Russia
BILIBIN, Ivan Ya[kovlevich](artist).
Skazki [Tales: a group of four works].
Ekspeditsiya zagotovleniya gosudarstvennykh bumag, [St. Petersburg], 1901-02. 4 volumes folio (32.5 x 25.7 cm). Illustrated throughout with chromolithographs by Bilibin, including with 12 full-page, mainly signed and dated, some heightened with gold, decorative borders. Original stiff pictorial wrappers by Bilibin; slightly soiled and rubbed at extremities, spines occasionally lightly chipped, 2 spines repaired with cloth. Bound in at the front of 'The Frog Princess' is a contemporary 4 pp. English language translation from Russian Peasant Industries, the British Importer of the book, with a short title list of other books by Bilibin; three blue and gilt seals of the Russian Importing Company (of Boston, Massachusetts) to first page of translation - carefully covering the name of British importer - and another to back cover.
FIRST EDITION OF BILIBIN'S FIRST PUBLICATION and of other celebrated works in fine internal condition. This includes: - Skazka ob Ivane Tsareviche, Zhar-ptitse i o serom volke [The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Fire Bird and the Grey Wolf] - Peryshko Finista Yasna Sokola [The Feather of Finist the Falcon] - Tsarevna Liagyushka [The Frog Princess] with the last page printed in gilt - Skazki: Vasilisa Prekrasnaya [Vasilissa the Beautiful]. In 1899, while still studying drawing under Ilya Repin, Bilibin received his first commission. It was for a series of illustrated fairy tales to be published by the Department for the Production of State Documents. Over a four-year period Bilibin illustrated six tales using as backgrounds the typical Russian countryside and buildings: dark and luscious forests and meadows, blue ribbons of rivers, colourful medieval building, ancient monasteries and wood huts. He strove to create an artistic whole for the series by careful layout and design. He placed the illustrations within intricate frames of his own design, employing a variety of decorative motifs that imitate wood carvings and poker-work; and he selected and drew the ornamental lettering used on the cover and at the beginning of each tale. The books were released as thin, large-format publications in stiff wrappers and illustrated with colourful high quality chromolithographs. Bilibin's style has been frequently imitated and his approach to book design, where everything is subordinated to a single artistic concept, was very influential in the history of Russian book design. Golynets, pp. 6-7; 13-15.
Price: £ 2500
US Dollar Price: $ 4960
Stock Number: 72660