Bilibin Ivan Yakovlevich paintings for fairy tales. Illustrations by Ivan Bilibin for fairy tales: the magical world in Russian painting

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin - Russian artist, graphic artist, theater artist, member of the "World of Art", author of illustrations for Russian fairy tales and epics in a decorative and graphic ornamental manner based on the stylization of motifs of Russian folk and medieval art; one of the greatest masters of the national romantic movement in the Russian version of the Art Nouveau style.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST

Ivan Bilibin was born on August 16 (August 4, old style) 1876, in Tarkhovka, near St. Petersburg. Coming from an old merchant family. He studied in the studio of Anton Azhbe in Munich (1898), as well as in the school-workshop of Princess Maria Klavdievna Tenisheva under Ilya Efimovich Repin (1898-1900). He lived in St. Petersburg and was an active member of the World of Art association.

In 1899, Bilibin came to the village of Egny, Vesyegonsky district, Tver province. Here he first created illustrations in what later became the “Bilibino” style for his first book, “The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf.”

During the revolution of 1905, the artist creates revolutionary caricatures.

Since 1907, Bilibin taught a graphic art class at the school of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, continuing teaching until 1917. Among his students at the school were G.I. Narbut, K.S Eliseev, L.Ya. Khortik, A. Roosileht, N.V. Kuzmin, Rene O’Connell, K.D. Voronets-Popova.

In 1915, he participated in the establishment of the Society for the Revival of Artistic Rus', along with many other artists of his time. After October revolution Bilibin leaves for Crimea to Batiliman, where he lives until September. Until December 1919 he was in Rostov-on-Don, then with the retreat of the White Army he ended up in Novorossiysk.

February 21, 1920 On the steamer "Saratov" Bilibin sails from Novorossiysk. Since 1920 he has lived in Cairo. In Egypt, Bilibin is working on sketches of panels and frescoes in the Byzantine style for the mansions of wealthy Greek merchants.

In February 1923, Bilibin married the artist Alexandra Vasilievna Shchekatikhina-Pototskaya. In the summer of 1924 he traveled with his family through Syria and Palestine. In October 1924 he settled in Alexandria. In August 1925, Bilibin moved to Paris.

In 1936, the artist returned to his homeland and settled in Leningrad. Bilibin teaches at the All-Russian Academy of Arts and continues to work as an illustrator and theater artist.

Bilibin died in besieged Leningrad February 7, 1942 in the hospital at the All-Russian Academy of Arts. Buried in mass grave professors of the Academy of Arts near the Smolensk cemetery.

WORK OF IVAN BILIBIN

Bilibin began drawing very early, and subsequently clarified it this way: “As far as I can remember, I have always drawn.”

As an artist, Bilibin was “indelibly impressed” by the exhibition of works by V. M. Vasnetsov in the halls of the Academy of Arts (1898). The national-romantic trend in painting of that time captured him as a supporter and successor of the “contour line”, which Fyodor Tolstoy was so keen on 100 years earlier and which became the textural basis of drawing in modern Bilibin artistic style"modern".

Illustrations for six Russian fairy tales (starting with the first and most notable “Tales of Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and gray wolf"), published in 1901-1903, immediately made Bilibin’s name famous. But he reached full social significance and creative heights in his further works: two illustrative cycles “based on Pushkin”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” and “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” were acquired by the Russian Museum Alexandra III And Tretyakov Gallery respectively.

Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Beautiful Ivan Tsarevich and the Frog Princess

After February Revolution Bilibin drew a drawing of a double-headed eagle, which was used as the coat of arms of the Provisional Government, and since 1992 this eagle has been located on the coins of the Bank of Russia.

Book, magazine and newspaper illustration constituted only part of Bilibin’s professional life.

Since 1904, he declared himself as a highly gifted theater artist and an expert in ancient costumes different nations, but above all Russian. Having started cooperation with the newly organized in St. Petersburg Ancient theater(the idea of ​​the director and theater theorist N.N. Evreinov), Bilibin participated in S. Diaghilev’s enterprise, creating sketches of Russian costumes for M. Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov” (1908), Spanish costumes for Lope de Vega’s comedy “The Sheep Spring” and to Calderon’s drama “The Purgatory of St. Patrick” (1911), etc. Bilibin clearly demonstrated the art of decorating in famous production opera by N. Rimsky-Korsakov “The Golden Cockerel” (staged at the Moscow theater by S. Zimin in 1909).

