Alexander Benois and his "Alphabet in Pictures"

Alexander Benois, a Russian artist from a well-known and ancient family, received an excellent and diverse education. He always had a special love for the theater, where various forms of art could be combined to create a cohesive, living picture. Benois developed costume sketches and participated in the design of many performances, including the Russian Seasons in Paris.

His talent was multifaceted and profound. The illustrations for A.S. Pushkin's poems became a standard of graphic painting, and his famous "Alphabet in Pictures" is a classic of book illustration. Each page of this book transported the reader into a wonderful fairy-tale world, captivating even adults. Imagine the delight it brought to children!

The idea of creating the "Alphabet" came to Benois while he was observing his children. His son Nikolai eagerly joined his older sisters, trying to understand the stories from their favorite books. For him, Benois created these fantastic illustrations, allowing children to immerse themselves in the world of fairy tales while simultaneously learning the alphabet.

Each letter of the alphabet was accompanied by a separate plot and page, designed as a cheerful scene with many characters and actions, reminiscent of the popular home theaters that were set up in children's rooms at the time.

Work on the "Alphabet" began in 1903, and permission for publication was obtained in 1904. The print run was 2,500 copies. The characters from "Alphabet in Pictures" found reflection in other genres of art. For example, the image of the Moor was used by Igor Stravinsky in the ballet "Petrushka," and composer Nikolai Cherepnin created "Fourteen Sketches for Piano" based on the book.