Soviet Russia picture book exhibition, by House of Illustration

The Hunt in the North, by Boris Inozemstev
The Hunt in the North, by Boris Inozemstev

House of Illustration in London is set to open a new exhibition on children’s picture books from the Soviet Russia era.

The gallery and curator Olivia Ahmad aim to show the impact these books from the 1920s had on publishing in Europe more widely, including the creation of Puffin Picture Books in 1940.

The exhibition will host never-before-seen original artwork from illustrators and artists including Vladimir Tambi, Vladimir Lebedev, Vera Ermolaeva and Nata Altman, and Soviet children’s book publisher Segodnya Collective.

A New Childhood: Picture Books from Soviet Russia will run 27 May – 11 September at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross London N1C 4BH.

Market, by Evgenii Shvarts, 1926
Market, by Evgenii Shvarts, 1926
Original illustrations for Little Girls, by Vera Ermolaeva, 1927
Original illustrations for Little Girls, by Vera Ermolaeva, 1927
Today, by Vera Ermolaeva, 1919
Today, by Vera Ermolaeva, 1919
How the Whale got his Throat, by Eduard Krimmer, 1926
How the Whale got his Throat, by Eduard Krimmer, 1926
In the Forest, by Leib Kvitko, 1922
In the Forest, by Leib Kvitko, 1922