Bilibin also has works related to church painting. In it he remains himself, preserves individual style. After leaving St. Petersburg, Bilibin lived for some time in Cairo and actively participated in the design of a Russian house church in the premises of a clinic set up by Russian doctors. The iconostasis of this temple was built according to his design.

There is also a trace of him in Prague - he completed sketches of frescoes and an iconostasis for the Russian church at the Olsany cemetery in the capital of the Czech Republic.

BILIBINSKY STYLE

Bilibin's drawing is characterized by a graphic representation. Starting work on the drawing, Bilibin sketched a sketch of the future composition. Black ornamental lines clearly limit the colors, set volume and perspective in the plane of the sheet. Filling watercolor paints black and white graphic design only emphasizes the given lines. Bilibin generously uses ornament to frame his drawings.

INTERESTING FACTS FROM THE LIFE OF IVAN BILIBIN

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin intended to become a lawyer, diligently studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University and successfully graduated full course in 1900.

For those involved in the revival of native traditions, I strongly recommend reading the article to the end.

In the previous article, about the fashion for Russian patterns in clothing in the period of the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, we talked about certain “tricks” that appear at a time when interest in Russian culture increases.

Let's explore this topic in more detail using the example of creativity for everyone famous artist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (1876 - 1942).

Most of those who were born in the USSR began to comprehend this world with Russian fairy tales “Vasilisa the Beautiful”, “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka”, “Marya Morevna”, “Feather of Finista-Yasna Falcon”, “White Duck”, “Princess” frog". Almost every child also knew the fairy tales of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin - “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”.

Parents and grandparents read fairy tales from children's books with pictures. And we knew every fairy tale by heart and every picture in our favorite book. Pictures from books with fairy tales were one of our first images that we naturally absorbed as children. Exactly as in these pictures, we later imagined Vasilisa the Beautiful.

And most of these pictures belonged to the brush of Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin. Can you imagine what influence this artist had on our worldview, our perception of Russian myths, epics and fairy tales? Who is he?

Ivan Bilibin was born on August 4 (August 16), 1876, in Tarkhovka, near St. Petersburg.
The Bilibin family is a separate topic for consideration; let’s just say that this family is from merchants, and subsequently, factory owners. That's enough for now.

Next, we look at where Ivan Yakovlevich studied. He studied in the studio of Anton Azhbe in Munich (1898), as well as in the school-workshop of Princess Maria Klavdievna Tenisheva under Ilya Efimovich Repin (1898-1900). Systematic drawing lessons under the guidance of Ilya Repin and acquaintance with the magazine and society “World of Art” (!) contributed to the development of skill and general culture Bilibina. Bilibin's work was greatly influenced by Japanese (!) woodcut (wood engraving).

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin - considered a Russian artist, graphic artist, theater artist, author of illustrations for Russian epics and fairy tales in a decorative and graphic ornamental manner based on the stylization of motifs of Russian folk and medieval art, one of the largest masters of the “national-romantic” movement in the Russian version Art Nouveau style (!).
But Bilibin himself considered himself a “nationalist artist.”

Art Nouveau, at that time, sought to become a single synthetic style, in which all elements from the human environment were executed in the same key. Art Nouveau artists drew inspiration from art Ancient Egypt(!) and other ancient civilizations Noticeable impact The Art Nouveau style was influenced by the art of Japan, which became more accessible in the West with the beginning of the Meiji era. A feature of Art Nouveau was the abandonment of right angles and lines in favor of smoother, curved lines. Art Nouveau artists often took ornaments from the plant world as the basis for their drawings. " Business card Herman Obrist's embroidery “Strike of the Scourge” became this style.

