.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
To be included in the forthcoming Malevich catalogue raisonn being prepared by Andr Boris Nakov.
Peasant life was a central theme of Malevich's art, particularly during two periods, 1908-1912, and 1928-1932. In his autobiography, Malevich stated that, "The life of peasants has had a powerful hold on me," and he recalled his warm memories of his youth in the Ukranian countryside: "Peasants, young and old, worked on the plantations, and I, the future artist, feasted my eyes on the fields and the 'coloured' workers, who hoed or planted the beetroot. Platoons of girls in colourful clothes advanced side by side across the entire field." (quoted in exh. cat., Leningrad, Russian Museum; Moscow, Tretiakov Gallery and Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Kazimir Malevich, 1878-1935, 1988-1989, p. 170). The imagery of the present picture perhaps reflects his youthful memories.
His return to this subject matter in the late 1920's, following his Suprematist period, was inspired in part by sympathy with the plight of the Russian peasantry, then suffering forced collectivization under the Stalinist regime.
"Malevich's second cycle of peasants of 1928-1932 differs significantly from the first. Characteristics of everyday life are now missing, there are no reaper women or mowers, and in all the paintings the peasants are set against the background of the coloured fields. They are always depicted en face and many of the pictures in this cycle elicit the impression of the solemnity, monumentality, and significance of what is occurring, even though there's nothing very special in the subject matter... . Created after the Suprematist period, many pieces in this cycle . . . preserve the same 'cosmic' impression that Malevich's non-objective works had also expressed so sharply.
Malevich's last paintings - in their depth and inner complexity, their plastic perfection - are now one of the most vivid and original phenomena of twentieth century painting. Malevich died more than 40 years ago, but his artistic ideas have maintained their value, and interest in his creative work continues to grow throughout the world. The passage of time has left no doubt that Malevich belongs to that select group of artists whose creative endeavour can change the artistic physiognomy of an entire epoch". (op. cit., pp. 170-171)
Peasant life was a central theme of Malevich's art, particularly during two periods, 1908-1912, and 1928-1932. In his autobiography, Malevich stated that, "The life of peasants has had a powerful hold on me," and he recalled his warm memories of his youth in the Ukranian countryside: "Peasants, young and old, worked on the plantations, and I, the future artist, feasted my eyes on the fields and the 'coloured' workers, who hoed or planted the beetroot. Platoons of girls in colourful clothes advanced side by side across the entire field." (quoted in exh. cat., Leningrad, Russian Museum; Moscow, Tretiakov Gallery and Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Kazimir Malevich, 1878-1935, 1988-1989, p. 170). The imagery of the present picture perhaps reflects his youthful memories.
His return to this subject matter in the late 1920's, following his Suprematist period, was inspired in part by sympathy with the plight of the Russian peasantry, then suffering forced collectivization under the Stalinist regime.
"Malevich's second cycle of peasants of 1928-1932 differs significantly from the first. Characteristics of everyday life are now missing, there are no reaper women or mowers, and in all the paintings the peasants are set against the background of the coloured fields. They are always depicted en face and many of the pictures in this cycle elicit the impression of the solemnity, monumentality, and significance of what is occurring, even though there's nothing very special in the subject matter... . Created after the Suprematist period, many pieces in this cycle . . . preserve the same 'cosmic' impression that Malevich's non-objective works had also expressed so sharply.
Malevich's last paintings - in their depth and inner complexity, their plastic perfection - are now one of the most vivid and original phenomena of twentieth century painting. Malevich died more than 40 years ago, but his artistic ideas have maintained their value, and interest in his creative work continues to grow throughout the world. The passage of time has left no doubt that Malevich belongs to that select group of artists whose creative endeavour can change the artistic physiognomy of an entire epoch". (op. cit., pp. 170-171)