Illustrations for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" 1956

This illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" is by Hryhorii Havrylenko. The controlled lines of the pen give it a lovely, vintage feel. It's amazing how simple the materials are, just paper and pen, yet the image is so evocative. I think of it as an action— a gesture that, like painting, constructs a site of inquiry for both the artist and us as viewers. I'm trying to imagine what it might have been like for Havrylenko to create this piece. Perhaps he wanted to capture a sense of nostalgia, the sweet innocence of childhood. The cross-hatching gives a sense of depth and texture to the figures, and the light and shadow create a dreamy atmosphere. It reminds me a little bit of Honoré Daumier, the way he captured everyday life with such grace and sensitivity. This image, with the children all gathered around the book, reminds me of how artists throughout time are always looking, observing, and reimagining the world around them.