There was something dark, mythic and beautifully nostalgic about the world of folklore Ivan Bilibin created. Throughout his career he was inspired deeply by Slavic folklore and myths. He distinctly reflected the mountains, forests and lore of old Russia. Bilibin gained some renown in 1899, when he released his illustrations of Russian fairy tales which became widely popular.
“Baba Yaga’s Cat” from My Big Book of Cat Stories, illustrated by Adrienne Segur
I love this mythic illustration by the Russian illustrator, Losin. V. Losin
Explore sofi01's 2247 photos on Flickr!
Tim Pratt's story, "Jubilee" in Endicott Studio's Winter 2005 Journal of Mythic Arts
Русалки, водяные, лешие, Баба-яга... Знакомые с детства образы сложно представить в одном ряду с грифонами и кентаврами. Но славянская мифология может потягаться с любым европейским бестиарием. Итак, в кого верили наши предки?
The old kingdom of Gwynedd – the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia), Ynys (Anglesey) and the Llyˆn Peninsula – may be the most mythic landscape in Britain. The ancient Druids and from it sprang the tales of Blessed Bran who protected the land, wizards who made a Woman of Flowers, and Merlin the dragon whisperer whose […]
Edmund Lester Pearson Coll. purchased for the J.S. Billings Mem. Coll
Arguably, the smallest of all mythical creatures, Faeries (fairies) are supernatural beings and spirits that dwell in forests. The term Faerie is allegedly from the Latin term for "fate" (fata). Fay or fey is the archaic term for faerie meaning bewitched or enchanted. This word derives from 'Fays' meaning Fates, which is supposedly a broken form of Fatae. 'Fay-erie' was first a state of enchantment, and was later used for the fays who wielded the powers of illusion. The state of enchantment is f
The mythic invasions of Ireland, the mystical kingdoms, warriors, giants, creatures of the underworld and magic, these are the fantastic ingredients of Celtic legend. Because they told their own stories in the ancient way, by word of mouth, we understand the traditions of these proud people through the records of their mortal enemies, the Romans, but still they thrive, so bright and strong today. In these pages you'll find stories of giants, ancient spells, ghosts and fairies, of sea-folk and tree-folk. All the main legends of the Irish invasions, the Ulster cycle and the Fenian cycle sit alongside the tales of the Mabinogion and the secret stories of Scottish folk and fairy tales. From the Tragedy of the Children of Lir to the Coming of Finn mac Cumail, The Fiddler of Gord to The Fox, the Wolf and the Butter you'll discover an enchanting world from the past that connects to the landscapes and traditions of today. The latest title in Flame Tree's beautiful, comprehensive series of Gothic Fantasy titles, concentrates on the ancient, epic origins of modern fantasy in the myths and legends of the Celts. 25 Line drawings, black and white
Arthur Rackham self-portrait Arthur Rackham (1867 – 1939) is widely regarded as one of the leading illustrators from the 'Golden Age' of British book illustration which encompassed the years from 1900 until the start of the First World War. Arthur Rackham's works have become very popular since his death, both in North America and Britain. His images have been widely used by the greeting card industry and many of his books are still in print or have been recently available in both paperback and hardback editions. His original drawings and paintings are keenly sought at the major international art auction houses. This is part 7 of an 8-part post on the works of Arthur Rackham. For full biographical notes see part 1. Some British Ballads was an illustrated collection of traditional tales including Clerk Colvil, The Lass of Lochroyan, Young Bekie, Chevy Chase, The Gardener, The Gay Goshawk, Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, The Twa Corbies, Young Akin, Binnorie, Get Up and Bar the Door, The Riddling Knight, Lady Elspat, Johnnie of Cockerslee, The Old Cloak, Proud Lady Margaret, Young Andrew, Sir Patrick Spens, Lord Randal, The Twa Brothers, The Duke of Gordon's Daughter, The Barron of Braikly, The Lackmaben Harper, The False Lover Won Back, Lamkin, Bonnie George Campbell, Prince Robert, Earl Mar's Daughter, The Death of Parcy Reed, Hynd Horn, Helen of Kirconnell, The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington, Rare Willie Drowned in Yarrow, The Gypsy Laddie, Clyde Water, The Lady Turned Serving-Man, Earl Brand, Earl Richard, The Fair Flower of Northumberland, and The Wife of Usher's Well. This version originally published in 1919: Cover of Some British Ballads Title page Chapter heading "Clerk Colvill" Clerk Colvill O Waken, Waken, Burd Isbel The Twa Corbies Erlington May Colven Get Up and Bar the Door Johnnie de Cockerslee Young Andrew Lord Randal The False Lover Won Back Earl Mar's Daughter Hind Horn The Gypsy Laddie Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens. Stephens (1882 – 1950) was an Irish novelist and poet. He produced many re-tellings of Irish myths and fairy tales. His stories are marked by a combination of humour and lyricism. This version