Zdravljica

France Prešeren, recognised as the greatest Slovene poet, wrote Zdravljico/The Toast in 1844. Part of it (the 7th stanza, to be precise) became the Slovene national anthem. The new edition of Zdravljica can not only be read but also seen and admired, since the top illustrator, Damijan Stepančič (1969), has illustrated each stanza with a double page illustration and created a luxurious picture book, which (again) is of the kind that attracts the eye of both young and old, so children and adults. Of particular interest is the illustrator's concept, the innovativeness and originality of which certainly creates enthusiasm. Stepančič decided to illustrate the spirit of the text or to embody it with images of some well-known persons from Slovene history, who have in common that they were progressive, courageous, free and creative spirits. We can thus find in the illustrations Primož Trubar, Edvard Rusjan, Janez Polde, Jože Plečnik, Herman Potočnika Noordung, Srečko Kosovel, Kristina Brenkova, Ida Kravanj, Friderik Irene Baraga, Rudolf Cvetko, Rudolf Maister, Janez Vajkard Valvasor, Alma Karlin and Baron Žiga Herberstein. At the end of the book can be found information about what the enumerated did (professionally) and it concludes with some words about Prešeren's Zdravljica. Damijan Stepančič received for this project the 2013 Kristina Brenkova Award for an original Slovene picture book.