Cover of 'Fairy Tales: Teremok. Mizgir'. 1910

This is a cover illustration for a book of Russian folk tales by Ukrainian artist Heorhiy Narbut, created in 1910. The artwork features a stylized, almost abstract design featuring a skull in the foreground, surrounded by tall, spiky plants with flowers, and stylized butterflies and bees. The design is reminiscent of Art Nouveau, a popular style at the time, which often employed stylized natural forms. Narbut’s illustration was popularized through the use of his distinctive style, which incorporated elements of Ukrainian folk art into a modern artistic language.