From 1921 to 1923, the future Soviet graphic artist and sculptor Dmitry Vladimirovich Gorlov studied at the Higher Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS). This educational institution was established literally a year before he entered it. Dmitry Gorlov tried to get an education at the Petrovsky Agricultural Academy and Moscow University, but eventually he ended up in VKhUTEMAS.
During his studies, Dmitry Vladimirovich got to the Darwin Museum, where he became an assistant to the animalist painter Vasily Alekseevich Vatagin. The young artist fueled his interest in depicting animals by his visits to the Moscow Zoo.
In 1929, the publishing house “Molodaya Gvardiya” (Young Guard) released a book “Lives, Grows, Moves” with illustrations by Vasily Vatagin and Dmitry Gorlov. With the first print run of 20,000 copies, a second edition was required already in 1931. This was also when the same publishing house released Dmitry Vladimirovich’s book “The M.O.K.X. Zoo.”
In the 1930s, the “Detgiz” publishing house, which was formed in 1933, started to involve the artist in its work. Gorlov became engaged in the creation of Soviet toys, made production samples, and participated in the design of large exhibitions.
Children perceive the world around them in a special way. Hence, the animalist artist made it his task not to distort their perception with bright colors or simplified anatomical shapes. He strived to give them a reliable idea of a variety of characteristic features without overloading children’s minds with unnecessary details. Dmitry Vladimirovich, who loved animals, was keen to travel and explore the habits of animals and birds, coped brilliantly with this task.
