Staraya, Staraya Skazka

We all grew up on the immortal creations of the world's major storytellers: "the little Mermaid" of Hans Christian Andersen, "snow white" by the brothers Grimm, or, say, "Sleeping beauty" by Charles Perrault.

But here's the trick: we think in this case pictures and images born almost a century later tales themselves — thanks to the disney animators and Soviet artists.

And yet to grasp the true intent and catch the author's unique vision of themselves progenitors of children's literature can only be the work of their contemporaries — illustrators of the late nineteenth century.

We found the authors of the first pictures to the most famous fairy tales — and immediately believe in miracles!

Illustration of Vilhelm Pedersen for the tale of Hoffmann "the Nutcracker and the mouse king"

Vilhelm Pedersen (1820-1859) is a Danish artist and naval officer, especially a well known fact that the first illustrated fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. The early tales were published without illustrations, but in 1849 was published the five-volume collection of his tales with 125 illustrations Pedersen. Illustration so impressed the author that today are considered to be inseparable from Andersen's fairy tales.

Illustration of Vilhelm Pedersen to the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the Wild swans"

Illustration of Vilhelm Pedersen to the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the House of a shopkeeper"

Illustration of Vilhelm Pedersen to the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "OLE lukkoye"

Illustration of Vilhelm Pedersen to the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the Shepherdess and the chimney sweep"

Illustration by John Tenniel to the tale of Lewis Carroll "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"

Sir John Tenniel (1820-1914) was an English artist, caricaturist; the first Illustrator of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice in Wonderland", whose illustrations are now considered canonical. Debuted as the author of illustrations for the first edition "the Book of English ballads" Samuel Hall, worked as a regular cartoonist popular in his time magazine "punch".

Illustration by John Tenniel to the tale of Lewis Carroll "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"

Illustration by John Tenniel to the tale of Lewis Carroll "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"

Illustration by John Tenniel to the tale of Lewis Carroll "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"

Illustration by John Tenniel to the tale of Lewis Carroll "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"

Illustration by Gustave doré to the tale of Charles Perrault "puss in boots"

Paul Gustave doré (1832-1883) — the legendary French engraver, Illustrator and painter. From early childhood struck around skill of drawing, for example at the age of ten he completed the illustrations for "the divine Comedy" by Dante. Dora had not received art education, but spent all my time in the Louvre and the National library, studying paintings and engravings. During the years of creative activity Dora has created thousands of illustrations for dozens of literary masterpieces, including "Gargantua and Pantagruel" and tales of Charles Perrault, the adventures of Baron Munchausen and don Quixote. Dora has been called the greatest Illustrator of the nineteenth century for unmatched play of light and shade in his graphic works.

Illustration by Gustave doré to the tale of Charles Perrault "Cinderella"

Illustration by Gustave doré to the tale of Charles Perrault "the Sleeping beauty"

Illustration by Gustave doré to the tale of Charles Perrault's "Donkey skin"

Illustration by Gustave doré to the tale of Charles Perrault's "Tom thumb"

Illustration of Arthur Raceme to the brothers Grimm fairy tale "little Red riding hood"

Rekem Arthur (1867-1939) — a prolific English artist who has illustrated almost all classic children's literature in English language ("the wind in the willows", "Alice in Wonderland", "Peter pan") and "a Midsummer night's Dream" Shakespeare and the famous "Nibelungenlied".

Rekem was first and foremost a brilliant draftsman, preferring the whimsical meandering lines interwoven branches, foaming waves and great trees. Its influence is felt in the first animated Disney movies, the films of Tim Burton (who was elected as London office of the former apartment of Rakama) and Guillermo del Toro (who says he was inspired by the drawings of Raceme to create "pan's Labyrinth").

Illustration of Arthur Raceme to the "Tales of king Arthur and the knights of the round table" Nelly Montijn-The Fouw

Illustration of Arthur Raceme to the "Tales of king Arthur and the knights of the round table" Nelly Montijn-The Fouw

Illustration of Arthur Raceme to the "Tales of king Arthur and the knights of the round table" Nelly Montijn-The Fouw

Illustration of Arthur Raceme to the "Tales of king Arthur and the knights of the round table" Nelly Montijn-The Fouw

Illustration of Anna Anderson to the brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel"

Anne Anderson (1874-1930) — British artist of Scottish descent; Illustrator of literature for children, life collaborated with periodicals and painted greeting cards. The works of Anna Anderson has influenced the style of such famous illustrators as Jessie king, Charles Robinson, Mabel Lucie Attwell.

Illustration of Anna Anderson to the brothers Grimm fairy tale "Snow white and the seven dwarfs"

Illustration Anne Anderson the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the little match Girl"

Illustration Anne Anderson the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the little Mermaid"

Illustration Anne Anderson the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen's "the Wild swans"

Oh and as a PostScript — the first role of the famous Pinocchio, owned by the hand of the Italian engineer Enrico Mazzanti (1850-1910). It is noteworthy that this image is the only thing that survived in history in memory of this talented man.