Vignettes for the collection of short stories by Friedebert Mihkelson (Tuglas) “Together” (est “Kahekesi”) (Noor-Eesti, 1908).

The first book in which the artistic meaning of the illustrations narrowly exceeded the borders of Tuglas’ text decoration was the collection of short stories “Together”. The question here is not the connection between the vignettes created by Konrad Mägi and Tuglas’ words, but the self-worth of the decorations and, above all, their stylistics. K. Mägi did not make the vignettes based on Tuglas’ texts, they were made two years before the publication, in 1906 in Önningby village, Jomala parish, Åland, Nedra Knapans farm. When creating these typical art nouveau stylizations of nature, K. Mägi was not yet personally acquainted with Tuglas, but they had had more indirect contacts, and that too on the surface of art. Thus, they had appeared together as artists in the third issue of 1906 of the political satire “Tiiu Tasane” published by Juhan Lilienbach in St. Petersburg, the cover of which was drawn by Tuglas, and the next page was a vignette by K. Mägi “Countryside in Finland”.

In one of his letters from March 1906, K. Mägi wrote: “The best Russian papers are closed, of course also our paper, of which only 3 issues were published”. By the way, one of J. Lilienbach’s publications was seized precisely because of Tuglas, because of his “Kätkilaul”.

Regarding the collection of short stories “Together”, art historian Evi Pihlak has stated that “it was Mägi’s first a comprehensively designed book that made it to print.” What is said is not accurate, because the design was not the work of K. Mägi alone, the cover of the book was drawn by К. A. Hindrey

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