Illustration for The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights 1996

Vyacheslav Nazaruk created this illustration for The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights, and look at the colours, they really sing. It’s amazing how a limited palette can create such depth, the blues, reds, and greens are so carefully balanced. The surface has a smooth, almost translucent quality, especially in the princess's face. You can really see the delicate lines and details in her features. The patterns in the carpet and her clothing are so intricate and precise, yet there’s still a sense of looseness in the way the colors blend. Look how the light from the window falls across the floor, it's like a stage. The whole image has this dreamlike quality, right? This reminds me a little of Ivan Bilibin; with this way of blending folk traditions with sophisticated graphic design. Both artists show a real commitment to storytelling. And both show us that art is always a conversation, where artists borrow and build upon ideas across generations.