A. Kruchenykh, V
In Moscow, for the first time in a hundred years, a large-scale exhibition of artist Natalya Goncharova is being held, which contains more than 4 hundred works from museums around the world. I dreamed of visiting the exhibition and I did.
The exhibition takes place at the Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val. Here are paintings by Goncharova dating from the beginning of the last century, and paintings from the middle of the century, i.e. paintings. written almost before the artist passed away. It is interesting to see the evolution of skill, the daring of different styles, groups and genres, the change of colors and themes.
Natalia Goncharova was called “the Amazon of the Russian avant-garde.” A representative of the ancient Goncharov family, great-great-granddaughter of the wife of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, her namesake Natalya Goncharova, the artist left a bright mark on world painting. Her paintings are in many museums around the world, private collections, and our domestic museums can boast of many paintings. The Tretyakov Gallery also has a rich collection of paintings by Natalia Goncharova, which presented its halls for the first exhibition in the last hundred years. Natalya Sergeevna Goncharova was born on June 4, 1881 in Ladyshino, not far from Tula, in the family of the Moscow architect Sergei Mikhailovich Goncharov and Ekaterina Ilyinichna, nee Belyaeva. From childhood, Natalya showed drawing abilities, but she first began to study as a sculptor at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and architecture in the class of P. Trubetskoy. Since painting attracted the girl more, she was transferred to the class of Konstantin Korovin, who graduated in 1902. Like all young artists of that time, Goncharova changed styles and genres, denying old school- Cubbism, Rayonism, non-objective painting, primitivism, even popular prints, illustrating books, creating theatrical costumes and scenery, participating in fashion shows and painting fabrics, various painting cycles - this is the artist’s multifaceted palette.
Naturally, everyone stood in front of those paintings that he especially liked, for me these were paintings in a primitive style, more like an ordinary popular print - women and men with not very clear faces, in national Russian clothes, our own, familiar people , simple and hard-working: they sow, reap, wash and bleach canvases, harvest, in general, everything is done and in place.
Goncharova always had flowers, they were drawn realistically - cute bouquets in vases, and abstractly, and starry. but everything is bright and cheerful, you stand near the radiant lilies and guess their outlines, or try to distinguish beautiful orchids, or rest your soul near a tree in the corner of the garden, but do not leave indifferent. A sweet girl with a bouquet of lilies is a self-portrait of the artist.
Not only flowers, but also animals interest Natalya Goncharova, here are funny roosters - French and with a boy.
Try to spot everyone's favorite pet in these radiant cubes - a cute cat!
The city pictures are also interesting - “Cyclist”,
"Airplane over the entrance"
Today's present and the angels with it - "Angels and Airplanes."
“Spanish Flu” - this cycle captivated us for a long time; we walked, looked, and couldn’t take our eyes off. All different, colorful, proud, in mantillas and with combs, it’s clear that the artist fell in love with these southern beauties and returned to their images again and again!
All her life Natalya Goncharova walked hand-in-hand with Mikhail Larionov. They met in 1900 at one of the exhibitions abroad, lived almost all the time in civil marriage, mainly in Paris, formalizing their relationship almost at the end of their lives. Larionov survived his wife by only two years, passing away in 1964.
This is how Larionov was in life, and this is how I saw Goncharov’s beloved man.
There are more than 4 hundred paintings at the exhibition, it is impossible to show everything, and there is no need, you can always go to the gallery of paintings and see everything you want. Photography is prohibited at our exhibitions. Therefore, all the ones presented are taken from the Internet from different sites. Maybe. I will return to this exhibition, separately exhibiting paintings from the religious cycle, theatrical works and book graphics. all this is also very interesting.
10 most expensive works of art created by womenAn extensive collection of works by Natalia Goncharova, the famous Russian avant-garde artist who left for Paris at the beginning of the 20th century, was brought to Moscow. This is the largest exhibition of Goncharova in Russia over the last 100 years: until February 16, 2014 in Tretyakov Gallery About 400 exhibits will be presented, most of which have not been exhibited in Russia before.
