Word and Image in Russian History

Word and Image invokes and honors the scholarly contributions of Gary Marker. Twenty scholars from Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy, Ukraine and the United States examine some of the main themes of Marker’s scholarship on Russia—literacy, education, and printing; gender and politics; the importance of visual sources for historical study; and the intersections of religious and political discourse in Imperial Russia. A biography of Marker, a survey of his scholarship, and a list of his publications complete the volume.

Contributors: Valerie Kivelson, Giovanna Brogi (University of Milan), Christine Ruane (University of Tulsa), Elena Smilianskaia (Moscow), Daniela Steila (University of Turin), Nancy Kollmann (Stanford University), Daniel H. Kaiser (Grinnell College), Maria di Salvo (University of Milan), Cynthia Whittaker (City Univ. of New York), Simon Dixon (University of London), Evgenii Anisimov (St. Petersburg), Alexander Kamenskii (Higher School of Economics, Moscow), Janet Hartley (London School of Economics), Olga Kosheleva (Moscow State University), Maksim Yaremenko (Kyiv), Patrick O'Meara (University of Durham), Roger Bartlett (London), Joseph Bradley (University of Tulsa), Robert Weinberg (Swarthmore College)

Maria Di Salvo is Professor of Slavic Philology at Milan State University. She studied Slavic languages at the University of Florence, specializing in Russian and Polish, then at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. She published essays and translations of Russian Formalist criticism (Ju. N. Tynjanov, Formalismo e storia letteraria, Torino, Einaudi 1973, B. Tomaševskij, Teoria della letteratura, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1978, P.G.Bogatyrev, Il teatro delle marionette, Brescia, Grafo edizioni, l980) the history of Russian and Polish linguistics (J. Baudouin de Courtenay, N. Trutskoi), then mainly on the eighteenth century in Russia (parts of Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, ed. by M. Colucci and R. Picchio, vol. I, Torino, UTET, 1997). She has been professor of Russian Literature at the universities of Genoa and Pisa, then of Slavic Philology at the universities of Pavia and Milan.

Elise Wirtschafter, Professor of Russian History, Cal Poly Pomona:
"This invigorating collection is both a tribute to historian Gary Marker and a snapshot of the professional cohort that is his community. Ably and thoughtfully edited, Word and Image in Russian History builds upon acclaimed aspects of Marker’s research: the impact of print culture on society, representations of St. Catherine in relation to female rule, and the role of religion in the development of Petrine political discourse. Penned by an international assembly of scholars, and graced with biographical and historiographical essays devoted to Marker’s life and works, the Festschrift will delight contemporaries and remind later generations of a gifted predecessor."

Marcus C. Levitt, University of Southern California:
"This rich collection, featuring a distinguished cast of international scholars, celebrates the legacy of Gary Marker, outstanding historian of Russia and Russian culture. It includes twenty-one articles on a broad spectrum of topics inspired by Prof. Marker’s wideranging interests. Word and Image in Russian History illustrates and defines some of the most noteworthy issues occupying contemporary students of Russia. Its varied and engaging studies span the seventeenth through early twentieth centuries and encompass Russian legal and political discourse; the publication of travel and horticultural books; portraiture and art collecting; women in politics and business; literacy and education, religious and secular; conflicts among the Orthodox, Uniates, and Jews; civil society and politics. Nicely illustrated and including essays on Prof. Marker’s professional life and accomplishments, as well as a bibliography of his works, Word and Image reflects both Prof. Marker’s manifold accomplishments and demonstrates their continuing capacity to provoke and inspire."