Description

Pryhody Mak-Leistona, Harri Ruperta ta inshykh [The Adventures of McLayston, Harry Rupert, and Others], a poster by Vadim Meller (1884-1962). Published by DVU, Kharkov, 1925. 72.5 x 54.5 cm.

The Adventures of McLayston was an experimental novel by the Ukrainian writer and linguist Maik Iohanson writing under the pseudonym V. Vecelius. It was published in a serial form by DVU, the Ukrainian State Publishing Trust, with Meller acting as illustrator and book designer.

Meller is a major name in the history of Ukrainian avant-garde art. Primarily a painter and theater artist, he also produced a number of posters through the 1920s and early 1930s, on his own and in collaboration with such artists as Kosarev and Tsapok. The poster being offered is composed primarily from the images of the McLayston series books, and displays Meller’s mastery of print-specific techniques that are rarely used in stage design. Interestingly, his work on the McLayston series coincided with the 1925 Paris Exhibition, where his theater designs earned him a Gold Medal (shared with Altman, Exter, and Terk).

Search extension words: Russian poster, Soviet poster.