A Book Engraving as a Source for Studying the History of Vilnius University

The article discusses one of the earliest images of Vilnius University, which was engraved and printed in 1781 in two publications from the Vilnius Academy printing house. Copies of this image are nowadays found in modern historical literature and in various types of printed material (on book covers, diplomas and posters). However, until now, there has been no attempt to examine the original image as a historical source. The uniqueness and relevance of this engraving are determined by the fact that it was created during a crucial period in the university’s reform by the National Education Commission. The aim of the article is to identify which elements of the image of Vilnius University are based on reality, and which represent the unfulfilled ideas of the reformers. Additionally, the article raises questions about the authorship of the engraving, the relationship with the book in which it appeared, and its reuse in later publications. A comprehensive bibliographical description of two publications in which the engraving was printed is provided in the article’s appendix.