Kazimir Malevich - the genius of Suprematism and the Russian avant-garde. His works are known throughout the world, especially the mysterious Black Square. The artist's life was full of quests and creative finds. He wrote his works in the style of cubism, suprematism, expressionism, neoclassicism, realism, etc. Malevich’s famous paintings made in these styles allow the viewer to feel the artist’s energy and his extraordinary talent.
The most famous paintings of Malevich:
1
Self Portrait (1910)
The master completed his self-portrait on paper with simple material - gouache, in the unusual Fauvism style. These are the first steps of Malevich towards abstractionism. The background of the picture is distorted, barely detectable, dark red female figures. The artist's face is divided in half by light and shadow, warm colors and cold. This is an attempt to show the transition from youth to adulthood. The artist tries to convey his thoughts and torments, reflects on himself with the help of abstract techniques.
By the way, we have a very interesting article with the most beautiful portraits according to most-beauty.
2
Morning after a Thunderstorm (1913)
The painting was painted in the style of Cubism and is a genre painting. The canvas depicts women walking on water. Details of the landscape and the figures themselves are maximally simplified and as if carved from pieces of metal sheet. The color scheme is calm and full of freshness.
3
Black Suprematist Square (1915)
The abstract canvas is painted with oil in the style of Suprematism and has dimensions 106 by 106 cm. This is the most famous work of Malevich. Many try to see in it some hidden secrets of the universe. But, first of all, the artist was looking for the forms and possibilities of the composition, its color scheme, because the square has no perfect shape and its color is absolutely not black, but a mixture of all kinds of color shades. This is part of the conceived triptych, consisting of the "Black Square", "Black Cross" and "Black Circle". Two second paintings are less familiar to the viewer. Namely, “Black Square occupies an honorable first place in this trio.
4
Athletes (1931)
The canvas is made in the style of Neo-Suprematism. It depicts four figures of athletes who are subordinate to the main task of composition - to focus on color, dynamics and rhythm. Everything is subject to the symmetry and facelessness of the characters who remain outside of time and outside of reality.
5
Boy (Vanka) (1932)
Oil painting on wood in the style of Neo-Suprematism and Cubism. Here, the artist organically combines Suprematism and naturalism, trying to develop and discover a new style in painting. The boy is depicted with his back to the viewer, his figure is made of regular shapes, and each geometric shape of the figure is shaded with a gradient. The palms and feet of the boy break out of this row, as they are absolutely real. The figure depicts humility and insecurity. The background is a cityscape of houses and roads, which are also painted with a gradient.
6
The head of a modern girl (1932)
Neoclassicism and Neo-Suprematism merge in this portrait. The image of the girl is more like the early portraits of the Renaissance - a man’s suit of those times, a pale face, a high forehead and strict estrangement from the viewer. At the same time, a white background, a short haircut of the 30s and a red scarf tied at the back of the head speak of the "modernity" of the girl. The whole figure has some theatricality. Malevich several times used this theme in female portraits, changing the hairstyle, headdress, and turning the head. But all these portraits are united by closeness from the viewer and deliberate theatricality.
7
Girls in the Field (1932)
Here the artist continues his traditions. Female figures, skillfully composed of geometric shapes, are depicted in colors like a rainbow. There is room for all the colors, and even the black color that highlights the central figure. Malevich allegedly constructs a landscape and neatly fits images of women into it. The gradient in the figures is made with great delicacy, as if bowing to the toilers. Bright harvested fields and a blue sky indicate the end of field work, and women's hands are not relaxed, but tense from work. This colorful picture, as it were, emphasizes the festive significance of harvesting.
8
Landscape with Five Houses (1932)
Suprematism in the landscape is a find of Malevich. The canvas is divided into two parts with a blue palate and red earth. On the horizon are five different-sized white rectangular houses with trapezoidal black roofs. Everything is simplified to a minimum, the image is flat, without perspective and shadows, like a primitive children's drawing.
9
Portrait of a Drummer (1932)
In 1932, Kazimir Malevich again turned to realism. The portrait of the drummer is made just in this style, beautifully painted. He depicts a man, soundly dressed, in glasses against the background of the factory. Most likely, this is a master-editor. The serious face of a man looks away from the viewer. He is calm and confident in the future.
10
Red Cavalry (1932)
This genre painting, written in the style of Neo-Suprematism, was the only abstract painting by Malevich, which was recognized in the Soviet period. She depicts a red cavalry. The canvas is divided into three parts - sky, cavalry and earth. To divide the canvas, the artist applied the rule of the "golden section" - in proportion (0.618). The owner of the painting is the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
To draw a line
Kazimir Malevich. Supremus No. 56 (fragment). 1916
Kazimir Malevich, starting in 1932, turned again to realism, since this was a trend and a demand of that time. The artist performed a number of realistic works, but did not manage to gain a foothold in this style. He died in 1935 in complete poverty, absolutely sick and unrecognized during his lifetime. Even the artist’s grave remained lost in the endless fields of the Moscow Region, where new micro-districts of Greater Moscow now rise. But the monument to this great master is his world famous “Black Square”.
During his life, Malevich wrote four Black Squares. All of them are in the leading museums of Russia - in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The estimated cost of one painting is up to $ 30 million. This is a true recognition of the genius of abstract art. Most-beauty is waiting for your comments about this artist and his work. Write to us which paintings of Malevich made the greatest impression on you.