David Veniaminovich Robinson ( May 31, 1930 , Leningrad - July 31, 1992 , St. Petersburg ) [1] - collector , connoisseur and researcher of medal art . One of the founders of the Leningrad Club Medals and one of the organizers of the first two exhibitions of medals of Leningrad. He is the author of many articles and several books devoted to medalists and medal art, including the reference book “Monograms, initials and hallmarks in Soviet medal art. 1917-1991. " He was awarded the gold medal of the Italian magazine "Italia numismatica" .
| David Veniaminovich Robinson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date of Birth | May 31, 1930 |
| Place of Birth | Leningrad |
| Date of death | July 31, 1992 (62 years old) |
| Place of death | St. Petersburg |
| Citizenship |  USSR →  Russia |
| Occupation | collector connoisseur and researcher of medal art |
| Father | Veniamin Alexandrovich Robinson |
Biography
Born into an intelligent Jewish family. His father, Veniamin Aleksandrovich Robinson, worked at the Mariinsky Theater .
At the beginning of World War II, the family was evacuated to Samarkand , where young David joined the collectibles. After the war, the family returned to Leningrad, where David graduated from high school.
In 1948, he entered the Leningrad Technological Institute , and in 1953 he completed his studies at the mechanical faculty of this institute, having received the specialty “Mechanical Technologist of Chemical Equipment”. A few years later Robinson began working in senior positions in the construction organizations of Leningrad. He retired from the post of head of the department of the Lenproekt Institute [2] .
Although Robinson successfully worked in all his posts and was a respected specialist, his true interests were outside the scope of official activity and were fully associated with collecting [2] .
Collecting
In his youth, David collected stamps . Then he became interested in the circus and collected posters, booklets and other materials devoted to circus art for 10-15 years. As a philatelist, he also collected an excellent collection of maximum cards depicting masterpieces of world painting.
Around the beginning of the 1960s, collecting became the main focus of his interests. Carried away by medal art, he began to collect not only medals, but also newspaper and magazine clippings about artists and their works, catalogs, booklets and other documents related to medal work. He carefully cataloged all this. The file cabinet expanded over time and turned into a unique information system that helps to find the necessary information in a matter of minutes [3] . Essentially, material was collected and processed for the Encyclopedia of Medal Art, which was never compiled due to the untimely death of its creator. Of particular note is the information collected by Robinson on monograms and hallmarks of medalists. Based on these materials, a unique reference book, Monograms, Initials, and Brands in Soviet Medallion Art, was published. 1917-1991. " In the preface to him, Doctor of Art Criticism E. S. Shchukina wrote [4] :
| The publication of this guide is highly desirable, as it will help the scientific development of a solid fund of medals of this time, created on the territory of the former Soviet Union . The miniature size of the medals makes their authors sign monograms , the disclosure of which without a special manual is becoming increasingly difficult even for specialists, not to mention many amateurs. |
About one of his hobbies, Robinson himself wrote in one of his last articles [5] :
| A medal is the highest form of art. You can be a good draftsman, a wonderful sculptor , a great engraver , a brilliant craftsman and even a painter, but in order to create a full-fledged commemorative medal, you need to possess all this complex of artistic abilities to the full, adding to it also extensive knowledge in history and culture. |
D. Robinson was familiar with most of the country's leading medalists - I. Daragan, M. Salman, A. Korolyuk, L. Kvelidze, V. Akimushkin, Y. Strupulis, V. Zeyle and many others. They dedicated it to their plans, consulted, sent copyright copies of future works. The famous collector of medals B. Voskoboinik in his article “On the dear man” wrote [2] :
| Robinson often and disinterestedly helped both famous masters and beginner medalists. He often prompted the topics of medals to the venerable ones, carefully and competently selected iconographic material for them, and, what’s the most difficult, he “broke through” the replication of medals at high levels. He helped young people keep their first work, casting their plaster models in bronze at their own expense. |
E. S. Schukina described the activities of Robinson [1] :
| A man of rare spiritual qualities, he was the center to which the hearts of lovers and creators of medals were drawn, that golden link that did not allow the unity of people who were keen on a common cause to disintegrate. |
Community Activities
D.V. Robinson was a member of the French Club of the Medals, the Finnish Guild of Medal Art, one of the founders of the Leningrad Club of Medals. The first and second exhibitions of Leningrad medalists were organized with his active participation.
He was awarded the gold medal of the Italian magazine "Italia numismatica" [2] .
Selected Works
Robinson published several monographs and more than 100 articles in Soviet, Italian, Czech, Finnish, Belgian, American newspapers and magazines. Below are listed in chronological order some of his publications:
- Veliky sovetsky medailer NA Sokolov. - Hradec Kralove, 1974.
- Lamara Kvelidze. Catalog of the exhibition of medals. - Tbilisi: State Museum of Art of Georgia, 1979.
- Together with A. Gdalin : K. Marx and F. Engels in medal art // Soviet Collector . - 1983. - Vol. 21; 1984. - Vol. 22. [Catalog.]
- Together with A. Gdalin: Pushkin in works of medal art // Soviet Collector. - 1985. - Vol. 23; 1986. - Vol. 24; 1987. - Vol. 25; 1988. - Vol. 26; 1990. - Issue. 27. [Catalog.]
- Together with S. Petrov: “The Silver Age” of Russian culture in medal art. - SPb. : Thumbnail, 1991. [Catalog.]
- Robinson D.V. Nikolai Nosov. Sculptor, medalist, engraver. - SPb. : Thumbnail, 1992 .-- 32 p.
- Robinson D.V. Monograms, initials and hallmarks in the Soviet medal art. 1917-1991. - SPb. : Bank "Petrovsky", 1994. - 123 p.
See also
- Medal
- Medal art
- Faleristics
- Philately
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 In memoria // Thumbnail. - 1992. - Vol. 11. [Appendix to the newspaper for collectors "Miniature".]
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 David Robinson in flashbacks. - SPb. : Thumbnail, 1996 .-- 172 p.
- ↑ Petrov S. In memory of the collector // Appendix to the newspaper "Miniature". - 1992. - No. 11. - S. 1.
- ↑ Schukina E.S. Foreword // Robinson, 1994 .
- ↑ Robinson D.V. Sculptor-medalist Alexey Korolyuk // Miniature. - 1992. - No. 9.
Literature
- Aleinik A. Keeper of the stamped stamps // Building newspaper. - M. , 1984. - No. 126.
- The choice. The 50th anniversary of the collecting activity of D.V. Robinson // Miniature. - SPb. , 1991. - No. 2.
- Weise R. // Sammler Express. - Berlin, DDR, 1970. - Nr. 20. (German) [ Wise R. Museum of medals in Leningrad.]