The Tale of Tsar Saltan in pictures

Pushkin’s inspiration for writing The Tale of Tsar Saltan may have come from the stories told to him by his nanny, Arina Rodionovna. However, this story has many oral and written sources, in Russian and other languages, which have spread throughout Russia, particularly through lubki prints. Pushkin’s version in verse has itself been the subject of numerous illustrations and theatrical adaptations that have somewhat redefined its reception. By examining different visual representations of The Tale of Tsar Saltan, we find that being part of both literary and folklore traditions, it highlights the lack of a clear distinction between the two genres, which continue to refer to each other.

With Anastasia Kozyreva (National Institute of Eastern Languages and Civilisations)