Illustration to 'The crane and heron. Bear.' 1906

Heorhiy Narbut created this Illustration to 'The crane and heron. Bear.' using a flat, graphic style, like he was designing a playing card or a stage set. The whole image exists as an outline, filled in with blocks of color. It’s a super stylized take on nature, right? Look at the blades of grass, they're just simple lines, but they create a sense of depth and texture. What really grabs me is the way Narbut uses these decorative patterns on the crane's cloaks. I love the way the patterns clash! The pattern on the crane on the right reminds me of Matisse, the way he would flatten space. Narbut seems to be in conversation with the history of art, maybe referencing folk art or even Japanese prints. It’s like he's saying that art is a remix, an ongoing exchange of ideas.