Two Plays of Anton Chekhov (1977) is a luxurious Easton Press edition, pairing two of Chekhov’s masterworks—The Seagull (1896) and Uncle Vanya (1899)—with haunting illustrations by Hungarian artist Lajos Szalay. This collector’s volume embodies Easton’s signature craftsmanship: full leather binding, 22-karat gold gilt edges, and moiré silk endpapers.
Szalay’s ink-and-wash drawings amplify Chekhov’s tragicomedy, capturing the plays’ existential languor and rural isolation. His sketchy, expressive lines mirror the characters’ inner turmoil—Nina’s doomed idealism in The Seagull, Vanya’s wasted life in Uncle Vanya. The edition includes Chekhov’s original prefaces and a critical foreword contextualizing his “theater of mood.”
For similar Easton Press classics, seek The Plays of Oscar Wilde (1982) or The Masterpieces of Dostoevsky (1980). Szalay’s art also graces The Odyssey (Easton, 1974)—a testament to his dynamic range.
