| Abstract [eng] |
The present work deals with the phenomenon of illustrations in books for children. Lithuanian context and books written and illustrated by Lithuanian artists such as Laisvydė Šalčiūtė, Sigutė Ach, Kętutis Kasparavičius and Leonardas Gutauskas were chosen for the research. Illustration is being viewed as an important part of a book as the whole; it completely reveals its meaning only through interaction with a text. Presence of the text and image alongside, their communication, relation between them, their coherence as well as contradictions and functions of illustration occurring from their interaction are under investigation. It was found out that a common definition of an illustration that characterises it as an element of a book explaining through images, complementing and decorating a text, seems to be too narrow in the context of a book for children. Functions of an illustration cannot be limited by serving to a text, aesthetical view of a book. In books for children, an illustration often moves away from literal illustration and obtains greater opportunities for communication. An illustration animates a text by making it more acceptable for child’s understanding. A serial succession of illustrations becomes a narration, while leaving for words only functions of a commentary and explanation. Illustrations substitute a verbal narration there where an image could tell more exhaustively, expressively. Images created by an artist can become the cause for origination of a verbal text. An author of a book can attribute illustrations with a separate narration linked with a text by a united idea of the book. In books for children, illustrations obtain an educational function. They provide knowledge for comprehension of organisation of the universe, things, phenomena, space; render cultural values; teach some creativity and lead a child into the world of the fine arts. Even while gaining much independence, an illustration remains to be only one of book’s elements. A book addresses to a child as being the whole – a narration and an illustration along. Here, not the priority of a text or an illustration is important, but which one is endowed with a richer communication. |
