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Franco Matticchio
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Cut Out Visions
Brushflurlet
Last week I gave two lectures about the early 20th century avant-gardes, one of my favorite
graphic design history subjects. While animal representations and children's books
are not commonly found in the work of these artists, there are a few notable exception,
including Hannah Höch's magical Bilderbuch.
Höch was one of the few women to participate in the Dada movement, and one of the main members
of its Berlin group. Born in Germany in 1889, she studied graphic arts in Berlin and left school to work
for the Red Cross during WWI. In 1915 Höch had begun a close friendship with the Dadaist artist
Raoul Hausmann, and at the end of the war she became involved with the movement.
She studied fabric design and textiles, and while working part time for the large publisher Ullstein Verlag,
she used the company's catalogues to create her early photomontages. Höch and Hausmann
became pioneers of this new art form, which they used for political satire and social commentary.
Höch and Hausmann in 1920 at the First International Dada Fair. She was the only woman in the show.
The large photomontage at left is Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Beer-Belly
of the Weimar Republic, Höch's most famous work.
In 1922 Höch separated from Hausmann and the Berlin Dadaists. She continued to produce her own art,
focusing more on feminist and gender issues. After the Nazis took power she remained in Berlin,
living in a remote area and keeping a low profile while protecting her artworks and Dada memorabilia.
She continued to produce and exhibit photomontages until her death in 1978 at the age of eighty-nine.
Boa Perlina
Langfransens
Rennquicke
Liebkübchen
In 1945 Höch created 19 photocollages to illustrate her Bilderbuch (Picture Book), a story of fantastical creatures
set in a dreamy fairy tale garden, which remained unpublished until 1985. As Gunda Luyken
"To counter the grey postwar years, Höch developed in 19 collages and accompanying texts
a magical world populated by fantastic exotic plants and animals. People play no role here,
apart from the baby emerging from one of the eggs that Madame Marklet has collected around her.
... Although Höch always spoke of her 'picture book', the texts are an essential part of the work.
For each of the collages, the artist thought up brief, delicate rhymes that sketch out miniature stories
and are reminiscent of the verses of Joachim Ringelnatz or Christian Morgenstern.
She gave her impish creatures the oddest names—Loftylara, Brushflurlet, Unsatisfeedle
and Runfast. Although Höch conjured up in images and words a fantastic world, it is one not free
of human weaknesses like dissatisfaction or disagreement, as represented, for example, by the couple Longfringes.
All the same, the book exudes a cheerfulness and light-heartedness that the philosopher and writer
Salomon Friedländer also attributed to the artist herself: 'Basically, you are a fabulous and wonderful girl—
and whoever doesn’t get you must be a dull and totally impossible guy.
And who does understand you? A child, just like you.'"
Schnifty
Schwanzgemsen
Unzufriedel
Dumblet and her Egg
Unsatisfeedle
Santaschwebe
Thanks to Yesterday You Said Tomorrow and Arthur van Kruining for the scans.
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Butterfly Effect
Maya jumps around trying to catch butterflies, what a happy springtime sight
Odilon Redon, Evocation of Butterflies, 1911
Anne Siems, Landing (detail)
David Kracov, Book of Life
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Vladimir Kush, Departure of the Winged Ship
for more, visit my previous butterfly gallery here
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Strong as a Bear
This year, as you may know, I was unable to attend the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
But thanks to the generosity of friends and publishers, and a trip to the very well stocked
Florentine children's book store Cuccumeo, I do have some wonderful new books
to share with you over the next weeks. First of all, once again I am very grateful
to Topipittori for introducing into our country some of my favorite European illustrators
(besides working with some excellent Italian ones). This new beautiful new volume is a reprint
of Stark wie ein Bär, the 2012 award winning book by the German illustrator Katrin Stangl.
I first took notice of Stangl in 2009 when another invaluable Italian publisher,
Corraini, published The Musicians of Brehem. I saw her work again at the 2011 Illustrators Exhibition
in Bologna, and her striking, bold style and two-color linocut technique again made an impression.
Forte comme un orso is an explosion of colorful vitality. The simple text enunciates
a list of animal qualities that children will easily identify with, and the full page
illustrations will easily delight adults too. The book's vibrant chromatic quality
was achieved thanks to a printing process using four different pantone colors.
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Seasons of the Bear
Noriko Senshu, Midsummer bear
Annegert Fuchshuber, Zwei und mehr
G. Nicholas, Year in the woods, 1984, thanks to polny_shkaf
Rob Dunlavey, Bonne Nuit Petit Ours
Janusz Grabianski, 1961, thanks to Manon Gauthier
Anna Emilia Laitinen, Winter Is Ending
Arnold Lobel, Red Fox and his Canoe, 1964, and Brian Wildsmith, The Lazy Bear, 1974,
thanks to my vintage book collection in book form
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Franco Matticchio
Good news for all the fans of Franco Matticchio: his new Facebook page will allow you
to enjoy many more of his works and keep up with his latest news!
