Beschreibung:

[MILITARY. ALBUM]. MIKHAILOVSKY ARTILLERY ACADEMY, ST PETERSBURG. A portfolio of original ink and watercolour drawings relating to heavy artillery, dated 1835 [watermarked 1834]. 9 watercolour and 4 pen and ink illustrations and diagrams, on wove Whatman paper watermarked 1835, oblong folio, 357 x 522mm (one illustration with marginal creasing, otherwise fine and clean, with only a couple others with insignificant marginal spots or finger-soiling). Contemporary green morocco portfolio, covers panelled in gilt, pink silk liners (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance : small library classmark label on upper left-hand corner of upper cover. Rare set of detailed designs and illustrations of Russian artillery pieces in use in 1835. The foundations of the Mikailovsky Artillery Academy can be traced back to 1701 when Peter the Great founded Russia's first artillery school. In 1820, it was reformed under Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich as a three-company training artillery brigade, but in 1834 the pratical training unit and theoretical school were separated, with the school renamed the Mikhailovsky Artillery School in the Grand Duke's honour. The present lot demonstrates in considerable detail the process of constructing heavy artillery, with cross-sections, multiple views of gun platforms, measurements of 72 and 108 pound cannon, details of ammunition and their transport, as well as cranes. The construction of a rotating gun platform in shown in fine detail in 3 watercolour scenes.