ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS ASK COUNTRY PRESIDENT TO PROHIBIT
TRANSPORTATION OF OLD ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPTS TO FRANCE
26-01-2007 17:52:00 | Armenia | Culture
YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. A group of famous
Armenian intellectuals expressed their anxiety in an open letter
addressed to the RA President, Prime Minister and National
Assembly Speaker on the occasion of the exhibition dedicated to
the Armenian Christian art to open in the Louvre museum within
the framework of the Year of Armenia being held in France. It is
envisaged to exhibit in Louvre ancient illustrated parchment
manuscripts, Etchmiadzin Avetaran (Gospel) of 989, Margare
painter, Kirakos miniature painter and Toros Roslin,
correspondingly the Gospels and other manuscripts germinated in
1211, 1249 and 1267-1268, being kept in the Yerevan M.Mashtots
Matenadaran (Armenian repository of ancient manuscripts).
In the intellectuals' opinion, transportation of these
manuscript exclusive volumes to France at the same time,
especially by air, is fraught with irretrievable and calamitous
consequences. They mentioned that one must not forget how a
number of paintings of world-famous paiter of the Armenian
origin Arshile Gorky were abolished during a plane crash years
ago, and how Martiros Sarian's early period canvases were burnt
in France during the fire on a ship.
According to the letter authors, these manuscripts
envisaged for being exhibited in Louvre are just crumbs of our
centuries-old history and the further generations will not
forgive their loss. "Finally, the letter authors mention, those
manuscripts are the treasure of all Armenians and not only of
Matenadaran and the Republic of Armenia."
"So we ask you to prohibit transportation of manuscripts to
France, especially all together, by air, based on the existing
corresponding legislation," the intellectuals mention. And
instead of those valuable volumes, the intellectuals propose to
exhibit in the Louvre copies of the same manuscripts and
miniatures which are exhibited at the National Gallery of
Armenia and Matenadaran.