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[SOCIAL HUMOUR] Kaliendar “Zerkala” na rok zvichainii 1891 [“Zerkalo” Calendar for the Common Year 1891]

[Pankivskyi, Kost (ed)]

Item #2608

Lviv: Lyt. A. Pshyshliaka & Drukarnia Naukovoho Tovarystva im. Shevchenka pid zariadom K. Bednarskoho for Redaktsyia “Zerkala”, 1891. [16], 48 pp, ills, [16] ads, additional tie–in of 16 pp. Ads in Polish. 16 x 11 cm. Original illustrated publisher’s wrappers. Very good condition. Some creases to the corners of pictorial wrappers. Numbers and a pre–revolutionary illegible stamp in black ink on the title. Intricate owner’s rubber stamp on the title Yz knyh M. Fiholia [From the books of M. Figol]. Occasional spotting, staining and tissue paper repair of minor loss and tear throughout the block. The owner's stamp is probably referring to the artist Mykhailo Figol (1927–1999). Not only the stamp itself showcases artistic intricate rubber carving, but Figol himself was known to specialise in studying satire which led him to complete a PhD thesis Ukrainian satirical graphics of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The present satirical almanac edition is thematically relevant for his studies. Figol himself, however, was a lyrical monumentalist fascinated with Galician landscapes and, if undertaking any illustration, focused mostly on epic fiction. Front cover printed in Lithography of Antoni Przyszlak in Lviv and
signed Yu.L.(?) at the bottom right corner. From Polish sources we know that A. Przyszlak was in the printing business from at least 1877 to at least 1913. It was a highly specialised innovative printer specialised in polychromatic imaging. Przyszlak issued color maps, art albums, posters, business cards, commemorative material and illustrated ephemera such as vignetted diplomas. An almanach for a local Polish satirical Śmigus: dwutygodnik humorystyczny is known, to which Przyszlak supplied similar color satirical covers, while the block was also as with this Kaliendar, printed in b&w, separately (and understandably cheaper).

As the Austro–Hungarian Empire was more accepting of the freedom of speech of the minorities at its Eastern borders, the regional Ruthenian press held polemical — and sometimes intense — discussions on the future and the self–identification of the Western Ukrainians. Three primary ideological trajectories predominated the narrative sphere: of an independent national state, a Polonised–Westernish region and a Russified region of the Slavic Central part of the Russian Empire. Consequently, periodicals, literature and almanacs served as forums for debates on transformational political shifts that felt imminent at the fin de siėcle. News and local events were refracted through the lens of political alignment. Notable satirical contemporaries to Zerkalo included Ukrainian but Moscophilic Strakhopud, Polish Szczutek; though the general stream of socio–political publications in the Lviv area was far more expansive. Both the visual representation and the editorial policies of Zerkalo are similar to well–known liberal satirical editions of the bordering Russian Empire like Oskolki by N. Lejkin & R. Golike or Budil`nik by E. Arnol`d and V. Levinskij — but Zerkalo was decidedly more liberal if not radical by the XIXth century standards.

Initially, Zerkalo was a generalist newspaper providing satirical social commentary, touching on political, economic, social events as well as keeping local Galician news in focus. Zerkalo was set up by Kornylo Ustyianovych (1839–1903) who by 1882 already was a respected local artist known for his academic–style portraits and murals. Ustyianovych was equally active as a writer and a publicist. But following his involvement with Ukraincocentric circles and Prosvita meetings, Ustyianovych rejected his own panslavist ideas and shifted from Moscophilia to Ukrainophilia. Furthermore, his regular contribution of commentary and poetry to local press culminated in establishing his own publication. It appeared biweekly during 1882–83 and during 1883–1885 as Nove zerkalo. Politically, Zerkalo stood in direct opposition to pro–Russian, Moscophilic sentiments that were appealing to some intellectuals and publicists. It openly opposed Tovarystvo im. Kachkovskoho, which advocated for the unification of Slavic populations within one Russian empire. Zerkalo was named based on the adopted Western European naming conventions. Zerkalo meaning “The Mirror” served as a meta–textual device: a deliberately chosen editorial policy to reflect society’s image back upon itself, to encourage a critical reassessment of the regionalist goals and aims. Should be noted, that while the cover art is in the style of Ustyianovych himself — the present Zerkalo almanac and concurrent periodical issues already were not of his direct editorship. Bibliographic evidence indicates that by 1891 Zerkalo was under the management of Kost Pankivskyi and Ivan Krylovskyi. Pankivskyi (1855—1915) in line with Ustyianovych, was a proponent of the local identity, one of Prosvita leaders and managed diverse cultural revival and commercial organisations, contributing even to running a local Ruthenian Ukrainian–language theatre.

