ABOUT US

Booklovers for Booklovers

AIZ Dosije was founded in 1988 by students of Comparative Literature with a mission to bring the works of world literary classics closer to new generations. The collected Greek tragedies were presented with both a general introduction to their historical and cultural context, as well as individual introductions for each play, summarizing the mythological knowledge that ancient Greek audiences would have brought with them to the theater. Our collected works of William Shakespeare stand out as the only single-volume edition that also includes the original sources Shakespeare drew from - allowing readers a rare glimpse into the creative process of a genius in an era without copyright laws. These works, along with many other publications by Dosije, have found their way into libraries around the world, including the personal library of the late Queen of UK.

Aiming for Perfection – Facsimiles

Over the past 30 years, Dosije has focused on uncovering the unique and lesser-known treasures of global cultural heritage left by Serbian medieval monks. Supported by the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA), 300 experts from around the globe, and young art historians whose access to the internet provided broader insights into European medieval manuscripts, we embarked on a singular adventure - both academic and personal. We discovered that Serbian medieval monks were among the most learned individuals in Europe, with an extraordinary understanding of Christian and Old Testament writings, Greek and Roman mythology, Aristotle's works, the oldest Greek poets, botany, medicine, and history. Step by step, we are uncovering the unique symbolic meanings of miniatures, editorial setups not found in other European manuscripts, and more.

The creation of such magnificent manuscripts, like the Miroslav Gospel, was as expensive as building two medieval cities. Yet, the Serbs produced 20,000 manuscripts in the Middle Ages! Through partnerships with leading global printing press manufacturers, paper producers, and bookbinding restorers, we made significant technical strides in replicating gold-illuminated illustrations and Byzantine bindings. Dosije’s facsimiles of medieval manuscripts are characterized by: non-invasive recording methods, absolutely faithful reproductions of even the most complex gold-illuminated miniatures, authentic medieval bindings, original academic studies, and the most luxurious accompanying materials.

Our facsimiles have been acquired by leading libraries and universities worldwide. A documentary film about the Miroslav Gospel won top awards at international festivals, and over 1.7 million visitors worldwide have seen the exhibition dedicated to the most opulent Serbian medieval manuscripts.

Fate vs. State - Bans as a Blessing

We have learned from our brilliant predecessors and strive to leave a legacy for future generations, including lessons from the challenges we’ve faced, which were not only technical and academic. During the communist era, while producing the first facsimile of the Miroslav Gospel in 1998, we were interrogated by the police and threatened with exile if we published the book. Despite domestic bans and international sanctions, with the support of SASA and collaborators worldwide, we printed the book in Johannesburg. The facsimile of the Miroslav Gospel was officially banned in Serbia, but the media coverage generated widespread interest, leading to sales and financial support that saved us from bankruptcy.

During the fall of the communist regime, a copy of this once-banned facsimile was found under the bed of President Slobodan Milošević during his arrest. In a twist of fate, the current President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, took his oaths of office in 2017 and 2022 on this very facsimile.

In 2019, in collaboration with the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and using cutting-edge technology, we published the Golden Facsimile of the Miroslav Gospel, which many heads of manuscript departments in European national libraries regard as the most perfect edition of its kind in the world.

However, surviving communist advisors in the Ministry of Culture announced a new ban in 2021. During the media battle that followed, it was revealed that state "experts", during the conservation of the Miroslav Gospel, had caused significant damage to the original and even mixed up the pages at the very beginning of the book, which is now preserved in this disordered state in the National Museum of Serbia. In the process, they also spent 11 million euros on their activities.

Yet again, the outcome was positive for us: The Diocese of Düsseldorf and Germany, part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, entrusted Dosije with creating the facsimile of the Serbian Psalter, which is housed in Munich and contains 158 miniatures painted on large gold surfaces. Thus, Serbia and the world received another perfect facsimile of yet another magnificent medieval manuscript.

Beauty Will Save the World

We dream of an exhibition, titled Beauty of the World, dedicated to the most beautiful and significant manuscripts from across the globe. We hope that the divine inspiration of scribes and illuminators from different faiths can bridge time and space, demonstrate that no race should ever be eradicated, and contribute to changing the current direction of the world. Beauty of the World is an open endeavor, and all who wish to join and help are most welcome.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your interest.

May God bless you!