Marshak, Samuil [Whiskered Striped]. Usatyi Polosatyi.

Third edition.
Illustrations by V. Lebedev.

[Leningrad], Detgiz, Ogiz, 1935.
8vo, [16] pp.inc.wr., ill.

In original pictorial wrappers. Issued without title page. Illustrations are lithographed. Facsimile of author's autograph inside front cover.
In good condition, light overall wear and soil to wrappers, small tears and minor losses to spine, minor tears to back cover, new staples.

Rare in good condition.

The book, which revolves around a little girl and her kitten and was created through the collaboration of Marshak and Lebedev, gained immense popularity and underwent numerous republishings. Samuil Marshak named as 'the founder of Russia's children's literature',  (1887-1964), and Vladimir Lebedev (1891-1967) was one of the most significant Russian illustrators of children's books at the XXth century.
The first book edition of this poem was published in 1930. Each other edition saw the artist altering the cover and illustrations. Lebedev's unique style was inspired by the lithographed books of Russian futurists in the 1910s. However, after the appearance of a critical article in the Pravda newspaper on March 1, 1936, denouncing his work as 'formalist', he underwent a substantial transformation in his avant-garde style. Soviet repression also encompassed the remarkable circle of artists and writers who had been mentored by both Marshak and Lebedev. Many of their artistic colleagues, including the artist Vera Yermolaeva and the writers Alexander Vvedensky and Nikolai Oleinikov, were imprisoned and executed during the Stalinist year. Both Marshak and Lebedev managed to survive by forsaking their avant-garde experiments of the 1920s. Consequently, Lebedev adapted his artistic approach, embracing a gentler and more traditional style of book illustration.