin, it was planned to erect only a monument. However, over time, on the initiative of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, the idea arose of creating a museum - the Pushkin House - which was opened in 1905.

Since 1995, the Pushkin House has been included in the list of especially significant objects cultural heritage. Employees and directors of the Pushkin House (and among them were N.A. Kotlyarevsky, M. Gorky, A.V. Lunacharsky, P.I. Lebedev-Polyansky, etc.) according to the concept of the Museum as a collection of materials (both documentary and artistic), having a close connection with Russian literature and its history, worked fruitfully on collecting, storing and studying materials on Russian literature. As a result, today the Pushkin House houses a rich archive, one of the largest in the world.

More than 120 thousand titles of documentary, visual, historical materials that are directly related to Russian literature of the period of the 18th-20th centuries: rare copies of handwritten books and early printed literature, portraits of writers, rare photographs, author's illustrations for works, art objects that era, personal belongings, death masks, relics and household items. Since its foundation, the funds of the Literary Museum have been formed through gratuitous donations by private individuals and purchases famous collections. Many exhibits were transferred from the personal collection of A.F. Onegin-Otto, founder Pushkin Museum(Paris).

Personal correspondence, a literary archive, and a collection of autographs were bequeathed to the museum by Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich; The museum stores relics of the Vyazemsky, Vrevsky, Arapov, Pletnev, Longinov, and Raevsky families. Invaluable materials were donated by the Department of Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences and the Tolstoy Museum Society. The Alexander Lyceum (where A.S. Pushkin studied) transferred the collection of the Pushkin Museum, and the Nikolaev Cavalry School (the place of study of M.Yu. Lermontov) - to the Lermontov Museum. The museum funds have been substantially replenished due to the memorial heritage of prominent representatives Russian society- Ya.P. Polonsky, S.S. Abamelek-Lazareva, A.F. Koni, N.N. Wrangel.

Over time, the activities of the Pushkin House became more and more multifaceted - other literary museums emerged from its depths: the N.A. Nekrasov, All-Union Museum of A.S. Pushkin (with its branches), A.A. Museum Blok, Museum of F.M. Dostoevsky and G. Uspensky. In addition, the museum has organized personal literary exhibitions dedicated to N.A. Nekrasov, F.M. Dostoevsky, I.S. Turgenev. It should be noted that the Tolstoy collection is a whole independent museum. In fact, the exhibitions of the Pushkin House offset the absence in St. Petersburg memorial museums famous writers- Gogol, Lermontov, Tolstoy.

Exhibitions dedicated to significant dates are held in the premises of the Pushkin House Russian literature, and the following main thematic halls are open: "Russian literature of the period of the first half of the 19th century century"; "Life and work of the poet M.Yu. Lermontov"; "Russian literature of the period of the 2nd half of the 19th century"; "Life and work of the writer L.N. Tolstoy"; "History of Russian Literature: silver Age".

Organizational and legal form:
non-profit institution

Activities:
research

Specialization:
historical

The museum employs nine employees and five scientific workers. The museum's collection includes more than three hundred items; one hundred and twenty items from the collection are presented on display and are included in the museum's fixed assets. The Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature, one of the oldest literary museums in Russia, has the richest collection of documentary and art materials related to history Russian literature. The official founding date of the museum is considered to be 1905, when the Commission for the Organization of the Pushkin Jubilee decided to establish the Pushkin House. Since then, the name and structure of the institution have changed more than once, but its tasks - collecting, storing and studying materials on Russian literature - have remained unchanged. The museum itself in a broad sense this word is the entire Pushkin House with its rich archive, one of the largest in the world, and an ancient repository, including unique copies of early printed and handwritten book. Initially, the Pushkin House was located on the premises of the Academy of Sciences. In 1927, he was given the building of the former Customs House (1828-1832, architect I.F. Lukini), in which he is still located. The Literary Museum, which is a department of the Institute, is located on the second floor. From the very beginning of its existence, the collection of the Literary Museum was formed through donations from private individuals, the acquisition of famous collections (the world's first Pushkin Museum, founded in Paris by A.F. Onegin (Otto), the Lermontov Museum of the Nikolaev Cavalry School, the Nekrasovsky and Tolstoy Museums, etc. ). In turn, the Literary Museum of the Pushkin House became the founder of several literary museums: the N.A. Nekrasov, All-Union (now All-Russian) Museum of A.S. Pushkin with all its branches. From here many exhibits were transferred to the A.A. Museum. Blok. Nowadays, the museum’s collections contain numerous portraits of Russians writers XVIII- XX centuries (among them works by D.G. Levitsky, A.A. Ivanov, N.N. Ge), rare photographs, household and artistic objects of the 18th - early. XX century, a collection of illustrations for the works of Russian writers, a special place is occupied by paintings and graphics of the writers themselves, memorial personal belongings of many of them, exhibits with autographs of famous literary figures. The museum's collections provide the most complete picture of Russian classical literature 2nd half of the XVIII- XIX centuries There is a large collection related to literature and culture turn of the XIX century- XX centuries. The museum's collection numbers only about 120 thousand exhibits. Among them, in particular, are death masks of famous Russian writers. Permanent exhibition The museum was opened shortly after the Pushkin House was located in the former Customs building in 1927. Since then it has changed more than once. Currently the museum exhibits Russian literature XVIII- beginning XX century, a special place is occupied by the names of G.R. Derzhavina, V.A. Zhukovsky, A.S. Pushkina, N.V. Gogol, I.S. Turgeneva, L.N. Tolstoy... The Lermontov Hall was opened with a unique collection of paintings and drawings by M.Yu. Lermontov; The so-called “Silver Age” of Russian literature is well represented. The museum halls host temporary exhibitions dedicated to significant dates Russian literature. The Literary Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences ("Pushkin House") operates in the form non-profit institution historical specialization, that is, it does not have profit generation as the main goal of its activity and does not distribute the resulting profit among participants. The Literary Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences ("Pushkin House") is an organization of municipal subordination. The museum leads first and foremost scientific activity and solves the problems of replenishing and systematizing funds, conducting specialized research.