Joseph Nikolayevitch KNEBEL (1854 – 1926) – the Moscow publisher and bookseller.

>> Joseph Nikolayevitch KNEBEL

Joseph Nikolayevitch KNEBEL (1854 – 1926) – the Moscow publisher and bookseller.

After launching his publishing business in 1894 – 1895 by issuing of works of foreign authors and of the series of popular scientific pamphlets «The Issues of Science, Art, Literature and Life", J.N. Knebel then proceeded to publication of illustrated books for children, to preparation of which he engaged such artists and illustrators as G. Narbut, D. Mitrokhin, Y. Polenova and other, he also turned to publication of visual aids for schools and gymnasiums and of books of visual arts, including of "The History of the Russian Art" by I.E. Grabar, to publication of monographs on the Russian painters M. Vrubel, I. Levitan, V. Serov and other, as well as of the art editions with reproductions of paintings, and to publication of guidebooks of Western Europe.

Eventually, J.N. Knebel established the first in Russia specialized publishing house of arts. His publications (about 700) were distinct for their proper preparation, design and the reproduction levels; many of them were awarded with supreme prizes of Russian and international book craft exhibitions.

In 1917 the publishing house was reorganized into the joint stock "Share Partnership of the Publishing and Press Businesses of J. Knebel in Moscow", in 1918 it was nationalized.

"Of all the people, whom I happened to meet in the publishing business, - wrote Alexander Benua, - Joseph Nikolayevitch Knebel was the most energetic, consistent and capable for integral work businessman".