The artwork titled “Illustration for the Russian Fairy Story ‘Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka’,” created by Ivan Bilibin in 1901, belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and falls under the genre of illustration. It is part of the series “Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka.”
The artwork depicts a richly detailed scene from the fairy tale, framed by an ornate border typical of Bilibin’s style. At the center, a regal figure, likely a czar, dressed in a flowing red robe and crown, commands attention as he appears to gesture towards the edge of a forest overlooking a dreamy seascape. A goat stands forlornly by the water’s edge, possibly representing Ivanushka, who in the tale transforms into a goat. Below the illustration, a passage from the story is printed in Russian, narrating a dialogue involving the czar’s decree and the goat’s sorrowful plea. The setting is lush with trees and gently rolling hills, capturing the ethereal and haunting atmosphere often found in Russian folklore.