If you use Facebook, I also invite you to like the Animalarium page, which offers a rich variety
of images and links, updated daily. For me it's a great way to easily share interesting art, books
and news which due to time constraints would be impossible to feature in this blog.
Hope to see you there!
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Mamma Mia!
Victor Pivovarov, 1971
Anthony Browne
Helen Borton, Do you go where I go?, 1972
Brian Wildsmith, Wild Animals
Helene Carter, Sharp Ears, 1938
Rare Animals, via HannaRivka
Józef Wilkon
Knud Kyhn
Andy Warhol
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Tatiana Mavrina
My ongoing survey of great Russian illustrators continues with the bold and colorful works of Tatiana Mavrina,
Mavrina was born in Nizhny Novgorod in 1902, and studied at the Higher State Art and Craft Institute
and other traditional forms of Russian folk art with the French painting tradition.
Forty White-sided, 1957
My grandmother goat, 1962
Many of Mavrina's children's books illustrate Russian folk tales and Aleksandr Pushkin's
fairy tales such as The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Heroes (1949)
Ruslan and Ludmila (1960), There Stands (1961) and The Tale of the Golden Cockerel.
Fabulous Beasts, 1965
Mavrina collected old icons and folk art. She didn't address her illustrations specifically to children,
and her books were often published as gift editions. In her original picture books, such as Fabulous Beasts (1965)
and Fairy-Tale ABC (1969), the text plays a secondary role to the humorous and brightly colored pictures.
Gingerbread baked into the clutches of a cat is not given, 1967
(dear Russian readers, please help me with a better translation)
Fairytale Alphabet, 1969
For Miles and Miles Away, 1970
Lukomorie, 1970
Birds at Sea, 1976
In 1976 Mavrina became the only Soviet artist to be awarded the Andersen Prize
for her contribution to the illustration of children’s books.
SInce Mavrina died in 1996, the public's interest in her work has been steadily increasing.
One can find her works in major Russian museums including the Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum,
and the State Museum of Fine Arts. And if you are in Moscow, you can visit her exhibition
at Petrosvky Passage which runs until June 3rd.
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Bear with Me
Thomas Theodor Heine, 1901
This May the Animalarium has been invaded by bears. The inspiration was a trip to Bern, the Swiss city
whose heraldic symbol is a black bear. A good excuse to explore my fascination with the ways
our ancient and powerful symbolic connection with bears resurfaces from our unconscious
our ancient and powerful symbolic connection with bears resurfaces from our unconscious
time and time again, in so many different contexts and interpreted by various artists' sensitivities.
Enjoy this hodgepodge collection and bear hugs to everyone!
Joan Walsh Anglund, Cowboy and his friend, 1961
Emma Carlow
Jutta Bauer
Nikolaus Heidelbach
Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin
René Hausman, Saki et l'Ours, 1965
Marion Duval, Anouchka et l'ours
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Flying Around
Oscar Rabe Hanson, 1926
Just back from a brief but wonderful trip to Barcelona,
I am getting ready to leave for a few days in Paris...
I love to travel, but wish I had my own wings
instead of flying with Ryanair
Battetti, 1930s
Lucien Boucher, 1948, thanks to Paul Malon
Charley Harper, 1951
Two 1950s posters for Braniff
Jacques Dubois, 1956
Jean Colin, 1958
Thanks to Sandi Vincent
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via the Simmonds Collection
Pablo Picasso, 1963
Georges Mathieu, 1968
Wiktor Górka, 1968
Raymond Savignac
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Cake Please!
Sorry for the recent lack of posts, but as soon as I came back from Paris last Tuesday
I had to start working on two new Summer courses, and still don't have the time to do much else.
Today's gallery is dedicated to one of the many great things I love about the Ville Lumière,
its delicious cakes and pastries.
Unsurprisingly, when I was a child this was one of my favorite illustrations in my favorite book...
tarte aux framboises, moelleux au chocolat, éclair au café, gateau au chocolat et noisettes,
créme brulée (etcetera), I already miss you!
John Dukes McKee, The Big Show, 1933
As a child I was also very fond of this book illustrated by Leonard Weisgard in 1951
Noelle Lavaivre, Pistache et Dame Tartine, 1959
Raymond de Lavererie, Histoire de Kiri et Kikou, 1959, and
Alain Gree, Il y a une petite abeille, via pour toujours...
