[The Turnip]. Repka. 

Illustrations by T. Lebedeva [Mavrina].

Moskva, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo, 1930. 
Oblong 16mo, 12 pp. including wrapper, ill.

In original pictorial wrappers and contemporary clamshell box.
In good condition, light wear to edges, carefully repaired.

Rare early colorful illustrations by Tatiana Mavrina. Lithographed book. Second edition.

Tatiana Lebedeva (1900/1902-1996), better known by her mother's surname, which she used as a pseudonym - Mavrina. Mavrina studied at VKhUTEMAS under Robert Falk. She was a member of 'Group 13', an association of graphic artists created in 1929. In the same year, the first children's book with her illustrations was published (the first edition of our book). Like many other Russian avant-garde artists, she illustrated children's books starting in the 1930s because it was a way to avoid repression during the Stalin era. 
After World War II, Mavrina developed her unique and easily recognizable style, a 'method that combined the traditions of Russian primitivism with the painterly experiments of the early decades of the 20th century'. Her illustrations for Russian folktales have become classics, and 'Repka' was one of her first steps towards this success. Mavrina holds the distinction of being the first Russian artist to receive the Hans Christian Andersen Awards for her contributions to children's book illustrations in 1976.

OCLC locates one copy of this edition only: in the Princeton University Library (Cotsen Children's Library).