Illustration. 'Fairy Tales: Teremok. Mizgir'. 1910

This illustration from ‘Fairy Tales: Teremok’ was made by Heorhiy Narbut, probably using ink and watercolor. The limited palette creates a visual harmony, it's like he's building the image block by block. Look at the bear - he's not just a figure, he's a dark mass, a force of nature. The artist's process feels very present, particularly in the way he renders the rain with these deliberate, cascading strokes. There’s a stark contrast in textures; the bear's fur seems almost velvety, while the rain has a sharp, linear quality. It's like Narbut is inviting us to touch the image, to feel its different surfaces. Narbut’s work reminds me a bit of Aubrey Beardsley, both had a talent for distilling forms down to their essence.