# Ivan Jakovlevic Bilibin artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/ivan-jakovlevic-bilibin/
Profile generated: 2026-05-29T21:20:34.289Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1876-08-16
- Death date: 1942-02-07
- Nationality: Russian
- Movements: Mir iskusstva (World of Art)
- Common media: Illustration (pen and ink, watercolor, gouache), Stage and set design, Watercolor, Drawing

## About Ivan Jakovlevic Bilibin

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (1876–1942) was a Russian illustrator, stage designer, and painter celebrated for his distinctive visual interpretations of Russian folk tales and Slavic folklore. Born in Tarhovka and trained in the traditions of medieval Russian art, Bilibin became a leading figure in the Mir iskusstva (World of Art) movement and contributed set and costume designs to Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. He co-founded the Union of Russian Artists and, from 1937, was a member of the Artists' Union of the USSR. His richly ornamented illustrations—drawn with bold outlines, vivid color, and deep reference to Russian Orthodox and folk aesthetics—defined the visual identity of stories such as Vasilisa the Beautiful and The Firebird for generations of readers. Bilibin died during the Siege of Leningrad in February 1942.

## Common works and media

Bilibin is most commonly encountered as original ink and watercolor illustrations for Russian folk-tale editions, theatrical set and costume designs, book-cover designs, and poster art. His published illustrations for fairy tales such as Vasilisa the Beautiful, The Firebird, and Maria Morevna are among the most widely recognized. Stage designs for Ballets Russes and other opera and ballet productions form a separate collecting category. Smaller-scale works include decorative postcards, bookplates, and editorial illustrations. Collectors may also find later reproductive prints and commemorative editions based on his original compositions.

## Market and appraisal context

Bilibin's original illustrations, stage designs, and watercolors appear regularly in international auction sales of Russian art and works on paper. Collectors should distinguish between original works—pen-and-ink drawings, watercolors, and gouaches produced for publication or theatrical productions—and the many reproductive prints, book reprints, and posters that circulate widely. Provenance, medium confirmation, and edition status are key appraisal factors. Works associated with his best-known folk-tale illustrations and Ballets Russes designs tend to attract the strongest market interest. Attribution should be verified carefully, as his iconic style has been widely imitated and reproduced.

## Appraisily data basis

This artist page combines identity research from Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, Wikidata, and published biographical sources with Appraisily's auction records, including sale dates, realized prices, comparable lots, and auction-house context when those records are available.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312024
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Bilibin
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500030855
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/61666423/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50018017
- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/8414
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/23753