Ukraine became the fifth country in the world where publishers took a chance with publishing the unique Bible with Salvador Dali’s illustrations. Before, the book was published in limited edition in Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Potential buyers are the wealthy people. Red leather binding, gilt Dali’s signature casting adorned with precious stones, one of which is a diamond, format suitable for the size of 105 original lithographs, limited one-time run of 500 numbered copies, the uniqueness of which is confirmed by special certificates. Such Bible is worth 39,000 hryvnias.
“It is interesting to see whether the wealthy Ukrainians have reached the level where they can purchase not only expensive cars and boats, but also such books that can become a family heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation,” said Oleh SHPILMAN, director of the company Book Club “Family Leisure Club.” This publishing house took the risk of publishing this valuable in every sense book in Ukraine. So far it has been published only in Russian. However, the publisher promises that if the Bible is in demand, later they will publish also the Ukrainian version. “We are not only patrons, we are also merchants. We try, experiment, take the risk,” explained the publisher.
According to Shpilman, this book is not only the glory of the collection, but it is also a sound investment. For example, the first Italian edition of 1967 today at auctions costs more than 75,000 dollars and the price increases every year.
“This book was published for the first time in Italy in 1967. After that, the right to publish the book was purchased by a Germany publishing house and the German edition of the Bible appeared in 1990. Later Czech publishers got interested in this project. They published the Bible last year and presented the book to Pope Benedict XVI,” said Mr. Shpilman.
Ukrainian edition of the unique Bible is a project of international media group Bertelsmann (Germany). Exclusive rights for reproduction of the illustrations by Salvador Dali were purchased directly from the owner of the lithographs – Italian Albaretto Collection House. Because of the complexity of work, which involved the use of specific technologies, the Russian version of the book has been made in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. At a special website anyone can order this Bible choosing a unique composition of precious stones for its decoration.
Shpilman told us that 11 copies of the Bible have already been sold. The publishing house kept another four copies to use as gifts. The first Bible was sent to the President of Ukraine, the second – to the Spanish Embassy in Ukraine, and the remaining two books were given to the Museum of Spiritual Treasures of Ukraine and the Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine.
ATHEIST DALI AND THE BIBLE
The artist began to illustrate the Scripture on order of the Italian billionaire Giuseppe Albaretto, whom he met in 1956 on the Costa Brava. Dali got interested in the project and he began working with great enthusiasm. Within a year he created 105 art works in a mixed technique, combining watercolor, gouache, ink, pastel, and pencil. Later those works were translated into lithographs. Remarkably, Dali himself had always been an atheist and agnostic, therefore, making illustrations for the Bible was just another creative experience for him. However, Vatican approved this idea.
“A person who knows the Bible well can find so many interesting things in Dali’s lithographs. We are used to illustrations of iconic style and these images convey a deep plan, experience of the artist, his way of expressing emotions on paper,” summarized Shpilman.
BOOK FOR ALL TIMES
Exhibition “Book for All Times” is taking place at the Museum of Spiritual Treasures of Ukraine in Kyiv until October 18. The Bible with Dali’s lithographs and the illustrations to it are the center of the exhibition. Also over 30 unique old books and manuscripts, mostly from private collections, are featured at the exhibition. Among such exhibits there are: the book by Joannicjusz Halatowski True Messiah made in 1669, Bible published in 1779, the Gospel of 1746 and 1697. Most of these books are presented for the public for the first time.
“This exhibition features old books from both private and national museums. It shows that time is changing and in this case, it is changing for the better. I took books that are well-known and rare, like the Gospel by Ivan Fedorov and Moscow Collection Kiril’s Book from 1644, from the funds of our Museum of Old Books, which is a part of Culture Center Alex Art House on Podil. There are also presented books from the 16th and 17th centuries made at Lviv Printing House. I like those books a lot because they have many illustrations in them, unlike Russian books of that period which were published mostly without illustrations,” told Oleksandr PROHNIMAK, politician and collector to The Day.
Nine early printed books were presented here from the National Museum of Ukrainian History. “Some of them were published in Lviv, some – in the printing facilities of Kyiv Cave Monastery, and one was printed in Moscow. Joint exhibitions of museums and private collectors are interesting because the museum collections do not always have all the copies of the art monuments, while collectors can purchase such publications for their private use,” summed up Alla ANDRIUTSA, leading researcher at the National Museum of Ukrainian History.
