History of a Book: Exhibition of a Soviet children’s illustrated book of 1925-1941 in Hague

The exhibition of children’s illustrated book of 1925-1941 opened on March 18, 2013 in The Hague Museum Meermanno. More than two hundred books of the twenties and thirties have been provided for the exposition from the private collections of Dutch collectors Albert Lemmens and Serge Stommels. Their collection includes books designed for children of different ages and different purposes: liquidation of illiteracy, development of education, entertainment, propaganda of the achievements of the young Soviet state.

Some editions tell of the successes of the first five years, of peoples, living in the Soviet Union, the local and exotic animals, different professions and sectors of industry and agriculture. Among them there are also collections of children’s poems and books, showing how, for example, to make a model of the airplane or make a stool. The main thing that unites all these books are rich illustrations and the most advanced for that period printing technology.

As the director of the Museum Meermanno Marche de Haan said, “Soviet children's books of this period had a tremendous impact on the graphic designers in the Netherlands.

Simultaneously with the exhibition at the Museum are presented works by contemporary St. Petersburg artist Gregory Katsnelson, working in graphic style of the 1920s - 1930s, including as an illustrator for the revival of the children's magazine “Siskin and a hedgehog”. The exhibition features drawings, created over the last 15 years and in the courtyard of the museum are placed especially for this exhibition “book-sculptures” – installation of the size of a man’s height. The exhibition will run until June 2 this year.