Description of illustration of Ivan Bilibin “Vasilisa the Beautiful”

Description of illustration of Ivan Bilibin Vasilisa the Beautiful

Probably, everyone was holding in his hands beautiful children’s books in a dense colorful cover with patterns on the margins in the old Russian style. And certainly everyone knows the tale of Vasilis the Beautiful. Let us dwell in more detail on the illustrations for this particular fairy tale, created by the remarkable artist Bilibin.

Creativity Bilibin well recognizable thanks to a single author’s style, techniques that he himself invented and used in all his works. Bilibin was very sensitive to the chart, saying that she draws attention to the line, its character, and not to individual color spots. The artist believed that each line should be conscious, emphasize the form and slide along it.

Bilibin’s books are rich in patterns, they have a very bright decorative effect. The artist did not stop at separate illustrations, he worked through the whole book in its style from cover to cover, up to the fonts and

ornaments on the edges, of the cover. Each illustration is framed with a patterned frame, so we involuntarily come to mind carved platbands on rustic wooden windows.

Let us dwell on the picture, where Vasilisa the Beautiful in the forest is watching the rider in white clothes on a snow-white horse. We do not see the faces of the heroes, but the details are carefully worked out: costumes and patterns on them, trees and flowers. Thanks to the skill of Bilibin, just by looking at the picture, you can, without reading a fairy tale, understand what is happening at the moment. Even a piece of the sky, turning pink in the left corner of the picture, tells us about the time of action. The picture is framed by a rhythmic pattern of repetitive Christmas trees, birds and horses.

In addition, it is impossible not to mention the personal signature of Bilibin, which he left directly in the picture. Also stylized as antique, his last name fits perfectly into the illustration, becoming its inseparable part.


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Description of illustration of Ivan Bilibin “Vasilisa the Beautiful”