Chinese and Soviet book illustrations from the 1950s for Lu Xun's «The True Story of Ah Q»

This article explores the illustrations for the work The True Story of A-kyu in Chinese and Soviet editions of the 1950s. These illustrations are systematized and compared in the text. Lu Xin's literary work The True Story of A-Q has occupied a significant place in both Chinese and Soviet book graphics. In the mid-twentieth century, when cultural exchanges between China and the Soviet Union were particularly active, Lu Xin's works became an important source of inspiration for the Soviet illustrative tradition. A comparative study of the illustrations for The True Story of A-Q in the editions of the two countries reveals the unique stylistic features that emerged in the course of artistic interaction between China and the USSR. This intercultural visual dialog not only reflects the mutual influence of literary and artistic traditions, but also demonstrates both commonalities and differences in aesthetic approaches.