Illustration to 'Three Fables of Krylov' 1911

This illustration by Heorhiy Narbut conjures fable through bold silhouette. Imagine Narbut, bent over a piece of paper, carefully cutting away to reveal the forms. A world emerges from darkness, figures frozen mid-gesture. I wonder, what were these characters like? The man in the top hat strikes me as a bit of a dandy, the other more a country fellow, with his walking stick. Are they friends? Foes? It’s all left to our imagination, isn’t it? Narbut's work reminds me of other silhouette artists, like Kara Walker. They use simple shapes to tell complex stories. And isn't that what art is all about? Taking something simple, like a line or a shape, and turning it into something meaningful and evocative. Artists are constantly talking to each other, across time and space. It’s like a big, ongoing conversation. And we, the viewers, get to eavesdrop and add our own voices to the mix.