Constantin Alajálov's Cinderella

Constantin Alajálov's illustrations for Alice Duer Miller's verse retelling of Cinderella (1943) were featured in Life magazine's issue of September 13, 1943. Life reported that Alajálov had considered a modern setting for his illustrations, but that proved unworkable. Instead he set his illustrations in the 1850's which is still a couple of centuries later than Charles Perrault's original version. Seven years after this book was published, Walt Disney was to release an animated feature of the fairy tale which was to become a classic in its own right.

Parts of the book now appear on Fulltable.com. It is especially good to see a few of the illustrations alongside the verses.

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/s.htm

The Life magazine article appeared a couple of months before the book's release.

Life, September 13, 1943

http://books.google.com/books?id=cVAEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Cinderella+Life+Magazine&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uQqBU7mqGcuisQSi_YGABg&ved=0CF0Q6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=Cinderella&f=false

Life, September 13, 1943

http://books.google.com/books?id=cVAEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Cinderella+Life+Magazine&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uQqBU7mqGcuisQSi_YGABg&ved=0CF0Q6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=Cinderella&f=false

The shoe fits! Note also the ugliest evil stepfamily ever:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alice-Duer-Miller-Constantin-Alajalov-CINDERELLA-RETOLD-IN-VERSE-1943-/190990498559?nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  I have an earlier post about Cinderella's slipper in the Disney version.

There's a lot more to read about Constantin Alajálov as well.

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