Boris Grigoriev

(1886 - 1939)

339

Mikhail Ssaltykow-Stschedrin

Anfissa Porfirjewna. Eine Gutsgeschichte

Anfisa Profirevna, a tale from an estate

München: Orchis-Verlag, 1923

250 x 178 mm. 38 pages.

Edition: unknown.

This short story by Saltykov-Shchedrin was first planned as part 5 in the series of Orchis publications with coloured graphics. It eventually came out in late 1923 with 12 black and white illustrations, four of which are illustrations used before in Raseja  and Wieland.The eight full page illustrations were specially designed for this publication. These drawings differ in quality and originality, as already recognized by contemporary critics. Most impressive are the ones that represent the individual characters of the story, such as the girl bound to the wagon-wheel standing in a pile of manure, surrounded by flies. The portrait of aunt Anfissa with her dear husband was a design Grigoriev later used again in a painting of 1936. The characters of this story are yet another addition to his Raseia cycle, which by this time was renamed Faces of Russia. Anfisa Porfirevna was meant for a wider public, so besides the limited edition of 240 copies, several other editions in (half) linen and cardboard were put on sale for 4.50 Marks and up. A Russian version was published in an edition of 950 copies. Additional, a collection of the eight  full page pictures in special covertures was published in a limited edition of 240 copies.

References:

Der Cicerone 1924,XVI:100

Der Flagellantismus s.a., p. 73

Brussel 1928, p.86.

Bad Homburg 1989, p.214

Stommels 1993, p. 53

Galeeva 1995, p. 37

LS 2005, p. 138