Illustration for the book 'How mice buried the cat' by Zhukovsky 1910

Heorhiy Narbut created this illustration for the book 'How mice buried the cat' using ink and watercolor. It's a striking example of early 20th-century Ukrainian book design. Narbut's image offers insight into the social and cultural landscape of his time. Made during a period of Ukrainian national revival, the fairytale aesthetic and the personification of animals draw on folk traditions, yet also embody a modern sensibility. Look at the stylized figures of the mice: they are not simply decorative, but expressive and even political. They seem to mock authority. The artwork reflects the artist’s engagement with the avant-garde movement, yet also demonstrates the rise of Ukrainian national identity and the desire for cultural expression. To understand Narbut’s work fully, one might investigate the history of Ukrainian book publishing, folk art traditions, and the impact of political events on artistic production. The meaning of this image lies in its complex relationship to its historical moment.