Description

Janalif, an impressive Constructivist poster promoting the use of the Latin-based script for the Tatar language. Poster design by the important avant-garde artist, posterist, book designer, and fontmaker Faik Tagirov (1900 or 1906-1978), executed by Nikolai Kroneval'd. Published in Kazan by the Janalif Society, c. 1928-1929, 89 x 71 cm.

The Janalif Society was formed in 1926 with the goal of replacing the traditional Arabic-based script with a new alphabet better suited "for the needs of cultural revolution". The alphabet shown corresponds to the "final" version with 34 characters introduced in 1928; t was the official alphabet in the Tatar Autonomous Republic until 1939, when for political reasons it was replaced with a Cyrillic-based alphabet.

The poster's topic had to be of great interest to Tagirov, both because it involved his native language, and because of his life-long involvement with typography and font making. Tagirov spent most of his life in Moscow, where he came in 1925 to study in VKHUTEIN, but the early stage of his artistic career is associated with the activities of the Kazan avant-garde. He continued to exhibit in Kazan even after leaving for Moscow; notably, he took part in the 1929 Exhibition of Kazan posters.

Search extension words: Russian poster, Soviet poster.

Condition

Condition reports are available on request, please contact us if you have any questions. A high resolution pdf format catalog is available for download at our website.;

A bit of legalese: any condition report is given as a courtesy to our clients, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Mercer and Middlesex Auctions, LLC shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or free from wear or tear, repairs, imperfections, or the effects of aging. Old paper items are naturally fragile, so some wear and tear, aging, and repairs should normally be expected. All items are offered as is.