Vladimir Lebedev
- Introduction
- Vladimir Vasilyevich Lebedev — (Russian: Влади́мир Васи́льевич Ле́бедев) (14 (26) May 1891, in Saint Petersburg – 21 November 1967) was a Soviet painter and graphic artist. He became famous for his exceptional illustrations of the poems of the prominent poet and translator Samuil Marshak, such as Circus, Ice Cream, Tale About a Foolish Mouse, Moustached and Striped, Book of Many Colours, Twelve Months and Luggage. As a young boy, Lebedev started to paint postcards that were sold in a shop in Saint Petersburg. At the age of nineteen, he held his first exhibit at the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1913, he began work as a cartoonist for several satirical journals, including the famed "Satirikon" (Сатирикон). At this time he was already a prolific illustrator for the children's magazines "Jackdaw" (Галчонок), "Blue Journal" (Синий Журнал), "Everyone's Journal" (Журнал для всех), and "Argus" (Аргус). He illustrated the children's book "The Lion and the Bull" in 1917. From 1920-1922, Lebedev worked for The Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) and The Department of Agitation" (Agitprop) designing propaganda posters. By the 1920s, Lebedev had friendly relations with many distinguished persons of his time, such as Tatlin, Ivan Puni, Kazimir Malevich, Vladimir Mayakovsky and the literary critic Nikolay Punin. In 1915 he married the sculptor Sarra Lebedeva.In the 1920s, Lebedev had earned the title of "King of the Children's Book." A pioneer in the field of children's illustration, he would later say on the influence of his works "I still consider to have positively influenced the creation of a new Soviet book for children, and, what is more important, this book acquired a character of its own" Nikolai Punin, who wrote the first monograph on Lebedev, cited Lebedev as one of the most important illustrators of the era: "After his brilliant experiments with "Circus" and "Ice Cream" and a number of other children's books executed by him, bookstores burst into color with numerous imitations of his examples, and book illustrations in the receding cultural tradition—all the 'World of Art' illustrations—paled in comparison, and, in terms of form, began to seem impotent, overly concerned with aesthetics, and unexpressive."In 1930s-1940s he created numerous portraits of his friends, professional models and sportsmen. He always was fond of playing sports himself. From the end of the 1930s he started to use stronger colours and thicker layers of paint, creating effects reminiscent of the works of Renoir. As was the case with many artists and writers working under Stalinism, Lebedev ran afoul of official censorship. The book Inside the Rainbow - Russian Children's Literature 1920-35: Beautiful Books, Terrible Times offered by Dutch publishers Pegasus details threats made by Soviet authorities against Lebedev. The book was the subject of reviews in The Guardian and The Financial Times, among other publications. In 2012, his work was included in an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art.
- Wikidata
- Q4255719
- Introduction
- Graphic artist and painter studied with Alexander Titov, Franz Rubo, Mikhail Bernstein, and Leonid Sherwood. He worked as a magazine illustrator, and as a designer of porcelain decoration at the State Porcelain Factory 1918-1919.
- Nationality
- Russian
- Gender
- Male
- Roles
- Artist, Graphic Artist, Illustrator, Painter, Poster Artist, Sculptor
- Names
- Vladimir Lebedev, Vladimir Vasil'yevich Lebedev, Vladimir Vasil'evič Lebedev, Vladimir Vasilievich Lebedev, Vladimir Vasilevich Lebedev, Vladimir Vasil'Evich Lebedev, Vladimir Vasilʹevich Lebedev, W. W. Lebedew, Wladimir Wassiljewitsch Lebedew, V. V. Lebedev, Владимир Васильевич Лебедев, V. V. (Vladimir Vasilʹevich) Lebedev, W. W. (Wladimir Wassiljewitsch) Lebedew
- Ulan
- 500004046
Exhibitions
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A Revolutionary Impulse: The Rise of the Russian Avant-Garde
Dec 3, 2016–Mar 12, 2017
MoMA
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Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900–2000
Jul 29–Nov 5, 2012
MoMA
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The Russian Avant-Garde Book 1910–1934
Mar 28–May 21, 2002
MoMA
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Modern Painters and Sculptors as Illustrators
Apr 27–Sep 2, 1936
MoMA
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Cubism and Abstract Art
Mar 2–Apr 19, 1936
MoMA
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Vladimir Lebedev has
6 exhibitionsonline.
-
Iurii Annenkov, Alexandre Benois, Sergei Chekhonin, Mstislav Dobuzhinskii, Valentina Khodasevich, Vladimir Lebedev, Aleksei Radakov, B. Popov, Jean Pougny (Ivan Puni), Ilya Repin, V. Zamiralio, Various Artists Elka. Knizhka dlia malen'kikh detei (Fir Tree: A Little Book for Little Children) 1918
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Vladimir Lebedev Maquette/proof for the poster Chastushka. (Ekh, gorit moe serdechko…) (Folk Song [Akh, My Heart's Afire!]) 1920
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Vladimir Lebedev Prikliucheniia Chuch-lo (The Adventures of Chuch-lo) 1922
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Vladimir Lebedev Slonenok (The Elephant's Child) 1922
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Vladimir Lebedev Placard Russe 1917-1922 1923
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Vladimir Lebedev Medved' (The Bear) 1923
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Vladimir Lebedev Morozhenoe (Ice Cream) 1925
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Vladimir Lebedev Tsirk (The Circus) 1925
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Vladimir Lebedev Vchera i segodnia (Yesterday and Today) 1925
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Vladimir Lebedev Bagazh (Baggage) 1926
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Vladimir Lebedev Kras' i risui (Color and Draw) 1932
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