Patrons of the manuscript book in the GDL in the 14th - mid- I6th century

Straipsnio tikslas - nustatyti, kas ir kaip globojo rankraštinės knygos kultūrą Lietuvos Didžiojoje Kunigaikštystėje (toliau - LDK). Tikslo siekiama remiantis išlikusiais rankraštinių knygų egzemplioriais, juose likusiais to meto įrašais apie knygų perrašymo ir funkcionavimo aplinkybes, žiniomis iš rankraštinių ir publikuotų archyvinių šaltinių bei istoriografinių rankraštinės knygos tyrimų. Straipsnyje aptariamos mecenavimo formos ir intencijos, kurias liudija išlikusių kolofonų, dovanojimo įrašų retorika, taip pat konstatuojama to meto mecenatų socialinė padėtis.It may be suggested that within the cultural history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (hereinafter GDL) the question of manuscript books and their patrons has not been discussed as a result of the language criteria applied to the written language and history of the book. The principle for the attribution of artefacts established by researchers - "everything that was re-created was assimilated or created in the Duchy or by its citizens in it and behind its boundaries" - has allowed us to cast a fresh eye over much of the cultural phenomena of the period (the patronage of a manuscript book amongst them). The article aims to ascertain how well guarded the culture of the manuscript book was in the GDL, and who was responsible for its upkeep. To achieve such aims the article makes extensive reference to the surviving copies of manuscript books and surviving inscriptions regarding the circumstances surrounding the books' rewriting and their function, and it also makes reference to the data collected from manuscript and published archival sources and historiographical researches into the manuscript book. The chronological boundaries of the subject is the period from the first 14th century order of manuscript book recorded in the documents to the establishment of the first constantly operating publishing house in the GDL (1575). During the Middle Ages literature and other fields of art were of a patronal nature and were created at the request of patrons. Thus alongside the patron's synonyms of founder, benefactor and custodian, the concept of a commissioner (patron) was also in usage. The intentions of the custodians of the manuscript book of the GDL slightly altered from the 14th to 16th centuries. Nevertheless, its main purposes, such as the commemoration of a person and his family, and as an expression of piety remained. Later the stimuli for patronage became a matter of personal prestige and associated with the strengthening of social status, along with a desire for immortalization. The material under analysis provides for the conclusion that at the beginning of the period under discussion we may talk of persons whose activities were witness to the manifestations of patronage. From the mid-15th century the patrons of manuscript books were rulers, hierarchs of the Church, and magnates, while from the 16th century the nobles fell under this category as well. The main forms of the patronage become clear: an order was issued for the making of a new copy of a book; and this book was to be bound using precious metals and be ornately illuminated. The selection of materials and the manner of ornamentation depended upon the commissioners. Further historical research into ascertaining the identity of the manuscript books' commissioners and investigation into the history of the books' function would provide supplementary knowledge about the history of the patronage phenomenon in the GDL, and at the same time complement the newly approached organic whole of Lithuanian cultural history