Limited-edition monograph celebrating NSK’s 420th anniversary
Traces of time, a 400+-page monograph jointly published by the National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) and Mozaik knjiga as a way of marking the 420th anniversary of the Library’s founding, provides a fascinating insight into the invaluable holdings of the Library’s four special collections.
Bringing an in-depth overview of the earliest and most precious items in the Library’s special collections, the monograph presents the wealth of their resources, ranging from books and manuscripts, through musical scores, maps and atlases, to outstanding works of visual art. Through these treasures, it gives a unique outline of the centuries-long continuity of Croatian history, science and culture.
One monograph, two editions, 420 years of curating Croatia’s heritage
Edited by Vid Jakša Opačić, it features texts by the Library’s Director General Dr Ivanka Stričević, the heads of the Library’s special collections Tamara Ilić Olujić (Print Collection), Dr Tatjana Mihalić (Music Collection), Dr Irena Galić Bešker (Manuscripts and Rare Books Collection) and Dr Mira Miletić Drder (Map Collection), as well as by Professor at the University of Zagreb Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš, former Scientific Adviser at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) Dr Rozina Palić Jelavić and NSK collection curators Vesna Vlašić, Maja Karić and Charlotte Maria Frank.
Apart from the lavishly decorated collector’s edition, which is expected to be published in December, the monograph will also have an encyclopaedic edition, scheduled to be issued in February 2027, when the Library celebrates the great anniversary, commemorating the appearance of the first Croatian printed book and the first book in Europe not printed in Latin.
A record of the fruits of millennia-old aspirations of Croatian people in literature, science and art
In addition to the historic Croatian incunabulum (Misal po zakonu rimskoga dvora; Missale Romanum glagolitice, 1483) and the 16th-century transcript of the 1288 Croatian codex constituting the second oldest Slavic legal text (Vinodolski zakonik), the monograph introduces the reader to the more recent gems in the NSK Manuscripts and Rare Books Collection such as the manuscripts and works by canonical Croatian writers Antun Gustav Matoš, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić and Miroslav Krleža, along with the writings of notable Croatian scholars and historical figures.
Artwork created on paper by Croatian and world-famous artists in the NSK Print Collection comprises drawings, prints, print portfolios, art posters and postcards, from items dating back to the Renaissance and the Baroque period to works of contemporary printing and visual art.
Featuring the maps and atlases by Gerardus Mercator, Abraham Ortelius, Joan Blaeu, Johannes Janssonius, Vincenzo Maria Coronelli and other great names of world cartography, Traces of time also opens wide the treasure trove in the NSK Map Collection, while the select items which it presents from the NSK Music Collection include the autographs and manuscript music by Vatroslav Lisinski, Blagoje Bersa, Ivan Zajc, Jakov Gotovac and other giants of Croatia’s musical history.
Passing on the invaluable treasures of Croatian and the world’s heritage to future generations
Bringing in one place the centuries of Croatia’s cultural tradition, the monograph has been prepared as part of an ambitious project in which the Library and Mozaik knjiga joined forces to single out and duly present Croatica, Croatia’s national library collection. Also, it is both an homage to and proof of the efforts of the generations of librarians, conservation specialists and other heritage experts, whose dedicated work on collecting, curating and preserving Croatian heritage built the Library’s treasure chest.
The monograph brings to light what is most valuable in the Library’s special collections, from manuscripts and rare books to maps and atlases, from music scores and audio materials to visual materials. Stepping into the history of this library also means immersing yourself in the history of Croatian literacy, science, education, and culture because its collections, spaces, and activities reflect the enduring aspiration of Croatian society to preserve and pass on its knowledge, creativity, and remembrance to future generations., as NSK Director General Dr Ivanka Stričević sums up the idea behind the making of the monograph in its preface.
You may order your copy of Traces of time through a special presale.