Skazka Pro Mar'iu Morevnu [Maria Morevna].

£2,750 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

A scarce and luxurious rendition of this classic Russian fairy tale, beautifully illustrated by Zworykin and heightened in gold. Bilibin's Maria Morevna was published a year earlier but this charming edition is notably rare. WorldCat locates just four copies, all in the US. Born in Moscow in 1872, Zvorykin devoted himself to decorative art after graduating from the Moscow Academy of Painting. He followed Ivan Bilibin's style inspired by medieval Russia and traditional folk culture, and became in his own right one of the greatest Russian book illustrators. Zvorykin left Russia after the Revolution and settled finally in Paris, where he found employment in the publishing house of H. Piazza. First edition; folio (330 x 265 mm); illustrations throughout heightened in gold, printed on thick paper; original wrappers bound in, recent decorative paper boards, green morocco label to upper cover, a very good copy. Cotsen 12380.

• Binding: Hardcover

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