Dahlov Ipcar, Hard Scrabble Harvest, 1976
unknown illustrator, thanks to carlomaria
Oksana Ignashchenko, 1985, thanks to polny_shkaf
Anthony Browne
Ronald Searle
Well, not everybody likes cake!
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The Life Aquatic
Dear readers, in case you worry, Animalarium and I are still alive.
Right now my life is quite hectic, but July should be slower paced,
so expect more posts soon... There are lots of things I'd like to share,
but will I ever find the time? For now, enjoy the dive!
Albert Robida, Little Hiawatha, 1914
Tomi Ungerer, Emile, 1960
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, cover by Krystyna Witkowska, 1954
thanks to 50 Watts
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A Matter of Life and Death
Dear readers, if you're still hanging around, I'd like to inform you that as today I resume
my Animalarium postings. I feel I owe you an explanation for my long absence, so here it is: I was at a loss for words.
my Animalarium postings. I feel I owe you an explanation for my long absence, so here it is: I was at a loss for words.
At the end end June Seba and I were in Sweden, having a wonderful time at the wedding
informing us that or beloved little Chapi had suddenly died. Unseen, mysteriously, just outside our home,
hit on the head by a big log of wood. The log may have fallen due to that day's small earthquake,
or maybe Maya pushed it down as they were playing... but these speculations are rather useless,
and we were simply left to face and accept the hard fact that we had lost our wonderful friend,
as it had happened just one year before with Emma.
our last photo together
Since I really haven't slowed down, with Summer courses, family events and even a great dancing party
in our garden, but I have often been feeling quite sad and empty inside, and couldn't face the idea
of writing a blog post, as I wasn't ready to talk about what had happened or to ignore it.
of writing a blog post, as I wasn't ready to talk about what had happened or to ignore it.
And I really didn't feel at all like posting pretty pictures of animals, especially cats,
although I did make an effort to keep the Animalarium facebook page alive.
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Maya has been sad too. Chapi had been her best friend and companion since she arrived at our home,
the two of them playing together for hours to our endless delight. We began to think that
we should adopt another cat, hoping that magic would happen again and the big rumpus
we should adopt another cat, hoping that magic would happen again and the big rumpus
could resume. But we weren't quite ready.
Then, about ten days ago, a young female cat appeared in our garden. She was very hungry
and scared, and we started feeding her and making friends. One of her eyes was
in bad shape, but otherwise she looked healthy, with a very sweet temperament.
I noticed that the time spent with this kitty was the most peaceful and serene in my day.
I was hoping that she would hang around, and she did. She still spends most of the time
out in the garden, but is starting to feel more confident and to come eating inside.
Then, about a week ago, another female cat appeared out of the blue. This was pretty weird,
since during the sixteen years that I've been living here no cats had ever showed up at our door.
This one was very hungry too, but much less frightened – in a very short time, she has installed
herself in our home and looks perfectly at ease lying on the sofa. In all likeliness
she belonged to someone, and she is either lost or abandoned. We are still looking for
she belonged to someone, and she is either lost or abandoned. We are still looking for
the owner, but it's quite likely that both of these cats will end up moving in with us.
What else can I say? I am trying to learn to keep on loving and enjoying life and living creatures,
without getting so attached that I can't accept the mystery of death, and loss,
and nature's eternal renewal.
I believe I am ready to start again.
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Joyous Carousel
How ant hurried home, 1967
I discovered the illustrations of Lev Tokmakov a few years ago,
thanks (unsurprisingly) to 50 Watts, and was recently very pleased to stumble
upon a large treasury of his children's books on a Russian website.
I discovered the illustrations of Lev Tokmakov a few years ago,
thanks (unsurprisingly) to 50 Watts, and was recently very pleased to stumble
upon a large treasury of his children's books on a Russian website.
What looks like the Moon, 1961
Tokmakov was a Russian artist born in 1928 who produced lithographs and paintings
and illustrated almost 300 children's books. His bright, cheerful, witty and graceful illustrations
graced the pages of books by most of the important authors of Russian children's literature,
graced the pages of books by most of the important authors of Russian children's literature,
as well as Gianni Rodari and Astrid Lindgren. He also worked on a large number of Russian folk tales,
and other tales from Italy and China.
and other tales from Italy and China.
Boris Zakhoder, School for Baby Birds, poems for children, 1970
Tokmakov taught for many years illustration at the Russian State Children's Library.
He believed that it's harder to illustrate children's books than books for adults,
"because you have to use more life force energy". In 1958 he began to collaborate
with the famous children's magazine Murzilka, and became one of its best artists.
He believed that it's harder to illustrate children's books than books for adults,
"because you have to use more life force energy". In 1958 he began to collaborate
with the famous children's magazine Murzilka, and became one of its best artists.
