Watercolor illustration for a children's book by Ivan Bilibin. Russian printing methods had evolved drastically in the short time from the first printing of Yelena Polenova's initial try at book illustration. Both Polenova and Bilibin had experienced the Art Nouveau movement while studying in Paris. A growing interest in art, music and literature outside Russia was being nurtured by the 'World of Art' movement and Bilibin eventually joined it. Bilibin is well represented on Flickr, especially at crazy_pangolin's photostream, with full page layouts of his books including text. It is so sad to think of Bilibin's death in the Siege of Leningrad. (St. Petersburg) during WWII, one of the world's greatest civilian population loses ever in a war.