Artwork of the month:
František Blaško — Illustrations from Crickets Went Behind the Beech Trees

The selected works of Ľudmila Podjavorinská, a founder of modern Slovak children’s literature¹, include much of her writing featuring animal characters. This is best illustrated by the title of the book Išli svrčky poza bučky (Crickets Went Behind the Beech Trees). Originally, the author published her verses in children’s magazines, and generations of readers have grown up with her poetic characters, such as Smelý Vladko (Brave Vladko), Malá Lila (Little Lila), and Jožkov žart (Jožko’s Joke). However, it is the animal protagonists of poems like Žabiatko (The Little Frog), Už ho vezú (They’re Carrying Him Away), Chorý medvedík (The Sick Teddy Bear), Čin-čin, and Na tanec (To the Dance) that have become truly iconic.

The illustrator František Blaško transformed these human temperaments and flaws, described by Podjavorinská with both love and honesty, into a visual idiom. Blaško’s illustrations for Išli svrčky poza bučky (Crickets Went Behind the Beech Trees) are known for the vibrant colours of his watercolour drawings, combined with bright coloured inks and fine, intricate details. The range of depicted animals, costumes, musical instruments, and various objects is equally diverse, adding to the personality of the animal heroes and heroines. These illustrations can feel both cheerful and sad to the youngest “readers”, while adults will find a layer of humour and irony in them. They truly connect with us: we laugh with the foxes in Sánkovačka(The Sledging), share the fear of the little frog in Žabiatko (The Little Frog), feel pity for the sparrow in Na tanec (To the Dance), and are moved by Chorý medvedík (The Sick Teddy Bear), —both while reading and looking at the illustrations.

The use of animal figures to show human virtues and vices through animal figures is a constant theme in children’s culture; one only has to ask children about their favourite recent films, and they will surely mention titles like Zootopia or The Websters.

In conclusion, there is an interesting detail regarding these illustrations. In two instances, pairs of sheets were found glued together and marked on the back with an official label: “PREMI CATALONIA D’IL.LUSTRACIÓ Barcelona Biennal internacional d’il.lustració de llibres per a infants”. This shows that at least eight illustrations from Išli svrčky poza bučky (Crickets Went Behind the Beech Trees) were sent to the Catalonia International Biennial of Children’s Book Illustration in Barcelona, Spain. Although the label does not specify a year, illustrations were usually sent along with the published book; therefore, the most likely date is 1986 (the first Catalan Biennial was held in 1984). This is also supported by the fact that these illustrations are part of a collection of 24 sheets—including the book cover and 45 illustrations (out of 53)—which the gallery bought directly from the artist in 1987.

The drawing collection of the Nitra Gallery also contains František Blaško’s illustrations for three other children’s books. The first is Sedmohlások (The Seven-Voiced Bird) by Vladimír Ferko, published in 1985; the gallery’s archives hold the complete set of illustrations for this book. The second is Dajte pozor na leva!(Beware of the Lion!) by the Ukrainian author Yaroslav Stelmakh; only two illustrations are missing from the collection for this 1983 publication. Finally, there is the book Biely Koník (The Little White Horse) by the Cuban author Onelio Jorge Cardoso (1979), with the exception of four small illustrations, this series is complete.