Ivan Bilibin
May. 19th, 2010 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Are people familiar with the Russian illustrator Ivan Bilibin? I grew up with translations of his books as a kid and adored them, and it's only recently it struck me that those whose mothers are not arty types of somewhat Eastern European extraction may be unfamiliar with him. So: look at his art! Isn't it the prettiest thing you have ever seen?
(Answers of "no" will not be accepted :P)
I was inspired to look him up after getting an idea for a fairy tale influenced piece, but now I feel a little intimidated by the awesome. Alas the books I had as a kid with their cool russian covers don't seem to be for sale any more, but I'm definitely going to try and find some way to buy a book of his pictures, because they are much richer in person. I can't remember if the text that came with them was any good, since we had a couple of versions of those folk tales.
(EDIT: here's some of the stories, ah such a nostalgia trip)
(Answers of "no" will not be accepted :P)
I was inspired to look him up after getting an idea for a fairy tale influenced piece, but now I feel a little intimidated by the awesome. Alas the books I had as a kid with their cool russian covers don't seem to be for sale any more, but I'm definitely going to try and find some way to buy a book of his pictures, because they are much richer in person. I can't remember if the text that came with them was any good, since we had a couple of versions of those folk tales.
(EDIT: here's some of the stories, ah such a nostalgia trip)
no subject
Date: 2010-05-19 06:58 pm (UTC)Oh, good, now that I know the illustrator maybe I can find another copy. Mine is pretty beat up.
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Date: 2010-05-21 04:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-20 02:43 am (UTC)His artwork is amazing..
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Date: 2010-05-21 04:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-28 11:40 pm (UTC)Geeky book details
Date: 2010-05-29 12:30 am (UTC)It's called "Ivan BILIBIN" and the only other text on the cover is "Pan Books". The cover is mainly the Bilibin picture "Volga and his troops" (plate 18). The book is a bit larger than A4, particularly it's wider. It's paperback, but a pretty solid sort of cardboard was used. My copy is somewhat smudgly dirty on the outside, particularly around the spine. The interior pages are in good nick, although it has lots of musty old book smell.
On the rights page, it says:
p5 - 22 is text (in a rather large font)
p23 says PLATES (squee!)
There are no page numbers on the next 150 or so pages, just pictures - roughly half in colour, the rest B&W (of illustrations he made that were B&W)
p179 says BILIBIN'S LIFE AND WORK
p180 has the same portrait as Wikipedia, but in B&W
p181 - 208 has a chronology/biography with quotes and photos
p209 says EXHIBITIONS CATALOGUE BIBLIOGRAPH INDEX GLOSSARY
p210 - 227 has lists of those things
The last page has a few lines at the bottom in cyrillic, the first being (obviously) Ivan Bilibin, the next line I have no clue, the third line I guess is "Aurora Art Publishers 1981". Then "No 2675" (was this a limited printing, or the book's number in their catalogue?) and "Printed and bound in Finland" in English.
The back cover is mainly Bilibin picture (part of plate 155, a stage set) but has a blurb (in a smaller font than most of the inside of the book!)
If you're ever in Brisbane, you're welcome to look at it but I'm not sure I'm willing to let it out of my sight now :-).
Re: Geeky book details
Date: 2010-06-01 07:32 am (UTC)