Goncharova received recognition not only in Russia, but also in the world. Her most expensive job- “Flowers” - was sold for more than $10 million. And this is a record for works of art created by women.
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Natalya Goncharova “Flowers” (1912)
Price: $10.9 / Auction: Christie’s / Year of sale: 2008
This painting is considered iconic for the Russian avant-garde. In it, Goncharova mixed the latest trends in European art (she studied the paintings of Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso) and her own new direction - Rayonism. This style - one of the early forms of abstractionism - was invented by Goncharova together with her husband, futurist Mikhail Larionov. Artists depicted rays of light with colored lines, and thus conveyed the image of objects. They believed that objects in human perception are “the sum of rays coming from a light source, reflected from an object and falling into our field of vision” (“Rayism Manifesto”).
Louise Bourgeois "Spider"
Price: $10.7 million / Auction: Christie's / Year: 2011
An American of French origin, Louise Bourgeois lived to be almost a hundred years old and tried herself in almost all the main directions of art of the twentieth century - cubism, futurism, surrealism, constructivism and abstractionism. But Bourgeois became famous, first of all, as a sculptor. All her works are united by a unique system of symbols. The key theme of her work is childhood memories. A spider, or rather a spider, in sign system The bourgeois is a symbol of the mother. “She was as smart, patient, pure, reasonable and obliging as a spider. And she knew how to protect herself,” the artist said about her mother.
Louise Bourgeois's giant bronze spider sculptures are breaking records at auction. The latest record belongs to the almost seven-meter “Spider” from a private collection in the Napa Valley near San Francisco: on November 8, 2011, it was purchased at Christie’s for $10.7 million.
Natalya Goncharova “Spanish Flu” (1916)
Price: $10.7 million / Auction: Christie’s / Year of sale: 2010
This painting was painted by Goncharova during the First World War. Then serious changes occurred in the artist’s life. She moved from Russia to Paris, where she made scenery for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. “The Spanish Flu” demonstrated Goncharova’s skill as a theater artist: the composition conveyed the powerful energy of Spanish dance. At the same time, she managed to combine the detailing of theatrical scenery and the simplification inherent in abstract art. In “The Spanish Flu” it manifested itself radically new technology, which was later called theatrical constructivism.
Natalya Goncharova “Apple Picking” (1909)
Price: $9.8 million / Auction: Christie’s / Year of sale: 2006
According to the results of the auction “Impressionists and Masters of the 20th Century” in 2006, “Apple Picking” set a record for Russian painting. True, who bought the painting is not known: the buyer wished to remain anonymous.
At the moment when this work was painted, the artist was interested in impressionism, post-impressionism, cubism and futurism, but the influence of Gauguin was especially noticeable in it. Goncharova was also inspired by the Russian icon painting and popular print tradition. As a result, a whole cycle of “Collecting Fruits” arose, executed in a completely original manner.
Joan Mitchell "Untitled" (1959)
Price: $9.3 million / Auction: Sotheby’s / Year of sale: 2011
“Untitled” is one of Mitchell’s first works in the style of abstract expressionism, which was new to her at that time. Mitchell, according to the Berlin trading company Artnet.com, is the most successful artist in terms of auction turnover. Between 1985 and 2013, 646 of her works were sold, for which buyers paid a total of $239.8 million. Unlike other American artists who worked in the style of abstract expressionism, Mitchell turned to the European tradition.
Tamara de Lempicka “Dream” (“Rafaela on a green background”) (1927)
Price: $8.5 million / Auction: Sotheby’s / Year of sale: 2011
Tamara de Lempicka is an American artist with Polish roots who lived for some time in St. Petersburg. She worked in the Art Deco style, which emerged in the 1920s and 30s and absorbed the spirit of the Jazz Age. “Dream” was painted by Lempicka during the fruitful period in Paris and after the auction in 2011 it turned out to be the most expensive of the artist’s creations. Prior to this, her most expensive works were “Portrait of Marjorie Ferry” ($4.9 million) and “Portrait of Madame M,” sold in 2009. ($6.1 million).