Further - more interesting.
Bilibin, living in St. Petersburg, was an active member of the World of Art association.
The founders of the “World of Art” (1898-1924) were the St. Petersburg artist Alexander Nikolaevich Benois and the “theatrical figure and philanthropist” Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev

Reader, take the time to find information on the Internet about what kind of people they were. You will immediately understand the essence of the association you belonged to or were close to:

Bakst Lev Samoilovich
Tsionglinsky Yan Frantsevich
Dobuzhinsky Mstislav Valerianovich
Roerich Nikolai Konstantinovich
Purvit Wilhelm
Vereisky Georgy Semyonovich
Lansere Evgeniy Evgenievich
Chambers Vladimir Yakovlevich
Mitrokhin Dmitry Isidorovich
Ostroumova-Lebedeva Anna Petrovna
Levitan Isaac Ilyich
Yakovlev Alexander Evgenievich
Somov Konstantin Andreevich
Golovin Alexander Yakovlevich
Grabar Igor Emmanuilovich
Korovin Konstantin Alekseevich
Kustodiev Boris Mikhailovich
Serov Valentin Alexandrovich
Vrubel Mikhail Alexandrovich

Sketch of a group portrait of the artists of the World of Art. From left to right: I.E. Grabar, N.K. Roerich, E.E. Lanceray, B.M. Kustodiev, I.Ya. Bilibin, A.P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva, A.N. Benoit, G.I. Narbut, K.S. Petrov-Vodkin, N.D. Milioti, K.A. Somov, M.V. Dobuzhinsky.

What a fun Wednesday!

Now do you understand why Bilibin’s “gingerbread kingdoms” are frankly unreal and permeated with sly irony?

Now do you understand why Bilibin had an anti-monarchical-LIBERAL worldview?

That is why the artist took part in the satirical magazines “Zhupel” and “Hellish Mail”, which appeared during the First Russian Revolution of 1905. His political grotesqueries stand out for their evil sarcasm, merciless to the existing system. This is, in particular, the caricature of Nicholas II (“Donkey in 1/20 natural size", 1906), for which he was even subjected to a brief administrative arrest!

Yes, Bilibin was on an expedition to the Russian North (1905–1908).
Yes, I was interested in the “pre-Petrine” era.
Yes, everything unique in his work began with an exhibition of Moscow artists in 1899, at which Bilibin saw Vasnetsov’s painting “Bogatyrs”.

That is why, brought up in a St. Petersburg environment, far from any fascination with the national past, the artist unexpectedly showed interest in Russian antiquity, fairy tales, and folk art!

Yes, Bilibin was interested in the atmosphere of Russian antiquity, epic, fairy tale. And he had a wealth of material from the expedition, photographs of embroidery on tablecloths, towels, peasant buildings, utensils, and clothing. There were sketches made in the village of Yegny. These are painted wooden and pottery, houses with carved frames and piers.

But Bilibin, despite the careful technique of execution of his works, did not strive to convey the originality of the patterns, ornaments and decorations of our ancestors!
But it was Russian patterns and ornaments that were the favorite motif of ancient Russian masters and carried a deep semantic load.

But from genuine ornaments and details, Bilibin created a half-real, half-fantastic image! All page illustrations are surrounded by ornamental frames, just like village windows with carved frames. But these ornamental frames do not convey originality and tradition, but reflect only Bilibin’s view and have only a decorative function!

In the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” the illustration with the Red Horseman (the sun) is surrounded by flowers for some reason.

And the Black Horseman (night) are mythical birds with human heads.

The illustration with Baba Yaga's hut is surrounded by a frame with toadstools (what else could be next to Baba Yaga? Yes?).

And Baba Yaga herself is terrible and scary!

Bilibin, having the opportunity to revive the art of the pre-Petrine era, created modernism, a “remake”, that is, a “fake” - “decoy”. Very carefully executed, with elaboration of fonts, stylized as an old manuscript, distinguished by patterned design and bright decorativeness of the “Dummy”!

Maybe that’s why “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” was the most successful for the artist? Bilibin achieves special brilliance and invention in his illustrations. The luxurious royal chambers are completely covered with patterns, paintings, and decorations. Here the ornament so abundantly covers the floor, ceiling, walls, clothes of the king and boyars that everything turns into a kind of unsteady vision, existing in a special illusory world and ready to disappear.

Just like in “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”

When the Bolsheviks came to power, Ivan Bilibin participated in the propaganda of the Denikin government, and in 1920 he was evacuated with the White Army from Novorossiysk, lived in Cairo and Alexandria, where he worked actively in Alexandria, traveled around the Middle East, studying the artistic heritage of ancient civilizations and Christian Byzantine Empire.