originally published in 1920: 1920 Cover of Irish Fairy Tales Title page "My life became a ceaseless scurry and wound and escape, a burden and anguish of watchfulness" "Wild and shy and monstrous creatures ranged in her plains and forests" "A man who did not like dogs. In fact, he hated them. When he saw one he used to go black in the face, and he threw rocks at it until it got out of sight" "How he strained and panted to catch on that pursuing person and pursue her and get his own switch into action" "In forked glen into which he slipped at night fall he was surrounded by giant toads" "She looked with angry woe at the straining and snarling horde below" "The banqueting hall was in tumult" "The door of Fionn's chamber opened gently and a young woman came into the room" "The Hag of the Mill was a bony, thin pole of a hag with odd feet" "They stood outside, filled with savagery and terror" "The thumping of his big boots grew as continuous as the pattering of hail-stones on a roof, and the wind of his passage blew trees down" "The waves of all the worlds seemed to whirl past them in one huge green cataract" "They offered a cow for each leg of her cow, but she would not accept that offer unless Fiachna went bail for the payment" The Sleeping Beauty told by Charles Seddon Evans. The Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairy-tale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment of sleep, and a handsome prince. Written as an original literary tale, it was first published by Charles Perrault in Histoires ou contes du temps passé in 1697. This version originally published in 1920: Cover of The Sleeping Beauty 1920
(Part II) The Red Shoes Gerda And The Bird The Wild Swans Bluecrest The Little Mermaid The Charming Prince Little Red Riding Hood Silvershod The Golden Bird Vassilissa The Beautiful That Stupid Jac…
On a bright, clear morning some years ago, during the long, lovely days leading up to summer solstice, Wendy Froud and I drove through the lanes to the village of Callington in Cornwall (the county just to the west of...
Having just completed her degree, earning a BFA in illustration, artist Corinne Reid continues to expand her creative skills through her spirited artwork.
Gordon Laite American Illustrator b. 1925 pictures from The Blue Book of Fairy Tales © 1959 Western Publishing Company. Despite my scans of a book that wasn't printed well--it has some color registration problems--the artwork of Gordon Laite shows through. He was a designer and illustrator of great skill. His girls are beautiful, his monsters grotesque. Many people who remember this 1959 Little Golden Book were impressed by the pipe-smoking hag in Rapunzel. Click on pictures for full-size images.
Edmund Lester Pearson Coll. purchased for the J.S. Billings Mem. Coll
Gustaf Tenggren (1869-1970)
It's the Winter Poetry Challenge, which will run each day from now through Saturday. Here's how it works: I challenge all you poets out there to share a poem (or poems) on a mythic theme posted each day. There are...
10 Lesser-Known Fairy Tales That Should Get More Love
I'm sorry I didn't see this until about half an hour after the opportunity was over, and I didn't want to just add this to the round-up list, but yes: Maria Tatar was on the pop culture 'n' more news site iO9, answering every question, no matter how strange, with tact, aplomb and a solid dose of good humor. Here's the announcement from Thursday: Maria Tatar is the translator of the newly discovered trove of fairytales, lost for over a century, but just recently uncovered. Ask her all your questions about The Turnip Princess, the history of fairytales and folklore, and anything else you want to know!Tatar will be joining us today from noon - 1:00 p.m. (Pacific time), so start asking her all your questions now about the history of fairytales, where these new fairytales fit in with the tradition, and what these stories mean to us today. Although I don't really have too many questions on Schonwerth yet as I have yet to do more than skim the book, I'm sure I would have thought of something! But it's great to be there live as regular people are asking questions on fairy tales. That doesn't happen too often! Here are a few exchanges that I thought you guys might find interesting: Isabelle Arsenault Ria Misra: Also, one of the things that stood out to me when reading The Turnip Princess was the darkness of many of the stories that were told. Obviously, the original Grimm brothers tales had their own dark elements as well, but those have been considerably softened through the years. Do you suspect that a similar softening process will eventually happen with these new fairytales, or are they more likely to retain their darker threads?Tatar: I've touched on some of the differences between Grimm and Schönwerth already, so I'll focus on the question of the "softening process." When the Grimms published their collection, they came under much critical fire for publishing stories that were "crude" and "vulgar." One reviewer was outraged by the story of Hans Dumm, who makes women pregnant by looking at them. The Grimms quickly dropped that story from their collection