not be wrong if we say that, perhaps, the most popular attraction of the UK is the British Museum in London.This is one of the biggest treasures of the world.Surprisingly, it was created spontaneously (as well as many other museums in the country).It became the basis of three private collections.
British Museum is located on an area of 6 hectares in the buildings were erected for over a hundred years.They contain exhibits of all known cultures of the world today.The British Museum in London - one of the few European institutions that level, which is interesting not only unique, rare exhibits.The structure itself is an invaluable historical and cultural monument.
his very advanced age (250 years) is directly connected with the history of the country in which the natural sciences flourished.Maybe that's why not a patron and artist, naturalist and scholar is the founder of the famous meeting.We are talking about the royal court physician Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753).Throughout his life he was able to collect huge collection of ethnographical, natural science and art exhibits are of great value.
British Museum: exhibits
distinctive feature of this museum - a huge variety of exhibits.Archaeological and ethnographic curiosities coexist here with paintings, objects of natural-science wing, ancient manuscripts, books and sculptures.
From the history of the museum
British National Museum began its history in 1753.It was then that a naturalist from the UK Hans Sloane bequeathed his collection of unique nation.The opening of the museum was approved by a special act of the Parliament of Great Britain.By 1759, when the museum officially began its work, a collection of exhibits replenished the royal library.
Sculptures
It is indisputable pearl collection, which boasts the British Museum.These sculptures called the Parthenon marbles (or Elgin marbles).The name they received in honor of the Count, who had brought them in their time of Greece.Today, the museum boasts the world's largest collection of Asian sculpture.The department has a collection of Egyptian antiquities, numbering about 66 thousand copies, and the ancient Greek collection consists of a number of world-famous masterpieces: the statue of Demeter, the bust of Pericles and others.
names of their creators remain unknown, despite the uniqueness and scale of the works.There is a theory that the statues and friezes of the Parthenon - the work of the famous sculptor from Greece (Phidias), who supervised the construction of the Acropolis.Not just this country attempted to return the Parthenon Marbles.In turn, England is in no hurry to say goodbye with priceless treasures.Each side has its own opinion on this matter: the Greeks called the export of priceless relics theft, British art dealers believe that the measure of sculpture saved from destruction.
Probably both sides in its own right.Earl Elgin took a very peculiar government approval for the export of certain items from the country.By the time they are taken over by the British Museum, the Parthenon more than a century is in a dilapidated ruins.
Rosetta Stone
Without a doubt, this is one of the most famous exhibits, which is owned by the British Museum.Artifact, which discovered in the late XVIII century.He allowed Jean Champollion (French historian-orientalist, linguist) to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.Today, this relic greets visitors to the Egyptian hall of the museum.
Mummy Katabet
Three and a half thousand years old - the age of the mummy priestess of Amon-Ra, whose name was Katabet.Her body was wrapped in cloth.A person covers a gilded mask, which depicts a portrait of a priestess.It is interesting that the sarcophagus was originally intended for men.Another feature of this mummy - a woman's brain, unlike all the other organs, was not removed.
Hoa Haka Nana-Eeyore
collection of the British Museum has another gem.This Polynesian sculpture brought from Easter Island.It is called Hoa Haka Nana-Ia.In Russian the name is translated as "stolen (or hidden) each."First Moai carved image was painted in white and red color, but over time the paint has faded, peeling and exposed basalt tuff.This durable natural material has been used in the manufacture of monolithic sculptures.
Beard Great Sphinx
Thanks to the efforts of Giovanni Battista Caviglia, a native of Italy, the British Museum has in its collection element beard Great Sphinx.The famous adventurer Caviglia decided to dig the main attraction of Giza.Henry Salt (British Ambassador) put enterprising Italian, provided that all items found he must convey to the British Museum.The remaining fragments of a beard that Caviglia left in the sand, now kept in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Library of the British Museum
Its foundation was the set up in 1753 a collection of medieval Anglo-Saxon and Latin manuscripts gathered by Sir Hans Sloane.The idea of creating a library of supported George II.He donated to the museum by the library of King Edward IV.Another 65 thousand copies appeared in the collection in 1823.It was a gift of King George III.In 1850 the building of the museum was opened one of the most famous reading rooms of the world - it worked, Karl Marx, Lenin, and other famous people.
Library in the 20th century
The most significant event in the history of the British Library's happened in the XX century.In July 1973, it was merged four national collection of books.Later they were joined by Library of Scotland and Wales.In 1973, the Library System was established.It is effective to this day - readers can get any book that is in the UK.
The same (XX) century in the collection of the British Library were Buddhist manuscripts and the earliest printed books from Dunhuang.In 1933, the British Museum has acquired in Russia for one hundred thousand pounds Codex Sinaiticus - precious Christian relics that Soviet power considered unnecessary in an atheistic society.
Collection Library
Today it is the world's largest collection of books, manuscripts, illuminated manuscripts.The collection consists of more than one hundred and fifty thousand copies.Since 1983, the Library has appeared National Sound Archives.Here, keep notes and sound recordings, manuscripts of musical works - from Handel to "The Beatles".
Pictures
British Museum is not the largest exhibition of objects of art.But when it comes to high-quality component, it is not inferior to the Louvre in Paris or the St. Petersburg Hermitage.By the number of world-famous masterpieces of the British Museum has no equal.Among the most famous artists of the world, probably, it is impossible to find one whose pictures are missing at the London meeting.
exposition gallery
course, located on the shores of Albion, I want to learn the art of this place.This opportunity provides the full British Museum.Paintings of great painters represented landscapes and portraits of Lawrence and Gainsborough, Hogarth's satirical paintings.They show the original British art school in its diversity.Paintings of England competes with famous paintings by artists of Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, which are widely represented in the London National Gallery.
Here you can see the "Virgin of the Rocks" (Leonardo da Vinci).This later version of the web stored at the Louvre.Visitors can enjoy the six paintings by Botticelli.Among them are the true gem of the master - "Venus and Mars".The exhibition widely presents works by Piero della Francesca, Antonello da Messina, Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian.
If you are lucky enough to visit the British Museum, do not miss the collection of paintings by Carlo Crivelli - Venetian, who lived and worked in the XV century.Today, the work of this great master is not as famous as the end of the XIX century, when his "Madonna Rondino" has paid a huge sum - 2184 lbs.To help you understand the value of this work, we note that the only existing picture in the gallery of the great painter della Francesca was acquired at the same time at 241 lbs.
The most important collection of the museum is a Dutch school.It consists of four paintings by Jan van Eyck.No other museum in the world has such a treasure.The main value - it is one of the greatest of his paintings - a portrait of Arnolfini.Here you can get acquainted with the work of Memling, Kampen, Christus, Bosque, Van der Weyden, Bouts and other stars of Flemish painting.In addition, you will see paintings by Rubens, Brueghel, Rembrandt, Van Dyck.
not go around with their attention the work of Vermeer of Delft - Dutch painter of the XVI century.The British Museum has two of his works.This, believe me, a lot.The most mysterious of Dutch artists, Vermeer left behind so few works that the world they are in a special account.Even in his homeland in the Netherlands can be seen only six of his paintings.
fairly widely in the museum presents the work of famous Spanish - Murillo, El Greco, Ribera, Goya, Zurbaran.Creativity greatest painter Diego Velazquez in Spain is represented by nine paintings, and among them there is one of the most famous of his works - "Venus in front of the mirror."
German collection of the gallery is not as extensive.Nevertheless, the work of such great artists as Cranach, Altdorfer, Holbein, Durer, Poussin, Watteau, available in the museum.
