Bidspirit auction | A.N. Ostrovsky “Snegurochka” A Spring

A.N. Ostrovsky “Snegurochka” A Spring Tale in Four Acts, illustr. by V.M. Vasnetsov, 1954, in Russian - A.N. Ostrovsky “Snegurochka” A Spring Tale in Four Acts, illustr. by V.M. Vasnetsov, 1954, in Russian Ostrovsky, A.N. The Snow Maiden. A Spring Tale in Four Acts with a Prologue. Moscow. 1954. State Publishing House of Fiction. 144 pages with numerous illustrations by the outstanding Russian artist V.M. Vasnetsov. The publication is decorated with excellent illustrations on separate sheets by the artist V.M. Vasnetsov (1848-1926), as well as headpieces, endings, initial letters and half titles On separate plates there are 18 color and black-and-white full-page illustrations. Edition of 30,000 copies. Hard cover. In the publisher's embossed illustrated binding, size: 30 x 23.5 cm. Condition: rear side of DJ is missing, front side of DJ is damaged; foxing stains to cover, corners bumped, edges rubbed; some browning and soiling to endpapers; yellow paper, internally good condition Weight: 1000 gr. The Snow Maiden (”Spring Tale”) is a fairy tale play in four acts with a prologue by Alexander Ostrovsky. Completed by the playwright on March 31, 1873. Published in the magazine ”Vestnik Evropy”, No. 9 (1873). The plot is based on a Russian folk tale, taken by Ostrovsky from the second volume of ”Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature” (1867) by A. N. Afanasyev. It was first staged in Moscow, on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, on May 11, 1873, during the benefit performance of the artist Zhivokini. The composer P. I. Tchaikovsky wrote music for ”Snegurochka”. The appearance of the verse play ”Snegurochka” was caused by an accidental circumstance. In 1873, the Maly Theater was closed for major repairs, and its troupe moved to the building of the Bolshoi Theater. The commission for the management of the imperial Moscow theaters decided to stage a spectacle-fairy tale in which all three troupes would participate: drama, opera and ballet. A proposal to write such a play in a very short time was made to A. N. Ostrovsky, who readily agreed, deciding to use the plot from the folk tale ”The Snow Maiden”. At Ostrovsky's request, the music for the play was commissioned from the young P. I. Tchaikovsky. Both the playwright and the composer worked on the play with great enthusiasm, very quickly, in close creative contact. On March 31, on his fiftieth birthday, Ostrovsky finished ”The Snow Maiden”. Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov (15 May (N.S.), 1848 – 23 July 1926) was a Russian painter and draughtsman who specialised in mythological and historical subjects. He is considered a co-founder of Russian folklorist and romantic nationalistic painting, [2] and a key figure in the Russian Revivalist movement.