Alexey Derzhavinfacebook.comSome years ago a large gift edition of The Master and Margarita appeared with illustrations by the artist Alexei Derzhavin. For a long time I knew nothing about this artist (I could not even find his portrait) until he himself kindly wrote to me. Alexei Derzhavin studied at the Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Arts and Industry, and later for a time taught at the Berlin Academy of Arts. Many of the artist’s works can be seen on his Facebook page, and here let us look at his Bulgakov illustrations.
(Thanks to Sergei Seryogin for the tip about these works.)
Patriarch’s Ponds. Nothing, as they say, presaged anything. Neither a wide‑eyed gigantic cat, nor a checkered citizen hanging in the air, nor a vision of Yershalaim.
A conversation about the existence of God.
Pilate. Woland watches him incognito.
Ha‑Notsri. I rarely like drawings with his portrait—illustrators usually try to depict Jesus, not Bulgakov’s Yeshua. But in this illustration, in my opinion, it is a happy exception.
The gang of villains hides from Bezdomny in the gateway. How magnificent Behemoth is!
Here he is—having a bite in Stepa Likhodeev’s room. Positively magnificent.
That’s it, they have thrown Stepa out to Yalta.
And where is the rest of the gang? Here is Korovyov.
And here is Azazello.
And of course the principal figure. Smiling and with mismatched eyes.
Nikanor Ivanovich has arrived. He needs to be given a bribe. On the wall, by the way, the previous drawing hangs in a little frame.
On the Variety stage. Fagott shows tricks with a deck of cards.
Behemoth, in accordance with the source, swallows the cards, while at the same time contriving to unscrew the emcee’s head.
Berlioz’s Kiev uncle has arrived. Off the stairs, if you please.
Behemoth is misbehaving too.
And where, in fact, are the main characters? Here is the Master.
And here is Margarita. Judging by the plaque on the wall, she is in Mansurovsky Lane. That’s right: any Bulgakov scholar will tell you that the Master’s little basement is located precisely here. And if you ask, he will even show you: the little house is still intact.
Azazello’s magic cream.
Yes, let’s not forget about Natasha.
Acquainting ourselves. A pleasure.
Living chess—how could we do without it?
Now we fly off to inspect the ballrooms.
Preparing for the solemn reception of the guests.
After the ball we do not forget to burn the house behind us.
We also, incidentally, do not forget to kill Judas.
Lastly, let's a walk around Moscow.
Well, that seems to be everything. We can leave Moscow.
Have we forgotten anything? We forgot to free the Master. All right, some other time.
