Illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book 'In the Hedgehog's Windmill' 1956

This illustration was made by Hryhorii Havrylenko for Mikhail Stelmakh's book 'In the Hedgehog's Windmill'. Havrylenko's illustrations are gentle portals, opening up to a world seen through the eyes of childhood. His images are infused with a sense of naive wonder and nostalgia for Ukrainian village life. Born in 1927, Havrylenko's personal experiences certainly shaped his artistic vision. The scenes in 'In the Hedgehog's Windmill' remind us of the stories and poems we learn as children, like a visual echo of the sounds and rhythms of language. With a few simple lines he constructs a world where nature and the human spirit are in harmony, capturing the timeless quality of childhood. Havrylenko invites us to reflect on the beauty of simplicity and the significance of cultural heritage. It is a window into a world where imagination thrives and where the past is forever present.