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MASTER OF CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATIONS

  Many of us read a particular book, pays attention to its author and rarely thinks about the figure of the artist, who creates the illustrations to it, who succeeds to reveal the whole story in laconic drawings. One of the outstanding illustrators of children's books and magazines of the last century is unique in his genre artist-fellow citizen, graphic artist, cartoonist, well-known master of satire Aminadav Kanevskyi, whose 120th birthday anniversary is commemorated on March 17. What was he like? Where did his ideas come from, who inspired him? His art works can tell a lot about their author.

On the occasion of the commemoration of the artist's anniversary at the Oblast Art Museum, the exhibition Master of Children's Illustrations was launched, including the reproductions of the most famous art works of the artist, among them there are drawings to the following children's books: "Golden Key, or the Adventures of Buratino" by M. Tolstoy, "Moydodyr" by K. Chukovsky, by S. Marshak, "Vitya Maleev at School and at Home" by M. Nosov, set of postcartds "Merry Family", the catalog of artists "Murzilka" (1977) and a catalog for the exhibition of works on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of creative the activity of A.M. Kanevskyi (1964).

Aminadav Kanevskyi was born on March 17, 1898 in the city of Yelysavethrad (now Kropyvnytskyi) in a large family of accountant. His life and creative path was full of trials, demanding constant work on himself. The passion for painting began to be noticed early. In the future, the creativity of the young artist was formed during the creation of copies of drawings from the popular then weekly magazine "Niva".

In 1909, due to the difficult financial situation, the Kanevskyi family moved to Katerynoslav (now Dnipro). At the age of twelve, the future artist began to earn money on his own by going to work at a local photographer's, where he earned two Karbovanets a month for carrying a heavy device with a tripod around the city instead of the owner. He worked with one photographer, then another, after that he worked at the mill office as a courier, and then he got into an auxiliary worker at a small plant Stamp.

Further the artist Kanevskyi was noticed and supported at the military base for his creative talent, where he served in 1921, and was dispatched to receive higher education at the State (VKHUTEMAS - Higher Art and Technical Studios, where in 1924, after finishing Workers' Faculty, he was credited to the Graphics Faculty. He studied classes of famous graphic artists - P. Pavlynov (1881-1966), M. Kupriianov (1894-1933), V. Favorskyi (1886-1964), as well as the master of satire D. Moor (1883-1946). The influence of the latter was decisive for the artist.

In April 1936, he opened his first fiction illustrations exhibition. It was a kind of review of the book graphics achievements and artistic growth. The art works of Aminadav Kanevskyi was widely presented at this exhibition. This was the new stage in the life of the artist.

In 1936, A. Kanevskyi made his first drawing for Crocodile and soon he became one of the permanent employee of the magazine. Subsequently, the artist created a new image of the main character of the children's literary and artistic magazine Murzilka - good, curious, furry, yellow dog-correspondent in red beret and scarf, with the thrown over the shoulder camera; the character was the favorite for children of many generations.

Each new masterpiece of Aminadav Kanevskyi gives the viewer an opportunity to get double joy - the joy of meeting with the already familiar and the joy of an unexpected discovery. He could always find something new and exciting in the world around him, because he borrowed images, plots and inspiration from real life. If necessary, he left the work unfinished and went on creative quest outside, watching the kids, people, looking for the necessary features and colors. The drawings impress with their design originality, the novelty of the figurative solution, the beauty of color and bold lines. The most characteristic feature of his talent is the subtle sense of humor, the ability to see funny and ridiculous things in life.

Comical focets in his art works are multifaceted - from direct uncovered sarcasm in political caricatures and to fine irony in the illustrations to M. Gogol's stories, from the acrimonious ridicule in the satirical illustrations of M. Saltykov-Shchedrin's tale Carp-idealist (1939) to warm and affectionate smile in the illustrations of children's books. The satirical composition of artistic mentality is manifested in all facets of his art works, and it is a source of acuity and originality.

In December 1945 A.M. Kanevskyi was awarded with the honorary title of the Honored Artist, and in April 1966 - People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Later, in 1959, at the International Book Fair in Leipzig, Kanevsky's illustrations to Samuel Marshak's book published in 1956 were awarded with the silver medal in the category "For the Best Children's Books".

In 1970, the story of M. Nosov's "Vitya Maleev in School and at Home" was illustrated by the artist and was published, telling about the joys and difficulties of the school life of two comrades. Illustration, depicting Bad Marks, rushing after students, impress with flexive movements, reality of the emotions and feelings, and eventually saved its relevance and familiarity to everyone.

In 1973, A.M. Kanevskyi received the title of the national artist and became a full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR.

Shortly afterwards, on the basis of drawings by Kanevskyi to story by M. Nosov "Funny Family", the set of post cards, dedicated to boys adventures of two friends, Mykhailo and Mykola, were printed in 1976. Especially comic is the postcard No. 2 "Mykhailo's porridge" in which the boys barely succeeded to catch porridge, which flows through the top of the pot and  postcard No. 6 "Sparklers" which tells about the exaggerated children's fears, generated with the darkness, when it seems that behind every tree, wolves with malicious eyes and sharp mouthful if teeth gaze at you. The illustrations to Funny Family was created in the favorite technique of the fellow countrymen artist - watercolor drawing, after applying of the original ink illustration that gives him the ability to emotionally and directly express his thoughts and feelings.

It seems that the artist managed to save his unforgettable child time impressions and be a child deep inside, child with inherent creativity, spontaneity, unlimited imagination and subtle sense of the world. His images of people, animals and birds are easily recognizable, but at the same time devoid of nasty features of realism. They easily attract attention, and the more you look at them, the more new details you notice. He talently complemented and developed literary works of children's books, convincing that the drawings should contribute to the development of beauty sense, to organically combine it with the feelings and experience of the inner world.

The heart of Aminadav Kanevskyi stopped beating on January 1, 1976, leaving a bright, colorful world of fabulous heroes created by him and unique images in the art of illustrations of children's magazines and literary works. The artist was buried in Moscow at Golovino cemetery.

 

ANNA NEDLINSKA - RESEARCHER

OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL WORK DEPARTMENT

OF KIROVOHRAD OBLAST ART MUSEUM