40 Норд — 50 Вест [40 Nord – 50 West] by Rudyard Kipling - 1931

Kipling R. 40 Nord – 50 West / Rudyard Kipling, rhymes translated by S. Marshak, illustrations by D. Shterenberg. — Moscow; Leningrad: OGIZ Molodaia Gvardiia, 1931. . — 22 p.: ill. — 22,7×19,5 cm. — Print run 10000 copies.

Киплинг Р. 40 Норд — 50 Вест / Редьярд Киплинг, пер. стихов С. Маршак, худ. Д. Штеренберг. — М., Ленинград: ОГИЗ "Молодая Гвардия", 1931. — 22 с.: ил. — 22,7×19,5 см. — 10000 экз.

The corners of the cover have some signs of wear. Restoration of the paper cover through the fold, with the original clips saved. Restoration of the upper corner on the front side of the cover. A minor tear (about 1.5 cm) closer to the spine on the back side.

Clean private-held copy, part of the collection.

The author of the poems is Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). The poems included in this book were originally published in 1902 as parts of "Just So Stories", where each story ended with a short poem by the author. The collection also included the famous poem "When the cabin port-holes are dark and green", known in Russia under the title "40 Nord-50 West" and which gave the name to this book. It's a curious fact that Marshak changed the geographical position eventually as the original poem says "Fifty North and Forty West" however Russian translation delivers "40 Nord and 50 West".

Despite the imperialistic views of Kipling which were pretty contrary to the general Soviet ideology, his publications were actively printed by the new Soviet authorities so the best writers and artists were involved to work on Kipling's books.

David Petrovich Shterenberg (1881 - 1948) - Soviet painter, illustrator. Shterenberg left Russia to Paris in 1907 as a political émigré. The earliest of his works are dated 1908, i.e. "Flowers and gypsum". Shterenberg was welcomed by the artistic circle of Paris and critics spoke in a positive way about him. David Shterenberg took part in exhibitions at the Autumn Salon of 1912 together with a list of masters like Matisse, Valadon, Derain and other "Independent" painters.

David Shterenberg returned to Russia right after the February Revolution in 1917. He was actively engaged in administrative work - firstly on the protection of monuments of art. Later he was appointed to a position of a head of the Department of Fine Arts of the People's Commissariat of Education. In 1925, together with the architect K.S. Melnikov and artist A.M. Rodchenko he designed the Soviet pavilion of the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts and the Art Industry in Paris. From the mid-20s till the beginning of the 30s he was a member of the artistic council of the editorial board of the children's book GIZ. Like many famous Soviet contemporary artists, towards the end of the 1920s, he began to work on book graphics, creating illustrations for the books of various authors. The first among these books were the children's thin books (knizhki-kartinki) "Gala and Mgatu" by O. Guryan, "Bobka the Physiculturist" by A. Mariengof, and the "Children" by V. Mayakovsky. Later David Shterenberg composes and illustrates picture books such as "Tea", "Physical Culture" and others. During this period, from the mid-20s to the beginning of the 30s, there were a lot of children's books created by the publishing houses Raduga, GIZ (later OGIZ) and others. These books became not just a standard of children book design but also an art and so it's been considered up to this day.

The collection of poems by R. Kipling, translated by Samuil Marshak "40 Nord - 50 West" is considered as the undoubted peak of David Shterenberg's mastery. Illustrations were created in the technique of woodcutting (xylography). The feel of distant lands is delivered in a very unique way, and black and white color scheme illustrations integrated amazingly along with a rhythm of a text.

The works of D. Shterenberg are exhibited at the Tretyakov Gallery, the State Museum of Fine Arts named by Pushkin, Russian Museum and many others.

Turchinsky p.338

Additional photos can be provided upon request.

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