SHAKHOVSKII, N. (1850-1916)

A charming example of the Russian lubok, the present folio is a first edition of Shakhovskii's finely-illustrated commemorative collection of lithographs devoted to the First World War. V. I. Uspenskii, a known collector and publisher, provided the text to accompany the hand-coloured illustrations. The Russian word 'lubok', which literally refers to the inner bark of the linden tree, derives its name from the original woodcuts used for printing in the late 17th and early 18th centuries prior to the invention of the lithograph in 1796. As in the present example, artists would typically include simple text to annotate an illustration. Having long enjoyed popularity as a relatively inexpensive art form, luboks were also an excellent way of disseminating information.