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Alexei Remizov
WHAT IS TOBACCO
Gonosy’s Tale

Short description:

This book is the first official publication of a story by the great Russian writer Alexei Remizov that, due to a combination of irrational, mystical circumstances, was destined never to become a generally acknowledged masterpiece of world erotic literature.

Artists:
Boris Zabirokhin
Boris Zabirokhin
Boris Zabirokhin

Painter (in oil and tempera) and printmaker. Has illustrated more than 30 books and created more than 100 ex-libris. Has taken part in numerous Russian and international exhibitions and competitions. Member of the Artists’ Union of Russia. 

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Mikhail Gavrichkov
Mikhail Gavrichkov
Mikhail Gavrichkov

Painter, graphic artist, creator of ex-libris and inventive sculptural assemblages. Awarded grants by the Foundation of the Trustees of the Mariinsky Theatre and by the Foundation of the President of Russia. Has taken part in more than 120 exhibitions in Russia and abroad, of which 18 have been solo exhibitions. Member of the Artists’ Union of Russia.

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Denis Lotarev
Denis Lotarev
Denis Lotarev

Graphic artist, calligrapher, painter and sculptor. Participant in the 1st International Calligraphy Exhibition in Moscow in 2008 (and regularly thereafter), as well as many group and personal exhibitions in Russia and abroad. Member of the Artists’ Union of Russia.

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Edition:
26 copies numbered and signed by the publisher and artists. Copies № 1 and № 14 are intended to be in the collection of the State Hermitage.



Additional information

Details of the creation of this masterpiece

  • Year of publication:
    2017
  • Number of pages:
    60
  • Dimensions:
    365 × 320 mm
  • Paper:
    Hahnemühle (Germany), 300 g/m², handmade; Somerset (England), 280 g/m², handmade; original handmade paper
Language:
Russian
The book of Alexei Remizov’s What Is Tobacco. Gonosy’s Tale created by the Rare Books from Saint Petersburg publishing house is the first official publication of the great Russian writer’s story and is of undoubted value for modern Russian literature. The first two copies were presented to the Pushkin House (Institute of Russian Literature), where Remizov himself deposited his entire personal archive before emigrating from Russia in 1921.

Participants in the work on this publication:

Idea for the publication — Konstantin Ernst
Creators of the illustrations — Mikhail Gavrichkov (copies 1–13), Boris Zabirokhin (copies 14–26)
Calligraphy — Denis Lotarev 
Design of the cover — Piotr Suspitsyn
Layout — David Plaksin
Printing of the etchings — Alexander Mikhailov
Printing of the lithographs — Mikhail Muskin
Printing of the colophon — Sergei Yashin
Making of the covers and hand-laid paper for the endpapers — Andrei Lurye
Production of the copper elements on the cover – Pavel Yekushev
Binding work — Andrei Degtev, Andrei Kulikov
Proof-reading — Natalia Nesterova
Scholarly consultant — Alla Gracheva 
The book was handwritten by Denis Lotarev in a calligraphic semi-uncial script embellished with coloured drop capitals and tailpieces. 

The publisher invited two outstanding Saint Petersburg-based graphic artists – Mikhail Gavrichkov and Boris Zabirokhin – to produce illustrations for the tale, and each of them expressed his understanding of the literary work in his own inimitable manner and favourite graphic technique.

The edition includes 13 copies (1-13) with 18 etchings in each copy produced by Mikhail Gavrichkov and 13 copies (14-26) with 15 lithographs in each copy produced by Boris Zabirokhin. 


The cover of the book is made from tobacco leaves of the finest quality used for making cigars that were sent from Nicaragua. The hand-laid paper for the flyleaves incorporates particles of aromatic pipe tobacco.

The cover is embellished with a metal clasp. The book has a storage case decorated with fabric.

Additional information

Details of the creation of this masterpiece

About this edition
About this edition:
  • Year of publication:
    2017
  • Number of pages:
    60
  • Dimensions:
    365 × 320 mm
  • Paper:
    Hahnemühle (Germany), 300 g/m², handmade; Somerset (England), 280 g/m², handmade; original handmade paper
Language:
Russian
The book of Alexei Remizov’s What Is Tobacco. Gonosy’s Tale created by the Rare Books from Saint Petersburg publishing house is the first official publication of the great Russian writer’s story and is of undoubted value for modern Russian literature. The first two copies were presented to the Pushkin House (Institute of Russian Literature), where Remizov himself deposited his entire personal archive before emigrating from Russia in 1921.

Participants in the work on this publication:

Idea for the publication — Konstantin Ernst
Creators of the illustrations — Mikhail Gavrichkov (copies 1–13), Boris Zabirokhin (copies 14–26)
Calligraphy — Denis Lotarev 
Design of the cover — Piotr Suspitsyn
Layout — David Plaksin
Printing of the etchings — Alexander Mikhailov
Printing of the lithographs — Mikhail Muskin
Printing of the colophon — Sergei Yashin
Making of the covers and hand-laid paper for the endpapers — Andrei Lurye
Production of the copper elements on the cover – Pavel Yekushev
Binding work — Andrei Degtev, Andrei Kulikov
Proof-reading — Natalia Nesterova
Scholarly consultant — Alla Gracheva 
Text
The book was handwritten by Denis Lotarev in a calligraphic semi-uncial script embellished with coloured drop capitals and tailpieces. 

Illustrations
The publisher invited two outstanding Saint Petersburg-based graphic artists – Mikhail Gavrichkov and Boris Zabirokhin – to produce illustrations for the tale, and each of them expressed his understanding of the literary work in his own inimitable manner and favourite graphic technique.

The edition includes 13 copies (1-13) with 18 etchings in each copy produced by Mikhail Gavrichkov and 13 copies (14-26) with 15 lithographs in each copy produced by Boris Zabirokhin. 


Binding
The cover of the book is made from tobacco leaves of the finest quality used for making cigars that were sent from Nicaragua. The hand-laid paper for the flyleaves incorporates particles of aromatic pipe tobacco.

The cover is embellished with a metal clasp. The book has a storage case decorated with fabric.

Alexei Remizov
WHAT IS TOBACCO
Gonosy’s Tale

The tale, which was never destined to become a generally recognized masterpiece of world erotic literature

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