VIRTUAL GALLERY AS A BASIS FOR THE STUDY OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF BELARUSIAN WRITERS
Authors: Rapinčuka Jeļena 
Published: May 2016

The legacy of poets and writers of Belarus and Grodno region in particular is undoubtedly rich and diverse. It is well known, that national values begin with the local, regional ones, so that national culture consists of original, distinctive features of regional life. Due to the fact, that on the website of the project LLB-2-269 “Virtual Past is a Keystone for the Future of Museums” the descriptions of museum exhibits were created, we can virtually get acquainted with the artistic and historical heritage of famous personalities, who have left a noticeable imprint on the culture of Belarus and abroad. In a virtual gallery “Literary Grodno region” (http://futureofmuseums.eu/be/ virtual-gallery/maxim-bahdanovich-harodna-museum-collections) virtual visitors have an opportunity to appreciate autographs, documents, books, periodicals, postcards, photographs, household items and home furnishings of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, personal belongings of scientists and writers of Grodno region or of those people, whose lives have been directly related to Prinemanskij region, to Belarus. The descriptions of museum exhibits, which we are presenting, are divided into four subcategories: audiovisual sources, written sources, material monuments and pictorial sources. A significant part of these exhibits has found its place in the “Written sources” subcategory. The descriptions of the original editions of the late 19th – early 20th centuries: works of A. Mickiewicz, E. Ozheshko, V. Syrokomlya, F. Bogushevich, Tetka (A. Pashkevich), Ya. Kupala, Ya. Kolos, M. Bogdanovich, K. Buylo, Ya. Luchina, M. Goretskiy, B. Tarashkevich are of great interest here. Occasional periodicals of the early 20th century are presented by “Nasha Dolya” and “Nasha Niva” newspapers, “Zhizn Belorusa”, “Zhenskoye Delo”, “Krivich” magazines,publications of the first Belarusian calendars etc.The original manuscripts and typescripts of works and letters of such Grodno writers as Z. Veras (L. A. Sivitskaya-Voytik), L. Geniyush, M. Vasilyok, A. Karpyuk, V. Bykov, D. Bichel-Zagnetova, L. Yalovchik are valuable exhibits also. Home furnishings and household items of the late 19th – early 20th centuries are presented in the “Material monuments” subcategory. These are a tea table, a buffet, floor clocks, a bookcase, a chest of drawers, chairs, porcelain crockery and silverware. Writing utensils, caskets, napkins, tablecloths, garments and accessories and other personal items, that belonged to prominent personalities of Grodno, are also shown here. Subcategory “Audiovisual sources” is presented by original photographs of writers and scholars, their relatives and friends, postcards with images of known sceneries and architectural monuments. Among the “Pictorial sources” one can find paintings, icons, portraits, busts, bas-reliefs. In order to understand the style and skill of the definite writer it is not enough only to read his works, it is also extremely important to know the features of that time, which he lived in, his circle of acquaintances that had a direct influence on his creative personality, topics and problems of his works, his position and views. Thus, the virtual gallery “Literary Grodno region”of the project LLB-2-269 “Virtual Past is a Keystone for the Future of Museums” is designed for pupils, students, teachers, researchers and anyone interested in the culture and literature of Belarus. Virtual Gallery is the initial stage, the basis for the study of the huge heritage of outstanding Belarusian writers.