BEYOND THE CANVAS: ANTON KASHSHAI’S BOOK ILLUSTRATION OF THE 1950S–1970S WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF HOLISTIC BOOK DESIGN STRUCTURE

Abstract

This article is dedicated to a little-studied aspect of Anton Kashshai’s creative heritage – his activities in the field of book graphics and design during the 1950s–1970s. While the artist’s figure is traditionally associated with epic Transcarpathian landscapes, his significant contribution to applied graphics has long remained on the periphery of art history research. The relevance of this study is driven by the need to bridge the gap between the high artistic quality of publications from that era and the lack of a systemic analysis of the master’s specific graphic cycles.
The research is based on an integrated approach that allowed for the revelation of subtle nuances in the artist's authorial technique and compositional methods, as well as a detailed identification of the dynamics of his stylistic evolution over two decades. This approach enabled not only an exploration of the development of the "Karpaty" publishing house as a prominent center of book production but also a profound interpretation of the relationship between the literary source and its visual embodiment. The paper analyzes ten significant books illustrated by A. Kashshai, providing a basis for substantiating his role in the development of an integral book design structure.
Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of adapting Kashshai’s painterly style to the specific requirements of the book page and polygraphic execution. The study examines how the artist’s characteristic panoramic approach and expressive brushwork were transformed into graphic lines, rhythmic patterns, and the contrast-rich compositions inherent in the book design of that time. The analysis demonstrates that the master’s illustrations were not merely decorative accompaniments to the text but acted as active visual interpreters of content, where every design element – from the title page to the headpiece – was subordinated to the overall architectonics of the publication.
The source base of the study consists of publications from the 1950s and 1970s, which vividly represent the transformation of the artist's aesthetic views. The scientific novelty lies in the reimagining of the painter’s heritage through the prism of graphic design and book architectonics. This allows for the reconstruction of Anton Kashshai’s creative path as a master of visual design who created an inseparable unity of form and content, skillfully integrating his painterly experience into the space of the book sheet.