Book graphics of british children’s books illustrators at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries in Russian pre-revolutionary editions: analyses, influences and parallels

Abstract

At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries some Russian painters were influenced by the well-known foreign artists. Great Britain during this period became one of the countries which art was perceived and sometimes even imitated
by Russian graphics and illustrators. That was especially reflected in the work of the “Mir iskusstva” (The World of Art) artists, who loved the linear compositions of Aubrey Beardsley and his English followers.
The article discusses and analyses book illustrations created by Edwardian British artists (the first decade of the XX century), whose works were seen or could be seen by Russian painters — their contemporaries. This
material traces the influence of English book illustrators on Russian one’s and analyses some parallels in their work. Russian editions of A. F. Devrien and I. D. Sytin are especially important in the research. Some of them, published during the reign of Nicholas II, were reprints of English books illustrated by famous foreign illustrators — Charles Robinson (1870–1937), Arthur Rackham (1867–1939) and Edmund Dulac (1882–1953). The analysis of the works of these painters is a fundamental part of the article, because they influenced Russian graphic artists such as Alexandre Benois (1870–1960), George Narbut (1886–1920), Dmitry Mitrokhin (1883–1973) and many other illustrators during mainly
pre-revolutionary period.

Keywords: Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Charles Robinson, Alexandre Benois, Ivan Bilibin, Dmitry Mitrokhin, «World of Art» («Mir iskusstva»), book graphics, illustration, Edwardian era (period), British art