The World of Playing Cards Logo

Lubok playing cards

Published September 27, 2022 Updated September 27, 2022

Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov. Russia, 1984.

1984 Russia Colour Printing Plant Sveshnikov Folklore
Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov, Russia, 1984

This 36-card pack of playing cards was designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov (1907-1988) and manufactured by the Colour Printing Plant, Saint Petersburg. The Russian title translates as “Playing cards in the style of Russian lubok images”.

The lubok can be described as an "illustrated broadside" or "popular print" characterized by simple graphics and narratives derived from literature, religious stories, and popular tales. It is a form of graphic art in which an artist creates a woodcut, makes prints from it, and then paints them by hand. The name comes from the word luba, meaning the inner part of linden bark, which was used to create the woodcut.

Originally plots for the pictures came mainly from the Bible but over time they depicted satires, folklore, soldiers, battle scenes, mythology, and images of such everyday 19th century Russian life as village scenes, traveling, hunting, domestic, and agrarian activities. Luboks were also used to ridicule the vanity and greed of the upper classes.

Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov, Russia, 1984 Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov, Russia, 1984 Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov, Russia, 1984

Above: Lubok playing cards designed by Victor M. Sveshnikov and manufactured by the Colour Printing Plant, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1984.

avatar
524 Articles

By Peter Burnett

Member since July 27, 2022

I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.

Russian Playing Cards

Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.

Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

2016 Gallia Belgica playing cards

Gallia Belgica playing cards

Gallia Belgica playing cards by Cédric Volon presenting a view of Belgian culture and folklore.

1997 Pinocchio playing cards

Pinocchio playing cards

Comic book drawings inspired by Carlo Collodi’s children’s classic, Pinocchio.

1992 Norfin® Trolls

Norfin® Trolls

Troll dolls with gaudy hairstyles in a multitude of different costumes.

Calon Arang • Калон Аранг - Бали

Calon Arang • Калон Аранг - Бали

Calon Arang, a figure from 12th-century Javanese and Balinese folklore known as a witch skilled in b...

1978 Wedding of Krechinsky • Свадьба Кречинского

Wedding of Krechinsky • Свадьба Кречинского

A pack of cards depicting characters from the famous play "The Wedding of Krechinsky" by Sukhovo-Kob...

2003 The Lovers playing cards

The Lovers playing cards

Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.

2017 Calaveras De Azúcar

Calaveras De Azúcar

Calaveras De Azúcar playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.

2017 Russian folk art playing cards

Russian folk art playing cards

Russian folk art playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.

1980 Christmas 1980 playing cards

Christmas 1980 playing cards

Festive courts on a Waddingtons pack designed to celebrate Christmas 1980.

1800 Æsop’s Fables tarot

Æsop’s Fables tarot

French-suited Æsop’s fables tarot produced by Leipzig Industrie Comptoir, c.1800-1825.

2015 Branle playing cards

Branle playing cards

‘Branle’ playing cards inspired by a 12th-century dance, produced by Noir Arts, USA, 2015.

2021 Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot

Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot

Giuliano Costa's Jack-O’-Lantern tarot blends Rider-Waite symbolism with the rich and atmospheric th...

2005 Theatre of Pain / Teatr Boli

Theatre of Pain / Teatr Boli

Theatre of Pain / Teatr boli playing cards depicting politicians and leaders in the Caucasus territo...

1983 Baraxa Galega

Baraxa Galega

Baraxa Galega designed by F. Perez Llamosas and published by Naipes Heraclio Fournier, 1983.

2000 CCCP playing cards

CCCP playing cards

Soviet and other Communist celebrities depicted on every card, designed by Vladislav Pankevitch.

2005 Easter Playing Cards

Easter Playing Cards

Egg-shaped cards with rabbit designs in soft, pastel colours for Easter.