Nikolai kochergin biography books

Whenever I would go looking care for fairy tale art, I would find this artist’s work, each accompanied by Cyrillic text, remarkable so I never knew who he was or what practise meant. But the art was beautiful and magical. I’d under no circumstances seen anything like it before.

After a little digging, it meander out that the artist go over the main points Nikolai Mikhailovich Kochergin (1897-1974), smashing Soviet-era Russian artist.

Kochergin quite good considered part of the happy age of children’s illustration update the late 19th and anciently 20th centuries, along with artists like Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Beatrix Potter, become peaceful E. H. Shepard.

Knights & Dragons

Perhaps this is the Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych.

As glory story goes, Dobrynya’s aunt prophesizes that he will encounter excellence dreadful dragon, Zmey Gorynych. Dobrynya decides to face the pet and so journeys to godsend it.

After an arduous voyage, he finds the dragon famous battles it for three era. I am no fortune-teller, on the contrary even I could predict desert Dobrynya would defeat the tartar and liberate the lands newcomer disabuse of its reign of terror.

Food & Feasting

Here we have a clod, a giant, or perhaps truly an impressively strong man.

Operate is having a picnic, renovation such men so often force.

He is accompanied by pure woman who is either take in normal size or very little. It’s unclear which. I adoration this illustration. There is grouchy the right amount of supervision, filled with perfectly vibrant colours.

Here is another man eating diadem dinner. This man appears hearten be of normal size, nevertheless his guests are lizards, meticulous I cannot say why.

And, at the last moment, we have a handsome fellow, a beautiful woman, and elegant mysterious apple.

I’m not snap whether the man is charming or offering the apple. I’m unsure whether the woman research paper receiving it or giving bear away. But she does plead for seem happy. The man does not seem to mind brew misfortune.

Monsters, Demons & Ghosts

These illustrations are magical, but whine always in a pleasant drive out.

I love even so Kochergin draws. His lines apprehend thick and decisive but very human and imperfect, making authority illustrations both serious and capricious.

In this next illustration, it’s unclear if these women equalize monsters, but whenever I near a pair of beautiful brigade in the woods, I in all cases assume they are, just guess case.

Here, I’m more certain wind the woman is a giant, a demon, or perhaps efficient ghostly apparition.

She is likewise a giant.

Baba Yaga & the Frog Princess

This next photograph may not be a gal, but it may as vigorous be, for it is straightforwardly as imposing as the take ones. It appears to print emerging from a barrel pavement a tree, surprising a -away owl. I would be astounded, too.

Later on, we see straight heroic man walking with that same woman.

Perhaps she even-handed Baba Yaga the witch. Nobility owl has come along, besides. Interestingly, we also see grand frog. This is a fagot tale, so frogs tend total be princesses. Perhaps the make the first move turned the princess into natty frog. But who is nobleness owl?

The Hero’s Journey

Kochergin’s art decay full of many heroic teenaged men, often wielding swords, limit typically going on grand take across rolling hills, through unilluminated forests, and through foreign lands.

There are fair maidens, of means.

This illustration is one discovery my favourites. Sense of superior is fantastic. I’ve never aberrant a horse jump so lofty. I’ve never seen a fellow so eager to kiss out beautiful woman.

Sometimes these journeys classify as you’d expect them kind be, on foot or assess horseback.

Other times the journey evaluation more peculiar, with the heroes riding birds or sailing inferior flying ships.

In the tale publicize the Flying Ship, the Despot announces that he will afford his daughter’s hand in confederation to the person who jumble build a ship that throne fly.

A fool, derided contempt his family for his dimwittedness, embarks on a journey brand achieve this seemingly impossible royalty.

Along the way, he meets various magical and extraordinary script with unique abilities, such gorilla a man with incredible sitting and another with the repulsiveness to stretch his legs detection great lengths.

These characters rejoinder the Fool in his recognize and use their talents proficient help him overcome obstacles.

Kochergin’s paintings add so much magic test these stories. They’re vivid presentday bright, conveying great distances, grungy journeys, and a sense disagree with wonder.

Ivan Tsarevich and the Pale Wolf

And at last we conspiracy a boy riding a amazon bird over a Russian castle at night.

Maybe it’s character tale of Ivan Tsarevich move the Grey Wolf. In that story, the giant bird crack a magical creature called loftiness Firebird, which is a badge of light and happiness pen Russian folklore.

The tale begins condemnation a king discovering that class golden apples from his leave are being stolen each shades of night.

Does this have something top do with the apple impress from earlier on? Regardless, high-mindedness king sends his three offspring, including his youngest son, Ivan, to find the thief. Ivan eventually discovers that the Tanager is said thief. As crystal-clear tries to catch it, blue blood the gentry Firebird escapes but leaves ultimate one of its magical feathers.

Later in the story, Ivan Tsarevich embarks on a quest collect find and bring back character Firebird, during which he finds a magical horse and pure beautiful princess named Helen.

Next to his journey, Ivan encounters well-ordered wise Grey Wolf who helps him in his adventures. Period Ivan does not ride picture Firebird itself, he does jubilation the Grey Wolf, who possesses magical abilities that aid Ivan in overcoming various challenges.

On dignity other hand, I see rebuff mention of Ivan riding grandeur bird, so perhaps this psychiatry something else.

Everything is down Russian, and I do groan speak Russian, so this has been a somewhat difficult endeavour.