Пикассо и окрестности [Picasso and His Surroundings], by Ivan Aksenov. Moscow: Центрифуга, 1917. Russian.

A booklet concerning Picasso and his artistic creation, accompanied by seven plates with reproductions of his work, and five additional reproductions pasted on blank pages (included in the page count).

The booklet was published by "Centrifuge", established by members of the Futurist art movement of the same name, whose members included Sergei Bobrov, Boris Pasternak, Nikolai Aseev, and others. The group existed approximately between 1913-1917; books published by "Centrifuge" continued to appear for a few years after the group's dissolution.

Cover designeed by  Aleksandra Ekster (Александра Алекса́ндровна Экстер; 1882-1949), painter, fashion designer, stage designer, and graphic artist. Born in Białystok, she studied at the Kyiv Art School and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris. Ekster was among the leaders of the Russian avant-garde movement and participated in many of its major exhibitions. Throughout her life, she lived alternately in Kyiv, St. Petersburg, Odessa, Paris, Rome, and Moscow. Among other roles, she worked as a designer at the Chamber Theater established in Moscow by director Alexander Tairov (Александр Яковлевич Таиров; 1885-1950). She taught and influenced many artists, including Boris Aronson, Issachar Ber Ryback, and Yitzhak Frenkel.

[1] leaf, 62, [9] pages + [7] plates. Approx. 27 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Tears to margins of several leaves. Minor blemishes to cover and spine. Minor tears and creases to cover.

MoMA 148.

Enclosed: Advertising leaflet for Centrifuge publications for the year 1917.