Lubok popular art
A series of hand-painted bookmarks in the Lubok art tradition.
On lubok, a favourite folk art
Popular prints made by self-taught artists who proceeded from folklore devices and subjects were the most widespread art form being in great demand with the lower classes. Clear outlines, simplified forms, bright colours, and grotesquely deformed images were the distinguishing characteristics of this traditional graphic art. The upper classes, however, were adamant in denouncing lubok and insisted on describing these pictures as vulgar and dull, coarse marketplace daubs. It was not until centuries later that lubok prints came into their own and were recognized as genuine folk art masterpieces, remarkable for their humorous attitude, simplicity and clarity of images, unpretentious subject matter, dramatic composition, and decorative quality. Many Russian artists were inspired by the lubok art that was both lucid and immensely popular. Elements of lubok graphics entered the work of V. M. Vasnetsov and B. M. Kustodiyev. The economical expressive means and specific composition principles influenced the art of I. Bilibin, M. Larionov, N. Goncharova, P. Filonov, V. Lebedev, V. Kandinsky, K. Malevich and V. Favorsky.
.jpg "Ivan Bilibin Dadon’s Army. 1906")