Then, in 1925, he moved to Paris. In 1925 he settled in France: the works of these years included the design of the magazine “Firebird”, “Anthology on the History of Russian Literature”, books by Ivan Bunin, Sasha Cherny, as well as the painting of a Russian temple in Prague, scenery and costumes for Russian operas “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (1929), “ The Tsar's Bride"(1930), "The Legend of the City of Kitezh" (1934) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, “Prince Igor” by A.P. Borodin (1930), “Boris Godunov” by M.P. Mussorgsky (1931), to the ballet “The Firebird” by I.F. Stravinsky (1931).

Bilibin created many colorful panels to decorate private homes and restaurants. His decorative style - patterned, exotically catchy - became a kind of standard of the “Russian style”, that is, “Russian style”, abroad, nourishing nostalgic memories. Also designed a number Orthodox churches in Egypt and Czechoslovakia.

The “national-Bolshevik” turn in politics, the spread of the ideas of “Soviet patriotism” that were characteristic of Stalin era, contributed, oddly enough, to Bilibin’s return to his homeland. Having decorated the Soviet embassy in Paris with monumental patriotism (1935-1936), he again settled in Leningrad.

The storyteller Bilibin should be thanked for the double-headed eagle, which is depicted on the coat of arms of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, on ruble coins and paper bills. It is interesting that this eagle was originally located on the seal of the provisional government.

In the art gallery paper money modern Russia On the ten-ruble “Krasnoyarsk” banknote, the Bilibin tradition is clearly visible: a vertical patterned path with forest ornaments - such frames edged Bilibin’s drawings on the themes of Russian folk tales. By the way, cooperating with financial authorities Tsarist Russia, Bilibin transferred the copyright to many of his graphic designs to the Gosznak factory.

IN last decade throughout his life, Bilibin taught at the All-Russian Academy of Arts, still acting in the role of book and theater artist: again staged “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (as an opera by Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov in State Theater opera and ballet named after Sergei Mironovich Kirov, 1936-1937, and as a book by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, published in the same years in Goslit).

Sergei Eisenstein planned to involve Ivan Yakovlevich as an artist in working on the film “Ivan the Terrible,” but Bilibin’s death did not allow this idea to come true.

Ivan Bilibin died on February 7, 1942, in besieged Leningrad. Why did he choose this outcome? Maybe because, despite his worldview, he sometimes felt love for his Motherland?

This can be evidenced by the words of Bilibin: “Only quite recently, like America, they discovered the old artistic Rus', vandalized, covered with dust and mold. But even under the dust it was beautiful, so beautiful that the first momentary impulse of those who discovered it is quite understandable: to return it! return!"

Everyone who believes in the revival of native traditions, who contributes to this, must reject attempts to falsify and distort traditional, primordial images.

Yes, pictures in books with fairy tales attract the child’s attention and arouse interest. But we must take into account what kind of pictures these are and whether they really reflect the wisdom that our ancestors passed on to us. It is best not to entice with pictures, but simply read fairy tales to the child and give him the opportunity to imagine and create images himself.
Encourage him to develop these images and draw them independently.
The result will be amazing!

On June 6, admirers of the work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin celebrated his birthday. Today we would like to show you illustrations for the writer’s fairy tales, made by a wonderful Russian artist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin. Of course, some people know this name from childhood. It will be even more pleasant to look at the drawings you once loved.

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (1876-1942) made illustrations for Russian folk tales“The Frog Princess”, “The Feather of Finist-Yasna Falcon”, “Vasilisa the Beautiful”, “Marya Morevna”, “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka”, “White Duck”, to the fairy tales of A. S. Pushkin - “The Tale of Tsar Saltan ”(1904-1905), “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” (1906-1907), “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish” (1939) and many others.

The artist developed a system of graphic techniques that made it possible to combine illustrations and design in one style, subordinating them to the plane of the book page. Character traits Bilibin style: beauty of patterned design, exquisite decorativeness color combinations, subtle visual embodiment of the world, a combination of bright fabulousness with a sense of folk humor, etc.

Bilibin strove for an ensemble solution. He emphasized the flatness of the book page with a contour line, lack of lighting, coloristic unity, conventional division of space into plans and the combination of different points of view in the composition.

