Tevye the Milkman

Sholem-Aleichem (1959-1916) is the most famous and popular Jewish writer. He wrote in Yiddish, as well as in Russian and Hebrew. The series of stories "Tevye the Milkman" is the writer's most well-known work, which has become the subject of numerous adaptations and screen versions. Anatoly (Tanhum) Kaplan (1902-1980) was an outstanding artist: graphic artist, painter, ceramicist. Kaplan gained fame as one of the best lithographers, and his easel lithographs based on the works of Jewish writers, primarily Sholem-Aleichem, became particularly well-known. Kaplan began working on easel lithographs illustrating "Tevye the Milkman" in 1957, already being a recognized master of lithography. His work on lithographs based on "Tevye the Milkman" continued with some breaks until 1967. More than a hundred black-and-white lithographs were created in total. Thus, the artist worked on the illustrations for this work longer than on any other of his graphic series, and he created more sheets for "Tevye the Milkman" than for any other work of Sholem-Aleichem. Kaplan divided the easel illustrations into three series, with 27 sheets in each. Each series is opened by a title page, a list of works, a sheet containing output data, and a frontispiece depicting the meeting of Sholem-Aleichem with his character. The first series is dated 1957-1963, the second 1961, and the third 1966. In addition to the three series, Kaplan created about 30 lithographs based on "Tevye the Milkman" that he did not include in the "canonical" series. The last sheets on the subject of "Tevye" were lithographed by Kaplan in 1967. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Kaplan repeatedly used compositions from lithographs based on "Tevye the Milkman" in his paintings and ceramic works. This edition fully presents the sheets from the three canonical series and most of the lithographs not included in them. . .V. Dymshits