Illustration for the Russian Fairy Story "Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka" 1901

Ivan Bilibin created this illustration for the Russian fairy story "Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka." Look at the way Bilibin frames the fairy tale, using decorative borders. The top border is filled with geometric shapes and the side borders are decorated with mushrooms. I can imagine Bilibin carefully considering each element, almost like arranging words on a page. Then notice Alyonushka gesturing towards the river, as if warning her brother. What was Bilibin thinking when he made this? Was he also warning us, the viewers, about something we can't quite see? It's a reminder that painting, like storytelling, is a way of making sense of the world, but also a way of creating new possibilities for meaning. I can imagine other artists looking at this illustration and getting inspiration from the way he composed the overall image and how he placed the figures within. It is great when artists inspire each other through the ages!