The Illustrated Manuscript by A. V. Chicherin: Once More on the Importance of Complex Source Approach

The journal of Alexandre Chicherin, Semenovsky regiment lieutenant, is usually considered among a range of documentary evidences of the military events of 1812-1813 and the way of life of aristocratic youth in the beginning ofthe 19^th century. Genre originality and other prominent features ofthis emphatically literary work have never attracted attention of researchers before. The reason for that was publication of the manuscript separately from its illustrations by the author. Literary samples, first of all, by Sterne and Chateaubriand, help the author to cope with chaotic events he witnesses and make the journal a part of an elaborate autobiography. The author’s work with visual imagery is sapid and unusual. The principles of text illustration differ sharply from a well-known practice of diary doodling or journey albums. When the text was separated from the illustrations in the edition of 1966, both the autobiographical intention and the concept of verbal and visual interaction, which was applied much ahead of time, were lost within the traditional framework of a military journal.

Keywords: journal, autobiography, auto illustration, album graphics.

The Illustrated Manuscript by A. V. Chicherin: Once More on the Importance of Complex Source Approach