Irina Tokmakova, Carousel, poems for children, 1971
Moldavian folk songs, 1987
About furry and feathered, 1989
In his later books, sometimes Tokmakov revisited his subjects using a different technique,
as you can see from the turtle below. In 2010, the same year he died, he was awarded a special diploma
for outstanding achievement for his book Amusing walks across Moscow at the Moscow book festival.
His works are in the collections of numerous museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery,
the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery of Bratislava.
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as you can see from the turtle below. In 2010, the same year he died, he was awarded a special diploma
for outstanding achievement for his book Amusing walks across Moscow at the Moscow book festival.
His works are in the collections of numerous museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery,
the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery of Bratislava.
As always, I invite my dear Russian readers to correct
any terribly translated title you find in this post!
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Be my Pet
Josef Capek, Histoires de Chien et de Chat, 1929
thanks to Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Lovesv
Alice and Martin Provensen, Karen's curiosity, 1963
Werner Klemke, 1965?
Don Madden, One Kitten for Kim, 1966, and Arnold Lobel, The Quarreling Book, 1963,
Mary Blair, late 1960s
Charles Keeping, Charlie, Charlotte and the Golden Canary, 1967, via Curio Books
Judith Kerr, Mog the forgetful cat, 1970
Ezra Jack Keats, 1970
Jitka Kolínská, Lucie a zázraky, 1980, thanks to Josefskrhola
Nicoletta Ceccoli, Oscar y los gatos lunares, via Cornabou Revista Digital
Isol, Pantuflas de perrito
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Eclectic Delights
poster for Overlook Press, early 1970s
When I started the Animalarium a little over four years ago, one of my first posts
was dedicated to Milton Glaser, who has been one of my heroes for a long long time.
As more of his works surface online, today I am even more impressed by the quality
and variety of his immense artistic and graphic output. Having recently watched
the documentary Milton Glaser: to Inform and Delight and a number of his lectures and
interviews, I am inspired to pay homage again to this giant of visual communication
and overall gracious human being. The following images come from various
online sources, but most of them were first featured on the website of the
Book covers, 1959-60
children's book, 1962
Eros magazine, 1962
Colorvision brochure, 1963
Show, The Magazine of the Arts, September 1963
poster to promote book, 1969
bird for Unicef poster, late 1960s–early 1970s
Sans tabac poster, 1977
San Diego Jazz Festival, 1983
Night of The Snow Leopard, 1983
two sketches for the Buffalo Zoological Gardens, 1983
Illustration for Le Poète Assassiné by Apollinarie, 1984
Catskill Cuisine, 1990s
Lonely Cat, 2003
poster for Overlook Press, 2011
poster for the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival, 2013
still going strong after 60 years...
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Insect Orchestra
+Jiri+Trnka+arthurvankruining.jpg)
There's been a very long and loud concert in the garden all Summer...
now it's fading away, and I already miss it
John Rae, Grasshopper and the meadow mice, 1922
Ernst Kreidolf, 1924
Die Geschichte von Körnli und Rispli published by Chocolats Nestlé, 1945,
thanks to Michael Studt
Felix Lorioux, Le Buffon des Enfants, Les Insectes de Chez Nous, 1946
Fritz Baumgarten, Gartengemeinshaft Malepunkte, 1949
+Heinrich+Strub+arthurvankruining.jpg)
+Babs+van+Wely+AVK.jpg)
Heinrich Strub, Sumse Sumsebrumm, 1946, and
Jerzy Flisak, Und unter uns die Zwerge, 1971
Vladimir Pivovarov, 1971
Oksana Ignashchenko, Fly Tsokotukha, 1985 thanks to polny_shkaf
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Out in the Country
Eric Drooker
I love the dreamy Summer atmosphere of the latest New Yorker cover
by Eric Drooker. This new gallery features various other
cover artists' views of the great outdoors.
three covers by William Steig
Cem
Ilonka Karasz
Three covers by Abe Birnbaum
Warren Miller
Mischa Richter
Jenni Oliver
Charles Addams
Gahan Wilson
Bruce McCall
Philippe Petit-Roulet
check out the other New Yorker cover galleries on Animalarium:
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Spotted Beauty
+Helen+Borten+AVK.jpg)
Helen Borten, The Jungle, 1968, thanks to Arthur van Kruining
Valentin Kurdov, Kipling Tales, via polny_shkaf
Brian Wildsmith's Wild Animalsvia Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves
Pablo Audadell, Isis
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Creation Time
It's been so long since I've posted any animations!
Finally, it's time to redress the situation with my latest find.
Film Bilder won 1st prize at Festivals in Tampere, Krakow and Ruesselsheim.
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