Medieval illuminations and early renaissance emblemata are a huge source of inspriration of mine. In this project I have collected artworks from various books I have illustrated, which have drawn on my deep fascination with the epoch when art spoke in symbols and allegories and could be read like a book, without the help of words.
"Seeds of Dreams", illustration from "Ferocious Holyman", written by Dmitry Deitch. This illustration is about a succubus wife of a character: she feeds on seeds of his dreams, which is the reason he hasn't slept for two years.
"What Demons Eat", illustration from "Ferocious Holyman", written by Dmitry Deitch. This illustration depicts different kinds of demons. According to the text, they differ in food preferences geographically as well. Some eat stomach gases, some – smell of burning trees, some – water evaporations, some demon gourmets adore the odour of dirty bodies, some devour human death, some feed on the sparkles of gold and silver, some eat Jewish fear, and lastly - some savour human fate (the two-headed one that's eating with his bottom).
"Blueprint of the Soul", illustration from "Ferocious Holyman", written by Dmitry Deitch.
"Angel hierarchy", illustration from "Ferocious Holyman", written by Dmitry Deitch.
"Topsy-Turvy World", illustration from The Land of Stone Flowers (aka "The Nenuphar Book"). This a riddle illustration, containing 29 inversions, find them all!
"The Alchemyst", illustration from "The Awakening of the Sleepless" (in Russian) by Dmitry Deitch