One of Bilibin’s significant works were illustrations for “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by A. S. Pushkin. Ivan Yakovlevich illustrated it first. Here is the page where Tsar Saltan overhears the conversation three girls. It’s night outside, the moon is shining, the king hurries to the porch, falling into the snow. There is nothing fairytale-like about this scene. And yet the spirit of the fairy tale is present. The hut is a real one, a peasant one, with small windows and an elegant porch. And in the distance there is a tented church. In the 17th century Such churches were built throughout Rus'. And the king’s fur coat is real. In ancient times, such fur coats were made from velvet and brocade, brought from Greece, Turkey, Iran, and Italy.

This fairy tale with its colorful pictures of ancient Russian life provided rich food for Bilibin’s imagination. With amazing skill and great knowledge, the artist depicted ancient costumes and utensils. He reflected the main episodes of Pushkin's fairy tale.

However, between the sheets of the series there are noticeable various sources stylization. The illustration depicting Saltan looking into the little room is emotional and reminiscent of I. Ya. Bilibin’s winter landscapes from life. The scenes of receiving guests and feasts are very decorative and rich in motifs of Russian ornament.

The illustration of a barrel floating on the sea is reminiscent of the famous “Great Wave” by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

Katsushiki Hokusai. Wood engraving “ A big wave in Kanagawa." 1823-1829.

The process of I. Ya. Bilibin’s graphic drawing was reminiscent of the work of an engraver. Having sketched a sketch on paper, he clarified the composition in all details on tracing paper, and then translated it onto whatman paper. After this, using a core brush with a cut end, likening it to a chisel, I ran it along pencil drawing clear wire outline in ink. In his mature period of creativity, Bilibin abandoned the use of the pen, which he sometimes resorted to in his early illustrations. For his impeccable firmness of line, his comrades jokingly nicknamed him “Ivan the Steady Hand.”

In I. Ya. Bilibin’s illustrations of 1900-1910, the composition, as a rule, unfolds parallel to the plane of the sheet. Large figures appear in majestic, frozen poses. The conditional division of space into plans and the combination of different points of view in one composition make it possible to maintain flatness. Lighting completely disappears, color becomes more conventional, the unpainted surface of the paper plays an important role, the way of marking a contour line becomes more complicated, and a strict system of strokes and dots takes shape.

The further development of the Bilibin style is that in later illustrations the artist moved from popular print techniques to the principles ancient Russian painting: colors become more sonorous and richer, but the boundaries between them are now marked not by a black wire outline, but by tonal thickening and a thin colored line. The colors appear radiant, but retain locality and flatness, and the image sometimes resembles cloisonne enamel.

Bilibin Ivan Yakovlevich - Russian painter, author of many paintings, graphic drawings and bright illustrations for Russian folk tales, legends and epics. In addition, he was involved in the design theatrical productions. Ivan Bilibin’s illustrations for fairy tales are especially unique and colorful, as they are created in a unique manner.

The path to creativity

Then he went to Munich, where he studied in the studio of the then popular artist Anton Ashbe. Upon completion, he returned to his homeland, to his beloved St. Petersburg, where he continued to study the art of painting with Ilya Efimovich Repin himself.

The expression “Russian folk tale” - without a doubt - gives birth in the fantasies and understanding of man to the terrible and terrible Baba Yaga in the mortar, the beautiful Vasilisa and Ivan Tsarevich.

Yes, this is certainly true, because they were born and engraved in the memory of many generations, thanks to imagination, work and artistic skill Russian painter - Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin. Without exception, all of his paintings are imbued with the spirit of modernism and love for his land, its culture, rituals and legends.

During his short life, Ivan Bilibin created many paintings, but among them, of course, there are the most famous works, which are appreciated all over the world. Below are the most famous paintings and illustrations of Bilibin for fairy tales and epics.

“Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird” (1899), to the fairy tale “Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf”

This Firebird is true magic, unlike others. It is this bird that Ivan Tsarevich manages to watch and grab by the tail (like luck). But he still fails to catch her; only the feather of the wondrous bird remains in his hand. This painting combines tangible images and important ideas, making the painting filled with great meaning.

“Vasilisa the Beautiful leaves the house of Baba Yaga” (1899), to the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful”

The picture shows a completely different side of the evil Baba Yaga, who, despite her temper, still helps beautiful Vasilisa in her daily struggles and problems. In the picture a large number of bright colors, in addition, the unity of man with Mother Nature is proportionally represented.

“Baba Yaga” (1900), to the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful”

In this painting, the image of the evil Baba Yaga is depicted in a mortar, which flies above the earth itself. This image shows the down-to-earth beliefs of the people of that time. In addition, the image of old Yaga is symbolic, because in her hand there is a broom, with which many beliefs of the Russian people were associated at that time.

