This article responds to recent calls for research on literary translations in émigré periodicals as a means of
exploring the cultural boundary work between the diaspora and its host cultures. Focusing on the community of Russia Abroad
(1919–1939), for whom the printed word was vital in sustaining and disseminating cultural life, this study examines the role of
translations in shaping diasporic identity. Using Illiustrirovannaia Rossiia [Illustrated Russia] (Paris;
1924–1939) a prominent Russian émigré newsmagazine as a case study, this article combines a descriptive analysis of literary
translations with a qualitative examination of the accompanying editorial paratexts. The findings reveal that translated
literature not only contributed to the formation of a distinct émigré cultural identity but also served as a crucial tool in
defining boundaries between the Russian diaspora and the surrounding host cultures.