#209 of 1001 · February 25, 2021

Continuing with Cinderella Week, have a look at this fascinating version by Beni Montresor. Rather different from those I’ve posted so far, it draws inspiration from the 1817 opera La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo (“Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant”) by Gioacchino Rossini. Montresor playfully foregrounds the theatrical medium of his source by composing the illustrations as stills from a live production, complete with stage floorboards, backdrop, and scenery; on the cover and title page, he pulls back to reveal curtains, footlights, and lavish architectural elements. #cinderella #opera #italian #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #classicchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks