Ivan Bilibin is widely known, first of all, as an illustrator of Russian folk tales. He developed his own artistic style based on the then popular Art Nouveau and Russian folk arts and crafts. This style, called “Bilibinsky”, is still popular in our time. It is a kind of calling card of Russian illustration. Many modern artists strive to imitate his graphic style.

Biography of Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin: early years

The artist was born on August 4 according to the old style or August 16 according to the new style in 1876 in the village. Tarkhovka near St. Petersburg. The Bilibin family has very ancient roots. Their surname is mentioned in documents from the 17th century. And portraits of Bilibin’s great-grandfathers, famous merchants, occupy a place of honor in the Hermitage. His father was a naval doctor and privy councilor, and his mother was a composer.

Bilibin showed a penchant for drawing even in childhood. In parallel with his studies at the gymnasium, he studied at the school of the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. However, despite young Ivan’s craving for creativity, his father wanted to see his son become a lawyer. Obedient Ivan, following his father’s will, enters the Faculty of Law, but does not give up painting. After graduating from university, the artist went to Germany to study in the studio of the painter A. Ashbe. Students came here from all over the world. After a short study, he returned to St. Petersburg and attended classes in Ilya Repin’s workshop as a free student. A few years later he entered the art school at the Academy of Arts. Soon he becomes an honorary member of the creative organization "World of Art".

First illustrations

The young artist’s interest in folk style was influenced by Viktor Vasnetsov’s painting “Bogatyrs,” which he saw at one of the exhibitions. The atmosphere of Russian antiquity charmed him so much that he went on a journey through the rural hinterlands. There he walks through the dense forests, draws old wooden huts, ornaments and in every possible way imbues himself with the spirit of antiquity. After this, he begins to create drawings in his unique style. Ivan Bilibin draws his first book illustrations for fairy tales from the collection of Alexander Afanasyev.

“The Frog Princess”, “Ivan Tsarevich”, “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka” are the most of them. These books instantly became popular thanks not only to their unusual stylization, but also to their special vision of folk fairy-tale images of Baba Yaga, the Serpent Gorynych, heroes, and Ivan Tsarevich. Bilibin not only drew the characters, but also enclosed each illustration in a decorative frame with an ornament that corresponded to the character of the fairy-tale characters. He also designed book covers and wrote titles in a font stylized as ancient Slavic writing.

A trip to the north

However, the decisive role in the biography of Ivan Bilibin and his formation as an illustrator was played by trips to the Arkhangelsk and Vologda provinces, and from there to Karelia, where he was sent on a so-called business trip by the World of Art society. There the painter discovered the life of the Russian north, its architecture, and art. Time seemed to stand still in those places. The artist saw people in national costumes with embroidery, became acquainted with the popular style of painting kitchen utensils and household items, lived in a hut with carved shutters, and painted old wooden churches. All this will subsequently be reflected in the paintings of Ivan Bilibin. These trips were very productive. The artist brought with him many drawings, sketches, photographs, and then wrote several articles based on his notes. This material helped him in his work on theatrical scenery, as well as on the next series of illustrations, this time for Pushkin’s fairy tales.

Design of the works of the great poet

Bilibin began work with the famous and beloved "Tales of Tsar Saltan." He worked with high precision not only the environment of the characters, but also the costumes of the heroes, as well as the ancient architecture.

In these tales he allowed himself some experiments with style. For example, in the painting by Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin, depicting a stormy sea, the wave is very similar to the work of the Japanese Katsushika Hokusai. And in “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” the popular print style is clearly visible. All illustrations for this work were purchased by the Tretyakov Gallery.

Bilibin's picture books were very popular with the public. They were distinguished by the beauty and harmony of both design and design, eye-pleasing color combinations, colorful characters, and detailed colorful outfits. The stylized font was also a highlight.

Behind all this was hidden the enormous work of the artist. He began work with a sketch, then transferred it to tracing paper, then drew it on paper, and only then traced the contours of the drawing with ink. At the final stage of work, he filled in the colors with watercolors. Moreover, he used exclusively local colors without a gradient. It is amazing how carefully he reproduced numerous ornaments and painted out small details.

Revolution and the double-headed eagle

During the heyday of Bilibin’s popularity, a revolution was brewing in the country. The artist begins to draw cartoons on revolutionary themes. He receives an order from the Provisional Government to design a coat of arms. Bilibin painted a fabulous double-headed eagle, which was destined to go down in history, because since 1992 it has been depicted on all Russian banknotes. In addition, Goznak owns the copyright to some of the artist’s sketches and designs.

Working in advertising

The illustrator also managed to work in the field of commercial illustration. He created advertising posters and brochures for the New Bavaria brewery. He also designed the covers of popular magazines and almanacs: “Golden Fleece”, “Rosehipnik”, “Moscow Publishing House”. Bilibin also drew theater posters and sketches for postage stamps. He was published with pleasure, and products with his pictures were in great demand.

Teaching activities and personal life

Ivan Bilibin successfully combined work on illustrations and classes with students. He taught graphics at the Drawing School for the Promotion of Arts, where he himself once studied. His students were artists Konstantin Eliseev, Nikolai Kuzmin, Georgy Narbut, as well as his two future wives.

Around that period, Bilibin got married, and his first wife was Maria Chambers, a graphic designer. She also graduated from the mentioned school. They had two sons. However, the marriage was not happy and after a few years they separated. After which Maria and her sons went to live in England.

Ivan married for the second time one of his students, Renee O'Connell. After training, she began working as an artist at a porcelain factory. There were no children in this marriage. Five years later they divorced.

His third and last wife was Alexandra Shchekatikhina-Pototskaya. She was also his former student and porcelain artist, like his previous wife. Alexandra will accompany Bilibin on all his travels and will remain with him until the very end.

Ivan Yakovlevich actively participated in the revival of artistic traditions and decorative and applied arts of Rus'. The following lines belong to him: “The old artistic Rus' was discovered quite recently, like America. Although it is covered with a thick layer of dust and is all moldy, it is still beautiful.” His activities contributed to interest not only in ancient Russian creativity, but also in everyday life, customs, and cultural heritage.

Moving to Crimea

Already a well-known and recognized illustrator, Ivan Yakovlevich purchased a plot of land on the southern coast of Crimea in Batiliman Bay. According to historical data, together with the painter, several other representatives of the intelligentsia bought a large plot of land, among whom were writers Alexander Kuprin, Vladimir Korolenko, artist Vladimir Derviz and professor Vladimir Vernadsky. They divided the land among themselves by drawing lots. Bilibin was given a plot of land on the seashore with a small fishing hut, which he turned into a workshop. There he settled for several years.

Life in Egypt

In the early 20s, Bilibin went to live in Egypt. One of the reasons for such a sudden change of residence could be disagreements with the Soviet government after the October Revolution.

He settled with his wife Alexandra in Cairo. There he lives and works on frescoes for temples in the Byzantine style, and also studies local art and architecture. At that time he traveled a lot around Cyprus and Syria. Having abandoned book graphics for a while, he creates mainly portraits and landscapes in a realistic manner. Then he decides to move with his family to Alexandria. The first personal exhibition of paintings by Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin took place there.

Work in Paris

Five years later, the painter left Egypt for Paris, where he showed himself as a talented theater decorator and costume designer, using the knowledge and experience gained in his homeland. He creates sets for operas and performances, such as the ballet by composer Stravinsky “The Firebird”, the opera “Boris Godunov”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. Ivan Bilibin also returns to illustrations and works on French fairy tales. In Paris, the painter created a charitable foundation to support emigrant artists.

Shortly before returning home, he works on a large mural "Mikula Selyaninovich" at the Soviet embassy in Paris.

Returning home

Despite successful work in France, the artist decides to return to his hometown, now Leningrad. This was a very risky act, since in his homeland he could well have expected severe repression from the Soviet authorities, to which they subjected many artists, writers, actors and other members of the intelligentsia who returned from emigration. But Bilibin was lucky, and this fate passed him by. Apparently, his achievements in the field of culture were of decisive importance.

He now begins cooperation with Soviet publishing houses and theaters. Designs the performances "Commander Suvorov", "About Tsar Saltan". The last works of Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin were illustrations for the “Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich and the merchant Ivan Kalashnikov” and the novel “Peter the Great”, in which he tried to adhere to his style, despite the strict limiting framework of the Soviet system.

Death

The fact that returning is still a bad omen can be seen from the example of the sad death of a great artist. Five years after his return, the war began and the city was besieged. It is unknown whether he was unable to leave besieged Leningrad or whether he voluntarily refused to do so. But even in such difficult times, he continued his creative activity. Deeply worried about his war-torn homeland, he wrote an ode in verse, which was published after his death.

The artist Ivan Bilibin died in besieged Leningrad in the winter of 1942 from hunger. He was buried in a common grave along with the professors of the Art Academy.

The work of Ivan Yakovlevich made an incredible shift in Russian art in general and in illustration in particular. His paintings are stories in miniature, from which it is quite possible to study ancient Russian life, culture and customs. At the same time, the popularity of the Bilibin style has spread far beyond the borders of his homeland. Books with the artist’s works continue to be published in our time. His artistic heritage includes hundreds of illustrations not only for Russian fairy tales, but also for foreign ones, as well as many unique sets and costumes for plays and theatrical productions, numerous sketches of frescoes and wall panels. Ivan Bilibin revived the original creative traditions of the peoples of Rus', adapted them and made them accessible to his contemporaries.

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Fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful" 1899

There are many children's book illustrators. One of the outstanding illustrators is Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin. It was his illustrations that helped create an elegant and accessible children's book.

Focusing on the traditions of ancient Russian and folk art, Bilibin developed a logically consistent system of graphic techniques that remained fundamental throughout his entire work. This graphic system, as well as Bilibin’s inherent originality in the interpretation of epic and fairy-tale images, made it possible to talk about a special Bilibin style.

Fragment of a portrait of Ivan Bilibin by Boris Kustodiev 1901

It all started with an exhibition of Moscow artists in 1899 in St. Petersburg, at which I. Bilibin saw the painting “Bogatyrs” by V. Vasnetsov. 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. In the summer of the same year, Bilibin went to the village of Egny, Tver province, to see for himself the dense forests, clear rivers, wooden huts, and hear fairy tales and songs. Paintings from the exhibition of Viktor Vasnetsov come to life in the imagination. Artist Ivan Bilibin begins to illustrate Russian folk tales from Afanasyev's collection. And in the fall of the same year, the Expedition for Procurement of State Papers (Goznak) began publishing a series of fairy tales with Bilibin’s drawings. Over the course of 4 years, Bilibin illustrated seven fairy tales: “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka”, “White Duck”, “The Frog Princess”, “Marya Morevna”, “The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf” , “Feather of Finist Yasna-Falcon”, “Vasilisa the Beautiful”. Editions of fairy tales are of the type of small, large-format notebooks. From the very beginning, Bilibin's books were distinguished by their patterned designs and bright decorativeness. The artist did not create individual illustrations, he strove for an ensemble: he drew the cover, illustrations, ornamental decorations, font - he stylized everything to resemble an old manuscript.

The names of the fairy tales are written in Slavic script. To read, you need to look closely at the intricate design of the letters. Like many graphic artists, Bilibin worked on decorative type. He knew the fonts of different eras well, especially the Old Russian ustav and semi-ustav. For all six books, Bilibin draws the same cover, on which there are Russian fairy-tale characters: three heroes, the bird Sirin, the Serpent-Gorynych, the hut of Baba Yaga. All page illustrations are surrounded by ornamental frames, like rustic windows with carved frames. They are not only decorative, but also have content that continues the main illustration. In the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” the illustration with the Red Horseman (sun) is surrounded by flowers, and the Black Horseman (night) is surrounded by 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?). But the most important thing for Bilibin was the atmosphere of Russian antiquity, epic, fairy tale. From authentic ornaments and details, he created a half-real, half-fantastic world. Ornament was a favorite motif of ancient Russian masters and the main feature of the art of that time. These are embroidered tablecloths, towels, painted wooden and pottery, houses with carved frames and piers. In his illustrations, Bilibin used sketches of peasant buildings, utensils, and clothing made in the village of Yegny.

Fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful" 1900

Fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful" Black Horseman 1900

Bilibin proved himself to be a book artist; he did not limit himself to making individual illustrations, but strived for integrity. Feeling the specificity of book graphics, he emphasizes the plane with a contour line and monochromatic watercolor painting. Systematic drawing lessons under the guidance of Ilya Repin and acquaintance with the magazine and society “World of Art” contributed to the growth of Bilibin’s skill and general culture. The expedition to the Vologda and Arkhangelsk provinces on the instructions of the ethnographic department of the World of Art society was of decisive importance for the artist. Bilibin became acquainted with the folk art of the North, saw with his own eyes ancient churches, huts, utensils in the house, ancient outfits, embroidery. Contact with the primary source of artistic national culture forced the artist to practically re-evaluate his early works. From now on, he will be extremely accurate in depicting architecture, costume, and everyday life. From his trip to the North, Bilibin brought back many drawings, photographs, and a collection of folk art. Documentary substantiation of every detail becomes the artist’s constant creative principle. Bilibin's passion for ancient Russian art was reflected in the illustrations for Pushkin's fairy tales, which he created after a trip to the North in 1905–1908. Work on fairy tales was preceded by the creation of sets and costumes for Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” and “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by A.S. Pushkin.

Fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful" Red Horseman 1902

Bilibin achieves special brilliance and invention in his illustrations for the fairy tales of A.S. Pushkin. 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. “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” was the most successful for the artist. Bilibin combined the satirical content of the fairy tale with the Russian popular print into a single whole. Beautiful four illustrations and a spread completely tell us the content of the fairy tale. Let us remember the popular print, which contained a whole story in a picture. Pushkin's fairy tales were a huge success. The Russian Museum of Alexander III bought illustrations for “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, and the entire illustrated cycle “Tales of the Golden Cockerel” was acquired by the Tretyakov Gallery. The storyteller Bilibin should be thanked for the fact that the double-headed eagle depicted on the coat of arms of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, on ruble coins and paper bills does not look like an ominous imperial bird, but like a fairy-tale, magical creature. And in the picture gallery of paper money of modern Russia, on the ten-ruble “Krasnoyarsk” bill, the Bilibin tradition is clearly visible: a vertical patterned path with a forest ornament - such frames edged Bilibin’s drawings on the themes of Russian folk tales. By the way, collaborating with the financial authorities of Tsarist Russia, Bilibin transferred the copyright to many of his graphic designs to the Gosznak factory.

"The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf" 1899

Epic "Volga" Volga with his squad 1903

In 1921 I.Ya. Bilibin left Russia, lived in Egypt, where he worked actively in Alexandria, traveled around the Middle East, studying the artistic heritage of ancient civilizations and the Christian Byzantine Empire. 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 painting of the Russian temple in Prague, scenery and costumes for Russian operas “Fairy Tale” about 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).

Golynets G.V. I.Ya.Bilibin. M., Fine arts. 1972. P.5

"The Tale of Tsar Saltan" 1904

Fairy tale "Marya Morevna" 1901

Fairy tale "Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka" 1901

Fairy tale "Feather of Finist Yasna-Falcon" 1900

Fairy tale "The Frog Princess" 1901

Ending to "The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish"

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Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (August 4 (16), 1876 - February 7, 1942) - Russian artist, book illustrator and theater designer, member of the World of Art association.

Born on August 4 (16), 1876 in the village of Tarkhovka (near St. Petersburg), in the family of a naval doctor Yakov Ivanovich Bilibin.
In 1888 he entered the 1st St. Petersburg Classical Gymnasium, from which he graduated with a silver medal in 1896. In 1900 he graduated from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University. In 1895-1898 he studied at the drawing school of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. In 1898, he studied for two months in the studio of the artist Anton Aschbe in Munich. For several years (1898-1900) he studied under the guidance of Ilya Repin at the school-workshop of Princess Maria Tenisheva, then (1900-1904) under the guidance of Repin at the Higher Art School of the Academy of Arts.
Lived mainly in St. Petersburg.

“As far as I can remember,” he later recalled, “I have always drawn.” The idols were the Itinerant artists. “I grew up in an intelligent family with a liberal touch,” Bilibin wrote. - The traveling exhibition was always expected with great interest: will it give anything this year? The attitude towards the other, academic exhibition was different; there was no anticipation of it or that love.”

Bilibin was young, handsome and inventive in all sorts of tricks, however quite harmless. One of his fellow students subsequently recalled how for the first time he “saw a young, cheerful, blackish, with a large beard for his age, student with a curious bouncing gait, he was most often called Ivan Yakolich, but I learned his last name later, and it was Bilibin.” And further: “At first I treated him somehow unkindly because when Repin was not in the studio, Ivan Yakovlevich was often one of the first instigators in terms of witticisms, cheerful conversations and general songs while drawing, but then I saw that this He was the sweetest person, very cheerful, sociable...”

In the Tenishevskaya workshop, Ivan Bilibin met Maria Yakovlevna Chambers, who later became his wife.

Anna Petrovna Ostroumova-Lebedeva (1871-1955), who knew him closely, draws a charming portrait of the young artist: “His appearances were sudden. He was very handsome. With pale matte dark skin, he had bluish-black hair and beautiful dark eyes. Bilibin knew that he was good and surprised his comrades with his unexpected outfits. I really remember him when he came in a bright blue frock coat.”

After the formation of the art association “World of Art”, it becomes an active member.
The founders of the “World of Art” sympathized with the West. For Alexander Nikolaevich Benois, France was the light in the window, and Konstantin Andreevich Somov and Lev Samoilovich Bakst generally spent most of their lives in Paris. If we talk about the time perspective, then all of them were impressed by the gallant 18th century. Many associated the ideas brought by the World of Arts artists into Russian art with France and the 18th century.

The time in which he happened to live was difficult and contradictory: Bloody Sunday on January 9, 1905, the Lena execution, the First World War, the February Revolution with its unfulfilled hopes, the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks, emigration... And from his pictures there emerges an unclouded, beautiful-hearted and conflict-free Rus'. They delight in the transparency of the colors, there are almost no shadows, and the shading is minimal.

For the refinement of this style, the energy of his work and the impeccable firmness of the artist’s line, his colleagues called him “Ivan the Iron Hand.”

All his sympathies were on the side of respectable realism. In the album of one of his friends, he wrote: “I, the undersigned, make a solemn promise that I will never become like artists in the spirit of Gallen, Vrubel and all the impressionists. My ideal is Semiradsky, Repin (in his youth), Shishkin... If I don’t fulfill this promise, I go to someone else’s camp, then let them cut off my right hand and send it preserved in alcohol to the Medical Academy”2. In the first place is not Ilya Efimovich Repin (1844-1930), but Genrikh Ippolitovich Semiradsky (1843-1902), realistic in his work, even naturalistic, but very far from the Itinerant artists.

Characterizing the artist’s creative style, the famous art critic and bibliologist Alexei Alekseevich Sidorov (1891-1978) wrote: “From the very beginning, Bilibin adopted a special planar system of drawing and the entire composition, basically composed of linear patterns, stylized, most likely, following the example of the northern , Norwegian or Finnish artists, images in a frame, equally stylized and ornamental, using motifs of Russian folk embroidery and wood carving.”
“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!" - wrote Ivan Bilibin.

From the very beginning, Bilibin's books were distinguished by their patterned designs and bright decorativeness. Bilibin did not create individual illustrations, he strove for an ensemble: he drew the cover, illustrations, ornamental decorations, font - he stylized everything to resemble an old manuscript.

The names of the fairy tales are written in Slavic script. To read, you need to look closely at the intricate design of the letters. Like many graphic artists, Bilibin worked on decorative type. He knew the fonts of different eras well, especially the Old Russian ustav and semi-ustav. For all six books, Bilibin draws the same cover, on which there are Russian fairy-tale characters: three heroes, the bird Sirin, the Serpent-Gorynych, the hut of Baba Yaga. All page illustrations are surrounded by ornamental frames, like rustic windows with carved frames. They are not only decorative, but also have content that continues the main illustration. In the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” the illustration with the Red Horseman (sun) is surrounded by flowers, and the Black Horseman (night) is surrounded by 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?). But the most important thing for Bilibin was the atmosphere of Russian antiquity, epic, fairy tale. From authentic ornaments and details, he created a half-real, half-fantastic world.

Ornament was a favorite motif of ancient Russian masters and the main feature of the art of that time. These are embroidered tablecloths, towels, painted wooden and pottery, houses with carved frames and piers. In his illustrations, Bilibin used sketches of peasant buildings, utensils, and clothing.

Bilibin's illustrations framed by floral patterns very accurately reflect the content of the fairy tale. We can see the details of the heroes’ costumes, the expressions on the faces of the surprised boyars, and even the pattern on the kokoshniks.

In November 1904, the next issue of the magazine “World of Art” was published, almost entirely dedicated to Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin. The artist himself designs it, illustrates it and places in it the article “Folk Art of the North.”

Bilibin subsequently published black-and-white, graphically very accurate drawings made in northern Russian villages on the pages of the magazine “National Education”. Alexander Nikolaevich Benois called Bilibin “one of the best experts on Russian antiquity”8.

The books published by the Expedition for the Procurement of State Papers were distributed throughout Russia, were a huge success and made the artist’s name famous.

After the February Revolution, Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin was a member of the Special Conference on Arts, which, under the chairmanship of Maxim Gorky, worked under the Provisional Government.

The same double-headed eagle that is now used on the coins of the Bank of Russia belongs to the brush of the heraldry expert Bilibin. The artist painted it after the February Revolution as a coat of arms for the Provisional Government, and since 1992 this eagle has again become an official Russian symbol. The bird looks fabulous, not ominous, because it was drawn by a famous illustrator of Russian epics and fairy tales. The double-headed eagle is depicted without royal regalia and with lowered wings; the inscription “Russian Provisional Government” and the characteristic “forest” Bilibinsky ornament are written around the circle. Bilibin transferred the copyright to the coat of arms and some other graphic designs to the Goznak factory.

Bilibin did not accept the October coup. He lived in Crimea for almost two years, then moved to Rostov-on-Don, under the pressure of the Red Army, he fled to Novorossiysk with the White Guard and from there on February 21, 1920 he sailed to Constantinople.

Over time, Bilibin came to terms with Soviet power. He formalizes the Soviet embassy in Paris, and then, in 1936, returns by boat to his native Leningrad. Teaching is added to his profession: he teaches at the All-Russian Academy of Arts - the oldest and largest art educational institution in Russia. In September 1941, at the age of 66, the artist refused the proposal of the People's Commissar of Education to evacuate from besieged Leningrad to the rear. “They don’t flee from a besieged fortress, they defend it,” he wrote in response. Under fascist shelling and bombing, the artist creates patriotic postcards for the front, writes articles and appeals to the heroic defenders of Leningrad. Bilibin died of hunger in the first winter of the siege and was buried in the mass grave of professors of the Academy of Arts near the Smolensk cemetery.

“Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin, our wonderful graphic artist and stylist, died of exhaustion,” writes A.P. Ostroumova-Lebedev in “Autobiographical Notes.” - Not a single artist was able to feel and perceive Russian folk art, which spread widely and flourished among our people. Ivan Yakovlevich loved it, studied it, and translated it into his beautiful graphic works. I don’t know the details of his death, I just heard that recently he lived in the basement of the Academy of Arts, since his apartment became uninhabitable due to the bombing.”

", the author of paintings and colorful 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.

Who hasn't read fairy tale books with his magnificent illustrations? The master’s works are an immersion into the world of childhood, fairy tales, and epics. He created his own world, so different from the surrounding one, allowing you to retire into your imagination and follow the heroes on dangerous and exciting journeys.

In 1895-1898 he studied at the drawing school of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts.

In 1898 he studied for two months in the studio of the artist Anton Aschbe in Munich. It was here that the study of drawing was given special importance and students developed the ability to find an individual artistic style.

While in Munich, 22-year-old Bilibin gets acquainted with the tradition of European painting:

In the Alte Pinakothek - with the works of classics: Durer, Holbein, Rembrandt, Raphael.

In the Neue Pinakothek - with modern trends, in particular with the symbolism of Arnold Böcklin and Franz Stuck

What he saw was extremely timely for the aspiring artist. And it was at the Ashbe school that Bilibin learned his signature line and graphic techniques. First, he sketched a sketch on paper, specified the composition in all details on tracing paper, then transferred it to Whatman paper, after which, using a kolinsky brush with a cut end, he drew a clear wire outline in ink over the pencil drawing.

Bilibin’s development as a book graphic artist was influenced by other Western book masters: William Maurice, who was one of the first to reflect the harmonious architecture of the book - a synthesis of literature, graphics and typography, and his “Beautiful Book”;

Graphic artists Walter Crane and Aubrey Beardsley;

Inspired by the Art Nouveau curved line of Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon;

Expressive play of black and white spots by Felix Vallotton; the wit of Thomas Heine; Lace lines by Heinrich Vogeler.

And also the influence (as in general on representatives of the Art Nouveau style) of Japanese engravings of the 17th-19th centuries is noticeable, from which the shades of fill, contours, and isometry of space are drawn; ancient Russian icons and Byzantine painting.

For several years (1898-1900) he studied under the guidance of Ilya Repin at the school-workshop of Princess Maria Tenisheva, then (1900-1904) under the guidance of Repin at the Higher Art School of the Academy of Arts.

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.

V. Vasnetsov Three heroes

Lived mainly in St. Petersburg. After the formation of the art association “World of Art”, it becomes an active member.

Group portrait of artists from the World of Art society Kustodiev

Here is what Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, one of his associates of the World of Art association, writes about Bilibin:

“He was a funny, witty conversationalist (he stuttered, which gave a special charm to his jokes) and had the talent, especially under the influence of wine, to write comic, pompous odes to Lomonosov. He came from an eminent St. Petersburg merchant family and was very proud of the two portraits of his ancestors, painted by Levitsky himself, that belonged to him, one of a young merchant, the other of a bearded merchant with a medal. Bilibin himself wore a Russian beard a la moujik and once, for a bet, walked along Nevsky in bast shoes and a tall felt buckwheat hat...”

So with a sense of humor and charisma in order)

Bilibin himself once said in his youth:

“I, the undersigned, make a solemn promise that I will never become like artists in the spirit of Gallen, Vrubel and all the impressionists. My ideal is Semiradsky, Repin (in his youth), Shishkin, Orlovsky, Bonna, Meyssonnier and the like. If I don’t fulfill this promise, I go to someone else’s camp, then let them cut off my right hand and send it preserved in alcohol to the Medical Academy!”

The era of the turn of the century—> late 19th and early 20th centuries—> Silver Age of Russian culture—> Art Nouveau style—> association and the magazine “World of Art,” to which Bilibin was close.

This approximate diagram brings us to the artist’s creative method. Bilibin turned out to be in the right place at the right time.

Russian Art Nouveau (European analogues: “Art Nouveau” in France, “Secession” in Austria, “Jugend Style in Germany”, “Horta Style” in Belgium, “New Style” in England, etc.) organically combines a search for new, modern forms with an appeal to national cultural and historical sources. The characteristic features of Art Nouveau are the aestheticization of the environment, decorative detailing and ornamentation, orientation towards mass culture, the style is filled with the poetics of symbolism.

Art Nouveau had a fundamental influence on Bilibin's art. The skill that the artist possessed, the subjects that he loved and used were entirely relevant and modern in this period for two main reasons.

Firstly, the gravitation of modernity (more precisely, one of the directions, there were others) towards the national epic, fairy tales, epics as sources of themes and plots, and a formal rethinking of the heritage of Ancient Rus', pagan art and folk art.

And secondly, the emergence of such areas of art as book graphics and scenography to a completely new highest aesthetic level. Also, it was necessary to synthesize and create an ensemble of books and theater. The association and the magazine “World of Art” have been doing this since 1898.

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”.

The first books with bright, beautiful illustrations by artists open a window for the child into the world of living images, into the world of fantasy. A young child reacts emotionally when he sees colorful illustrations; he clutches a book to himself, strokes the image in the picture with his hand, talks to the character drawn by the artist as if he were alive.

This is the enormous power of graphics to influence a child. It is specific, accessible, understandable to preschool children and has a huge educational impact on them. B.M. Teplov, characterizing the peculiarities of the perception of works of art, writes that if scientific observation is sometimes called “thinking perception,” then the perception of art is “emotional.”

Psychologists, art historians, and teachers have noted the uniqueness of children’s perception of graphic images: their attraction to colorful drawings, and with age they give greater preference to real coloring; the same is noted in relation to children’s requirements for the realistic forms of images.

At older preschool age, children have a negative attitude towards the conventions of form. The perception of works of graphic art can reach varying degrees of complexity and completeness. It largely depends on the person’s preparedness, the nature of his aesthetic experience, range of interests, and psychological state. But most of all it depends on the work of art itself, its artistic content, ideas. The feelings it expresses.

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? Meanwhile, these illustrations are more than a hundred years old.

Illustrating fairy tales and epics since 1899 (“Vasilisa the Beautiful”, “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka”, “Finist the Clear Falcon”, etc., Pushkin’s tales about Tsar Saltan and the Golden Cockerel), Ivan Bilibin created in the technique of ink drawing, highlighted with watercolor , his own “Bilibino style” of book design, based on motifs of folk embroidery, popular prints, wood carvings, and ancient Russian miniatures.

These graphic cycles, impressive for their ornamental richness, are still very popular among children and adults thanks to numerous reprints

Focusing on the traditions of ancient Russian and folk art, Bilibin developed a logically consistent system of graphic techniques that remained fundamental throughout his entire work. This graphic system, as well as Bilibin’s inherent originality in the interpretation of epic and fairy-tale images, made it possible to talk about a special Bilibin style.

