Why was the book about the artist Vereshchagin published by a historian from KBSU?

Recently, an employee of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H. M. Berbekov, candidate of historical sciences, well-known writer-translator Karalbi Malbakhov published a new book — a translation from the French of the memoirs of Vasily Vereshchagin “Trips to the Caucasian provinces. 1864-1865″.

It was based on the memoirs of a Russian painter and writer, one of the most famous battle painters Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin, about his trips to the Caucasian provinces in 1864-1865 and impressions of the trip, published in the magazine «Le Tour du Monde» (Around the World) in 1868 year. There is information that Vereshchagin traveled to the Caucasus and acted on behalf of the Russian War Ministry, analyzed the situation, the mentality of the local population. And of course, as an artist, Vereshchagin left his unique look at this land and the people who inhabit it. in sketches and graphic miniatures. The book includes a large number of illustrations reflecting the most diverse aspects of the life of the peoples of the Caucasus. Vereshchagin’s drawings are accurate, reliable, but not impartial, they are a living, direct observation of nature, Malbakhov notes.

«This is the third book I have published with the active assistance of the rector of KBSU Yuri Kambulatovich Altudov, who believes that the leading university of the republic is obliged to continue research and editorial and publishing activities related to the history and culture of the peoples of the North Caucasus, in particular the Circassians. Prior to that, the collection «Circassians in the 16th century» was published on the basis of a 1553 manuscript translated by the French in 1774, and the book «Pictures from the Past», including the history of the rescue of the Romanov princes in Kabarda. » The uniqueness and value of these publications is that they were first published in Russian,»
— emphasized Karalbi Malbakhov.

The scientist has been engaged in literary translations on the history of the Caucasus since 2006. He has 20 books on his account.

«Now I am finishing work on the History of the Circassian Mamluks. The original book was written by Muhammad ibn Iyas, who was born in 1448 and died in 1524. He was a living chronicler of the history of the Circassian Mamluks, lived in Egypt and kept a chronicle,» — noted Karalbi Malbakhov.

The first edition of the book “Trips to the Caucasian Provinces. 1864 –1865” has been published so far in a limited edition with the aim of familiarizing the academic community. Let’s hope that, having received a high assessment from experts of the artistic and historical value of the book, it will reach a wide range of readers.