The Look Of Russian Literature: Avant-garde Visual Experiments, 1900–1930

The Look of Russian Literature Avant-Garde Visual Experiments, 1900-1930 Gerald Janecek PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS Princeton, New Jersey Copyright © 1984 by Princeton University Press Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom Princeton University Press, Guildford, Surrey All Rights Reserved Library of Congress Cataloging m Publication Data will be found on the last printed page of this book ISBN 0-691-06604-3 This book has been composed m Linotron Trump Publication of this book was made possible (in part) by a grant from the Publications Program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent Federal agency Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are chosen for strength and durability Paperbacks, although satisfactory for personal collections, are not usually suitable for library rebmdmg Printed m the United States of America by Princeton Umversity Press, Prmceton, New Jersey For MOM who gave me eyes and for SUE AND SARAH who keep them bright One must demand of the writer that he actually pay attention to typeface. After all, his thoughts reach us by means of the eye and not the ears. Therefore expressive typographic plasticity ought by its optic action to produce the same effect as both the voice and gestures of an orator. El Lissitzky, 1925 (Lissitzky-Küppers 1968, p. 357) Socrates: I quite agree with you that words should as far as possible resemble things; but I fear that this dragging in of resemblance . . . is a kind of hunger, which has to be supplemented by the mechanical aid of convention with a view to correctness; for I believe that if we could always, or almost always, use expressions which are similar, and therefore appropriate, this would be the most perfect state of language; as the opposite is the most imperfect. Plato, Cratylus, p. 100 Contents Illustrations and Portraits, xi Transliteration System and Abbreviations, xvi Preface, xvii Acknowledgments, xix 1. INTRODUCTION: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 3 The Age of the Avant Garde, 3-, Manuscript Culture, 6-, The Figure Poem, 8; The lubok, 9-, Symbolism, 11-, The Orthographic Reforms, 12-, European Parallels, 19 2. ANDREY BELY 25 The Prose Works, 25-, The Poetry, 44; Theory, 55; Comments, 65 3. KRUCHONYKH AND THE MANUSCRIPT BOOK 69 The First Manuscript Books, 69; The Early Manifestoes, 87; The Later Works, 92; An Evaluation, 112 4. KAMENSKY AND THE FERROCONCRETE POEM 123 5. TYPOGRAPHY: ZDANEVICH AND OTHERS 149 Khudakov, Lotov, the Rayist Poets, and D. Burliuk, 150-, Kamensky and Typography, 156; Zdanevich's aslaabllche and the Transcription of zaum in Drama, 164-, The Melnikova Anthology, 183-, Terentev, 189-, A. N. Chicherin, 191-, Lissitzky, 202 6. MAYAKOVSKY AND THE STEPLADDER LINE 207 Early Experiments, 207; Stages of Layout Development, 219-, What is the lesenka?, 227-, How to Read Mayakovsky, 236; Mayakovsky's Legacy, 246 APPENDIXES 249 1. Resolutions of the Orthographic Subcommission, 249; 2. Translations of Illustrated Figures, 251 References, 291 Index, 309 Illustrations and Portraits (See appendix 2 for translations of texts within the illustrations.) 1. A page from the first dated printed Russian book, The Acts of the Apostles, by Ivan Fyodorov, 1564, 7 2. Poem by Simeon Polotsky in the form of a star, seventeenth century, 7 3. I. Rukavishnikov, poem in the form of a star, 8 4. Erl. Martov, "Rhombus," Russkie simvohsty, II, 1894, 8 5. V. Bryusov, "Triangle," 1918, 8 6. V. Bryusov, "Belated Answer. To Vadim Shershenevich," 191