“Once upon a time there was a king” (1900), to the fairy tale “The Frog Princess”

The Russian Tsar is the Russian soul. The whole scene is filled with brilliant color and decorated with numerous shades, resulting in a pleasant inner harmony.

"Ivan Tsarevich good fellow and his three sisters" (1901), to the fairy tale "Marya Morevna"

It is clear to the naked eye that the artist created this painting based on Old Russian manuscripts. The result was beautiful picture, which continues to delight our contemporaries with its beauty.

“Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka” (1901), to the fairy tale of the same name

Here it all starts with the beauty of the Russian land. Landscape, nature, flora and fauna - the whole ensemble is depicted on this canvas, against which the brother and sister, the main characters of the fairy tale plot, are in the background. In this way the master expresses his love for home country, its nature, history and culture.

“Volga with his squad” (1903), to the epic “Volga”

The central plot of this painting was Russian life in ancient times and the struggle of the Russian people for the right to be free. The ornamental richness is amazing and remains relevant even today.

“During the entire conversation he stood behind the fence” (1904), to “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”

This illustration for the fairy tale shows the individuality and dissimilarity of Bilibin’s style from the works of other authors. Tsar Saltan is endowed with individual qualities, an easygoing disposition and a special soul. The painting impresses with the abundance of ornaments and ancient Russian patterns that decorate even the smallest parts of the canvas.

“The Astrologer before Dadon” (1906), to “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”

Not easy plot composition, which has its own character and special color illustrations. It is noticeable that every detail was worked out by the artist, therefore it is unique and unique. All the characters in the picture are clearly expressed, which makes the canvas much more natural.

“Strelchika in front of the Tsar and his retinue” (1919), to the fairy tale “Go there - I don’t know where”

A real Russian story, vividly reflecting the depth of the Russian soul, the culture of the Russian people, their traditions and foundations of that time. This canvas is filled with a huge amount of colors, making it look like a single whole.

Without exception, all illustrations by Ivan Bilibin are filled with meaning and unique graphics, have their own structure and special mood. From real and real ornaments, as well as detailed little things, the artist created a half-real, half-fictional world. In addition to the above illustrations, the wonderful Russian artist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin also created a huge number of different illustrations for fairy tales Great Rus' and her epics.

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin worked at the turn of two centuries and became famous as an artist, illustrator, and an excellent master of theatrical decoration. He created his own graphic style, which was very much loved by the audience and found many imitators. The fate of this amazing master and his exquisite legacy in art invariably remains in the center of attention of a modern cultured person.

The beginning of the way

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin was born on August 4 (16), 1876 in the village of Tarkhovka, near St. Petersburg. The artist's ancestors are famous Kaluga merchants, famous for their philanthropy and keen interest in the destinies of the fatherland. The artist's father, Yakov Ivanovich Bilibin, was a naval doctor, then the head of a hospital and a medical inspector imperial fleet, participated in Russian-Turkish war. The father dreamed of seeing his son become a lawyer, and young Ivan Bilibin, having graduated from high school, entered the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University.

The young man studied conscientiously, listened to the full course of lectures, defended thesis. But next to this completely practical prospect that promised a brilliant legal future, another dream always lived. He drew with passion since childhood. Simultaneously with his studies at the university, Bilibin studied the science of painting and graphics at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. For a month and a half he took lessons in a private art school Austro-Hungarian artist Anton Azbe in Munich. It was here that the study of drawing was given special meaning and developed in students the ability to find individual artistic style. At home, Bilibin studied diligently in a painting workshop under the guidance of Ilya Repin.

Favorite topic

During Bilibin’s studies at the Higher Art School of the Academy of Arts, where Repin placed the young man, there was an exhibition of Viktor Vasnetsov, who wrote in a unique romantic manner on the themes of Russian myths and fairy tales. The exhibition was attended by many of our artists who would become famous in the future. Bilibin Ivan Yakovlevich was among them. Vasnetsov’s works struck the student to the very heart; he later admitted that he saw here what his soul was unconsciously yearning for and what his soul was yearning for.

