Illustration to Volodymyr Narbut's poem 'Before the Easter' - Heorhiy Narbut

A striking 1917 woodcut illustration by Heorhiy Narbut, featuring symbolic folk motifs and high-contrast graphic design.

This graphic work by Heorhiy Narbut serves as an illustration for the poetry of his brother, Volodymyr Narbut. Created in 1917, the piece reflects the artist's mastery of the woodcut medium and his engagement with folk motifs combined with a stark, symbolic narrative. Narbut was a central figure in the development of Ukrainian graphic design, known for his ability to synthesise traditional Ukrainian baroque elements with the clean lines of early twentieth-century modernism.

The composition features a central female figure draped in a patterned cloth, positioned against a dark background. To her right, a skeletal figure holding a scythe emerges from behind a wattle fence, introducing a memento mori theme that contrasts with the domestic and agrarian symbols present in the foreground. A pig and a bird are depicted at the base, while a stylised sun hangs in the upper right corner. The use of high-contrast black and white, punctuated by the red of the figure's garment, creates a visual tension that draws the eye across the frame. The decorative treatment of the foliage and the fence demonstrates Narbut's attention to pattern and silhouette, which became a hallmark of his professional output. This work captures the specific aesthetic atmosphere of the period, blending literary themes with a rigorous approach to printmaking technique. The clarity of the lines and the deliberate placement of each symbolic element reflect the artist's background in book illustration and his precise control over the woodblock medium.