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

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill", and it's all about lines, like a roadmap of the imagination. The whole image is made of tiny marks and scribbles, a whole network of lines that weave a story. The scratchy texture gives the image a folksy, handmade feel, like something passed down through generations. Look at the way he renders the figures: the man's weathered face, the little girl's curious gaze. It's all done with these quick, expressive marks. It feels immediate, like a snapshot of a fleeting moment. It reminds me of the work of Quentin Blake, with that same sense of playful energy and whimsical storytelling, or maybe the work of Paul Klee, who also managed to evoke such rich textures and depth with very simple means. The beauty of a drawing like this is that it leaves room for interpretation. The lines aren't precious or fixed; they’re open to suggestion, like a conversation between the artist and the viewer.