Article

Name: Nikolai Zabolotsky and His Artists

Authors: A. B. Ustinov, I. E. Loshchilov

“Aquilon” Books & Publishing, San Francisco, USA; Institute of Philology SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation; Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

In the section The Plot of Area and the Plot of a Book

Abstract:

The essay reconstructs the history of Nikolai Zabolotsky’s relations with artists, starting with his debut book of poems “The Pillars,” published in February 1929 and throughout the 1930s. Zabolotsky can be considered an artist both in a broad (an artist as a creator) and in a professional sense: before “The Pillars,” he attended Pavel Filonov’s workshop, created some drawings, and designed his handwritten books using the technique of Filonov’s “analytical art.” He included some of these calligraphic manuscripts in his collection “Ararat” (1928). He also painted the cover putting in the center of the composition an image of a spread skin, borrowed from Vera Ermolaeva’s illustrations for his children’s book “Good Boots” (1928).

The same year Zabolotsky was asked to prepare a collection of his poems for the “Publishing House of Writers in Leningrad.” He asked another artist Lev Yudin (1903–1941), who collaborated with Kazimir Malevich in Ginkhuk, to make a cover for “The Pillars.” However, the publishing house went with a different design, and Yudin’s cover was lost. He also worked on the design of Zabolotsky’s book “The Circus,” which he envisioned as a livre d’artiste, as well as on illustrations for a never published story “The Indians” (1929).

Vera Ermolaeva (1893–1937) made her own cover for “The Pillars” a study of which is preserved in the Russian Museum. She also collaborated with Yudin on drawing a poster for the famous OBERIU performance “Three Left Hours,” held on January 24, 1928, at the Leningrad Press House. Her remarkable cover for “The Pillars” is discussed here in connection with the poems, selected by Zabolotsky for his first book.

His creative collaboration with the artists found its realization in the field of children’s literature, primarily in the famous magazines “Hedgehog” and “Siskin,” published under the editorial supervision of Samuil Marshak. The publication of Zabolotsky’s “The Tale of the Crooked Man” (1933) in “Siskin” magazine is of particular interest. The poem was illuminated by Pavel Kondratiev (1902–1985), who also attended Filonov’s workshop, and depicted the poet together with his son Nikita in one of his illustrations.

Keywords: magazines “Iozh” and “Chizh”, Nikolai Zabolotsky, “Stolbtsy”, OBERIU, illustration, children’s literature of the 1920s and the 1930s, Lev Yudin, Vera Ermolaeva, Pavel Kondratiev, Samuil Marshak

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