Andrey Kuznetsov is a Russian artist best known for his animated films but he also does other work, often in traditional lubok style.
“The Mice Bury the Cat”, c. 1730. Possibly a commentary on the funeral of Peter the Great (d.1725).
The lubok (pl. lubki) first appeared in Russia in the 17th Century as hand-colored woodblock prints that often had a satiric message. The word “lubok” google translates as “splint”. Lubki do have something to do with pieces of wood but there is no real agreement on where the term originates.
“Live to Ride”
The traditional lubok is cheery in form and oblique in message, something to be expected in a time and place where you could be hanged for insulting the wrong person. Lubki circulated amongst the poor and the peasantry and commented on items of popular interest. Kuznetsov has done lubok-style illustrations for magazine articles, children’s books, and CD covers but also uses the internet to publish lubki based on popular movies.
“War of the Worlds”
Harry Potter
“Spiderman”
“Lord of the Rings”
“The Matrix”
“The Terminator”
“Star Wars”
“Avatar”
Other Russian artists have played with the lubok form, but Kuznetsov is generally considered the best. [More of his work here.] [Kuznetsov's LiveJournal] [Article in Spanish citing a story that ran in Gentlemen's Quarterly about King Juan Carlos killing a tame bear, illustrated lubok-style by Vladimir Zmaev.]
[...] little while ago, I posted on Andrey Kuznetsov and his using the Lubok form to show contemporary stories. Now here’s Murat Palta who has used Ottoman miniatures in the same way. Here’s Alien [...]