in part because they found that by making the volume more appealing to parents, they sold more books. Schönwerth never refashioned his stories, and he gives us a story in which a fellow eats dumplings and then makes a mess outdoors. Then there is the king's bodyguard, who gets the king's daughter pregnant. I imagine that these stories will expand the folkloric canon, and in some cases they will be watered down, in other cases intensified and made even more explosive. Neil Gaiman once said that a fairy tale is like a "loaded gun"—and that's why I use the term "explosive." You can always blow up a fairy tale, blow it up in both senses of the term. Sketchnotes for "The Great Cauldron of Story" with Maria Tatar by On Being The Homework Ogre: In terms of original fairy tales, the one thing that everybody seems to know is that they were once much more violent — wicked stepmother dances to death in red-hot iron shoes, kids waste away and die together under a tree, stepsisters mutilate themselves to fit the slipper, etc. etc. — and have since been "sanitized" for the consumption of kids. I'm sure the stories in this collection are no less grim (har har); how do you feel about the bowlderization of folk tales?Tatar: I'm completely irreverent when it comes to fairy tales. There's nothing sacred about these stories. No one really owns them, and we should be able make them our own in mash-ups, remixes, and adaptations. It's important to preserve the historical record, and that's why I am so deeply invested in the work of the Grimms, Charles Perrault, and Schönwerth. But why should we read stories from the early nineteenth-century to our children today? Especially when women dance to death in red-hot iron shoes? Or a stepmother decapitates her stepson in "The Juniper Tree"? There's no reason not to create our own zany versions, and, if you look at picture books about Little Red Riding Hood, you see that we do that all the time. We are constantly recycling "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Sleeping Beauty" for adults—in ways obvious and not so obvious. I don't necessarily like every new version, but I do love to talk about it. What did the writer or filmmaker get right? Where did they go wrong? Silver Marmoset: In a class I'm currently taking on fairy tales, we've discussed where the Grimms' fairy tales came from geographically (apparently Italy). But have you any idea where the fairy tale motifs themselves came from? As in, what ideas or time periods gave rise to the idea of ogres, talking animals, and magic as story fodder?Thank you!Tatar: Great question, and I'd start with Vladimir Nabokov who tells us that fiction began on the day when a boy came home crying "Wolf Wolf" and there was no wolf. I love the idea of fairy tales as lies—true lies that exaggerate and bend reality in ways that enable us to flex our intellectual muscles and "think more." Where did these stories come from? I don't have much faith in the view put forth that the tales had literary origins in Italy. In fact, the Schönwerth collection has few literary fingerprints on it at all. His stories are not urban and urbane confections, but narratives rooted in popular culture—with all the rough edges, surreal qualities, and lack of closure you might expect from oral storytelling traditions. The more I study folklore, the more I realize that the tropes (lost slipper, cannibalistic ogre, predatory wolf) circulate globally. The stories are primal and take up cultural contradictions that are found everywhere—human vs. animal, predator vs. prey, bestiality vs. compassion, hostility and hospitality—and help us try to make sense of them. LucilleBallBuster: what do you think the modern equivalent of fairy tales are? do you think any of the stories current society creates have taken the place or fairytale? or do we still form these types of stories and pass them around?Tatar: Fairy tales have not gone away. They have just been re-mediated, and today we find them on screen, at the opera, on stage, in advertisements, even in paintings. Take Little Red Riding Hood: She's refashioned in films like Hanna, Hard Candy, Freeway, and The Company of Wolves. We see her in a Chanel ad, in a Pepsi commercial (where she becomes the wolf—I think it's Kim Cattrall howling in the soundtrack), or in a Volvo ad (with a red-hooded car driving through the woods and a kid in the back seat). Then suddenly Vogue has a fairy-tale fashion shoot, and presto she reappears. Visual culture loves the girl in red, and Kiki Smith has an eye-popping series of Little Red Riding Hood images (one in the series famously appeared as a perverse wedding gift in Gilmore Girls—could not stop myself on that one). As you can see, there's a lot to chew on here! (I had to stop myself from adding more.) You can read the whole Q&A HERE, though you might want to make yourself a very large cup of tea. Once you start, it's hard to stop reading.
The Magazine for Science and Reason
Anne Anderson was Scottish illustrator with tremendous achievements as artist and illustrator of picture books. Her biography is inseparable from her work, which is interleaved with Allan Wright's.
