Marshak, Samuil
Ugomon: Fairy Tale. Signed by the artist.
Ugomon: Fairy Tale. Signed by the artist.
Marshak, Samuil [Ugomon: Fairy Tale]. Ugomon: Skazka.
Illustrations by M. Miturich.
Moskva, Detgiz, 1959.
8vo, 18, [2] pp., ill.
In original pictorial wrappers.
In good condition, wear to spine and wrapper edges, cracks, small tears and losses to spine, small owner mark to front cover.
Signed and inscribed by the illustrator: 'Innochke ot / M. Mituricha / 13 V 61.' [To Inna from M. Miturich 13 V 61.]. May Miturich's autographs are quite rare. He reserved the act of signing his books for close friends only. First edition. The only edition with these illustrations.
This verse is dedicated to the wizard Ugomon, who helps people fall asleep and soothes children.
The verse was illustrated by May Miturich (Miturich-Khlebnikov, 1925–2008), an artist who was the nephew of futurist poet Velimir Khlebnikov and the son of avant-garde artist Vera Khlebnikova. Miturich studied at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute and later became a professor there. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun in 2005.
The book was signed for Inna Shmeleva (1929-2020), an artist and a close friend of Miturich. Shmeleva studied under Ely Bielutin, the founder of The New Reality artistic academy. In 1962, Shmeleva participated in the 30th-anniversary exhibition of the Moscow Union of Artists at the Central Exhibition Hall (Manège), which faced severe criticism from Nikita Khrushchev. This event marked the end of the period known as the Khrushchev Thaw.
We couldn't trace any copy of this edition in the US libraries. OCLC locates only one copy of this edition: in the International Youth Library in Munich.