Art A-Z: L – Lubok

Lubok – traditional Russian engraved or painted images made by craftsmen and distributed among people.

Traits – image on a list is combined with text, simple composition, bright colours, anonymity.

Lubok emerged in the XVII century and gained momentum in the first half of the XIX century and declined by the beginning of the XX century.

At the beginning lubok depicted religious stories, it was popular among the Old Believers, especially in the North of Russia, Povolzhie and near Moscow.

Death of a just man and  of a sinner

In the XIX century, lubok depicted people’s heroes, songs, satire, proverbs. It was sold at markets and fairs.

Lubok was engraved by different techniques – on wooden or copper plates, later –  on lithographic limestone.

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