The process of I. Ya. Bilibin’s graphic drawing was similar to the work of an engraver. Bilibin's books look like painted boxes. It was this artist who first saw a children's book as a holistic, artistically designed organism. His books are like ancient manuscripts, because the artist thinks through not only the drawings, but also all the decorative elements: fonts, ornaments, decorations, initials and everything else.

“A strict, purely graphic discipline […],” the artist emphasized, “turns its attention not only to the drawing and the difference in strength of individual spots, but also to the line, to its character, to the direction of flow of a whole series of neighboring lines, to their sliding along form and thus to emphasize, explain and reveal this form by these conscious lines flowing around and enveloping it. These lines can sometimes be likened to a fabric that fits a form, where the threads or stripes take on the direction that is dictated to them by the given form.”

I. Ya. Bilibin 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. Characteristic features of the Bilibin style: the beauty of patterned designs, exquisite decorative color combinations, subtle visual embodiment of the world, a combination of bright fabulousness with a sense of folk humor, etc.

The artist 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.

Ivan Yakovlevich illustrated fairy tales in such a way that children seem to go on dangerous and exciting adventures with the fairy tale heroes. All the fairy tales we know are written with a special understanding of the folk spirit and poetry.

Interest in ancient Russian art arose back in the 20s and 30s of the 19th century. In subsequent decades, expeditions were organized to study monuments of pre-Petrine architecture, and albums of ancient Russian clothing, ornaments, and popular prints were published. But most scientists approached the artistic heritage of Ancient Rus' only from ethnographic and archaeological positions. A superficial understanding of its aesthetic value characterizes the pseudo-Russian style, which became widespread in architecture and applied art in the second half of the 19th century. Old Russian and folk art were perceived in a new way in the 1880s - 1890s by V. M. Vasnetsov and other artists of the Mamontov circle, whose national quest was distinguished by greater originality and creative originality. Bilibin’s words should be addressed to these artists:

“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!"

The dream of artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries about the revival of the high culture of the past, about the creation on its basis of a new “great style” was utopian, but it enriched art with vivid images and expressive means, contributed to the development of its “non-easel” types, which had long been considered secondary, in particular theatrical scenery and book design. It is no coincidence that it was among the Mamontov circle that new principles of decorative painting began to take shape. It is no coincidence that these same masters, who constantly communicated with works of ancient Russian art, were passionate about the idea of ​​reviving ancient crafts.

Books and theater turned out to be those areas where art directly served to satisfy modern social needs and where, at the same time, the stylistic techniques of past centuries found the most natural application, where it was possible to achieve a synthesis that remained unattainable in other types of artistic creativity.

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

In 1902, 1903 and 1904, Bilibin visited the Vologda, Olonets and Arkhangelsk provinces, where he was sent by the ethnographic department of the Museum of Alexander III to study wooden architecture.

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. From his trips, Bilibin brought back a collection of works by folk artists and photographs of wooden architecture.

His impressions resulted in journalistic works and scientific reports on 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 a 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.

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

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. In this, it is very close in spirit to the creative association “World of Art”. They were all united by an interest in the culture of the past, in the alluring charms of antiquity.

Bilibin's artistic talent was clearly demonstrated in his illustrations for Russian fairy tales and epics, as well as in his work on theatrical productions. In addition to the “fairytale” style with ancient Russian ornamental motifs, there was the production of the opera “The Golden Cockerel” designed by Bilibin in 1909 at the Zimin Theater in Moscow.

In the spirit of the French mystery, he presented “The Miracle of St. Theophilus" (1907), recreating a medieval religious drama; The costume designs for Lope de Vega's drama "The Spring of the Sheep" and Calderon's drama "The Purgatory of St. Patrick" - theatrical production of the "Ancient Theater" in 1911. A humorous caricature of the same Spain emanates from Fyodor Sologub’s vaudeville “Honor and Revenge,” staged by Bilibin in 1909.

Splashes, endings, covers and other works by Bilibin are found in such magazines of the early 20th century as World of Art, Golden Fleece, and in publications of Rosehip and Moscow Book Publishing House.

In exile

On February 21, 1920, Bilibin was evacuated from Novorossiysk on the steamship Saratov. Due to the presence of sick people on board, the ship did not disembark people at