The orthography and the language system as a whole used for the edition is dualistic and possibly marks an exceptionally important transitional period of the written language: from Galician tradition to a pure literary Ukrainian. The closest possible system used seems to be Ruthenian but in traditional etymological orthography. The phrases like Въ „Зеркалѣ“ знайдешь всьо въ мѣру or на стаціи желѣзничôй натовпъ людей… combine pre–1917 Russian orthography with relatable to the reader Ukrainian lexicon along with some elements are unique only to the era and the region. Some texts, like Bible quotes, play out intricate linguistic jokes switching and mixing the rules of the period–relevant orthography.

Modern scholarship (Izhevskyi, 2009) applies M. Bachtin’s smekhovaya kul'tura (laughter culture) in relation to Galician printed and handwritten satire pamphlets. Smekhovaya kul'tura refers to the carnivalization of social discourse, utilising the motifs of vertep (street puppet theatre) as a tool to subvert the authoritative establishment — most of which was foreign to the Ruthenian reader: either Polish or German. The text is interspersed with numerous innovative illustrations, tail– and end–pieces, some signed. Such caricatures, lavishly reproduced in the periodical and the almanac, served to lampoon those figures, rendering nobles, politicians, well–off traders relatable to the intelligent middle–class reader. Lviv satirical periodicals even adopted the introduction of characteristic personages who served as avatars for the editorial viewpoints, appearing sporadically across both text and illustration. Even the cover art of this almanac depicts a staple of the genre, a witty trickster — forcing some philistine to confront his own reflection in the mirror. This eggshell–clad philistine, known as Shkaral upnyk (from shkaralupa – “eggshells”) bears a striking resemblance to the Humpty—Dumpty archetype. The current Zerkalo highlights typical Rusyn and Roman calendars — conspicuously ommiting Orthodox Russian dates. The calendar section of the almanac has a versed intro that provides satirical commentary on local traditions and labor methodics. Some calendar tables are prefaced with a biting versed motto. A substantial literary supplement follows, offering an eclectic collection of prose, anecdotes, verse, one–act plays and even multi–plate comics. Even specific ethnicities are attacked in text (katsap, zhydok marmorainii etc.). But Zerkalo is not just scandalous or blunt. The text assumes a rather sophisticated reader, comfortably jumping from jokes on out–of–place Latin proverbs, pseudo–aristocratic pretentious, adultery and low–life scandals. This wealth of social anecdotes provide a lively nuanced picture of bourgeois life in the Galician borderlands.

Most entries are under pseudonyms, many of which functioned as “insider jokes” recognizable to the Lviv intelligentsia. Distinguished author often appear behind the monograms, for instance, Stefan Piatka is a mask for the writer Stepan Kovaliv (1848—1920). But the secrecy and anonymity was not only a carnival masking trope, but a necessity. Due to its acute, focused jokes and general wit, Zerkalo drew scrutiny from both the readers, its opponents and the authoritative censors. During the years of activity, the editors endured not only critique and social pressure, but court cases and even direct physical attacks. Ironically, despite the staunchly nationalistic stance, it has a Polish bound–in advertising supplement. Such a supplement signals the multi–ethnic economic reality of Austro–Hungarian Empire, favourable for Polish providers and making them a viable source of ad revenue for Zerkalo. The supplement fully in Polish provides marketing texts on novel apothecary cures, household chemistry etc.

Overall an exceptionally rare example of polychromatic intellectual humour, distinguished by a sophisticated array of late 19th–century Cyrillic types and transitional system of written Ukrainian. Furthermore, as the Ukrainian classic Ivan Franko was a frequent pseudonymous contributor to Zerkalo, the potential of identifying his work within this specific almanac presents a compelling opportunity for further scholarship.

Very rare. Not in WordCat, not in KVK. According to the National Bibliography of Ukraine, a single copy is held at the National Library of Ukraine.

Price: $2,000.00