Illustration for the epic "Volga" 1902

Ivan Bilibin created this illustration for the epic "Volga" in 1902, using ink and watercolor, I imagine. Look at the line work! It’s so precise it almost feels like a woodcut. I can imagine him hunched over his desk, carefully inking each line, trying to capture the drama of this epic tale. And then the colors – earthy greens, reds, blues – layered in with such care. I wonder what Bilibin was thinking about when he made this. Was he trying to channel some ancient spirit of Russia? I can see echoes of folk art in his stylized figures and decorative borders. It makes you think about storytelling, how images can carry stories across time and cultures. Think of all the artists who’ve been inspired by folklore, by the power of myth to shape our understanding of the world. It's a constant conversation through paint and ink, a way of keeping old stories alive while finding new ways to tell them.