In 1899-1902, the Russian Expedition for the Procurement of State Papers published a series of books equipped with excellent illustrations for folk tales. There were graphic paintings for the fairy tales “Vasilisa the Beautiful”, “The White Duck”, “Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird” and many others. The author of the drawings was Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin.

Illustrations for folk tales

His understanding of the national spirit and poetry that breathes Russian folklore was formed not only under the influence of a vague attraction to folk art. The artist passionately wanted to know and studied the spiritual component of his people, their poetics and way of life. In 1899, Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin visited the village of Egny, in the Tver province, in 1902 he studied the culture and ethnography of the Vologda province, a year later the artist visited the Olonets and Arkhangelsk provinces. Bilibin brought a collection of works from his trips folk artists, photographs of wooden architecture.

His impressions resulted in journalistic works and scientific reports O folk art, architecture and national costume. An even more fruitful result of these travels were Bilibin’s original works, which revealed the master’s passion for graphics and completely special style. Two bright talents lived in Bilibin - a researcher and an artist, and one gift fed the other. Ivan Yakovlevich worked with particular care on the details, not allowing himself to falsify a single line.

Style specifics

Why is Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin so different in his style from other artists? Photos of his wonderful and joyful works help to understand this. On a piece of paper we see a clear patterned graphic outline, executed with extreme detail and colored with a whimsical watercolor range of the most cheerful shades. His illustrations for epics and fairy tales are surprisingly detailed, lively, poetic and not without humor.

Taking care of the historical authenticity of the image, which was manifested in the drawings in the details of costume, architecture, and utensils, the master knew how to create an atmosphere of magic and mysterious beauty. This is very close in spirit to creative association“World of Art” Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin, whose biography is closely connected with this group of artists. They were all united by an interest in the culture of the past, in the alluring charms of antiquity.

Worldview in drawings

From 1907 to 1911, Bilibin created a number of unsurpassed illustrations for epics and fabulous poetic works of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Here are delightful and exquisite pictures for “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” and “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” The illustrations became not just an addition, but a kind of continuation of these verbal works, which, without a doubt, Master Bilibin read with his soul.

Ivan the Tsarevich and the frog who turned into a princess, and Yaga, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber, Elena the Beautiful, Churila Plenkovich, Svyatogor - how many heroes did Ivan Yakovlevich feel with his heart and “revive” on a piece of paper!

Folk art also gave the master some techniques: ornamental and popular print methods of design artistic space, which Bilibin brought to perfection in his creations.

Activities in print media

Ivan Bilibin worked as an artist and in magazines of that time. He created masterpieces of printing, which greatly contributed to the growth of this industry and its introduction into popular culture. Publications “People's Reading Room”, “Golden Fleece”, “ Artistic treasures Russia" and others could not do without elegant and meaningful vignettes, screensavers, covers and posters by Bilibin.

Worldwide fame

The works of the Russian graphic master became known abroad. They were shown at exhibitions in Prague and Paris, Venice and Berlin, Vienna, Brussels and Leipzig. They were reprinted by foreign magazines, and foreign theaters ordered sketches from Bilibin for the design of performances.

Satirical drawings

For the decade between 1920-1930, Ivan Yakovlevich fruitfully and successfully worked on the design of theatrical productions: he made drawings for opera seasons at the Champs-Elysees Theater, worked at the Russian Opera in Paris enterprise, and created outlandish sketches for Stravinsky’s ballet “The Firebird.”

Return

Life in exile was rich and free, but the artist was haunted by a growing longing for Russia. During his voluntary exile, he never accepted foreign citizenship anywhere, and in 1935 he took Soviet citizenship. At the same time, he created the monumental panel “Mikula Selyaninovich” for the building of the Soviet embassy in the capital of France. A year later, the artist and his family returned to their homeland. Bilibin was warmly received new government and became a professor at the graphic workshop of the Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture of the Academy of Arts in Leningrad. He did not give up work in the field of book graphics.

He died in besieged Leningrad in 1942 from hunger and was buried in a mass professorial grave at the Smolensk cemetery.

The amazing Russian artist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin left a distinct and vivid mark on the history of world art. Paintings, frescoes, graphics and other examples of his inspiring creativity are now kept in public and private collections. They decorate the halls of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and are exhibited in the Theater Museum. Bakhrushin in Moscow, in the Kiev Museum of Russian Art, in London's Victoria and Albert Museum, in the Paris National Gallery, in the Oxford Ashmolean Museum and many others.