Joan Mitchell "Salute, Sally!" (1970)
Price: $7 million / Auction: Chistie's / Year: 2012
This painting is dedicated to Mitchell's older sister, Sally. The work differs sharply from her previous paintings. Bright times have come in the artist’s life, which is reflected on the canvas. "Salute, Sally!" - a bright and sunny picture. By 1970, Mitchell had found a permanent home, settling in the small town of Vétheuil, 55 km from Paris. There she observed nature and constantly drew on her terrace, mainly sunflowers and others bright flowers. Mitchell received recognition from the Parisian public - the first solo exhibition of the abstract artist was held in the French capital in the same 1970.
The painting is painted in oil on canvas. Before the sale, the painting was in a private collection.
Cady Noland "Ozwald" (1989)
Price: $6.6 million / Auction: Sotheby’s / Year: 2011
American Cady Noland is a sculptor and installation artist working in the postmodernist style. The peak of her creativity came in 1980-1990, and Noland created her last work 11 years ago. This, however, does not prevent her paintings from becoming more expensive. According to Bloomberg, Noland is one of three artists whose works have risen in price the most over the past 13 years (+5.488%). She achieved such impressive figures thanks in part to the “Ozwald” sold for $6.6 million.
The sculpture depicts Lee Harvey Oswald, the only suspect in the assassination of American President John F. Kennedy. Noland worked on this installation using her usual technique. She uses images from the media (newspaper clippings, news footage), enlarges them and uses silk-screen printing, applies them to aluminum sheets, and then cuts them out. To give the figures expressiveness, in some cases she makes holes - bullet marks.
Noland's works are featured in leading galleries. Her solo exhibitions were held in the USA, Japan, Europe, and her works are sold by leading auction houses peace.
Tamara de Lempicka "Sleeping" (1930)
Price: $6.6 million / Auction: Sotheby's / Year: 2011
Portraits, including those in the nude genre, occupy a serious place in creative heritage de Lempicka. She created the image of a strong and sexy woman (it is not surprising that Madonna became one of the main collectors of Lempicka’s works). The artist's world is filled with luxury, expensive dresses, perfect bodies.
Natalya Goncharova “Blossoming Trees” (“Apple Blossom”) (1912)
Price: $3.96 million / Auction: Sotheby’s / Year: 2011
In this work, Goncharova, according to critics, is much closer to the pictorial French tradition of the 19th century than to the works of Kazimir Malevich and Wassily Kandinsky.
Anna Namit
Forbes
“Of course, I could do without flowers, but they help me maintain self-respect, because they prove that I am not shackled hand and foot by everyday worries. They are evidence of my freedom" (Rabindranath Tagore)
What an interesting and deep thought: flowers - and personal freedom! Even more amazing is what the man says about this. Writer, poet, composer, artist, public figure, laureate Nobel Prize in literature... He found time to enjoy the beauty of flowers and feel free!
Six months of cold weather in Russia is a lot! Snow-covered gardens, fields and forests, gray skies... The need for a feeling of the fullness of being has always prompted people to create analogues of the beautiful creations of nature, capable of delighting the heart and soul all year round.
Therefore Russian folk art so bright and festive. And it is no coincidence that in the 19th century, another wonderful fishery arose in the center of Russia, which was named, as is often the case in such cases, after its “residence” - Zhostovo! There is hardly a person in our country whose memory will not immediately evoke bright, almost fabulous, bouquets of flowers when he hears this word! Flower arrangements - on a metal tray. And it must be said that the freedom that Tagore’s genius noted when communicating with flowers is most clearly manifested in the creation of the famous Zhostovo bouquets.
A representative of one of the famous dynasties of Zhostovo artists is Larisa Goncharova (examples of the master’s works). A dynasty in any field of activity is the history of a given business. By contacting one family, you will learn the centuries-old history of the development of an entire fishery. So, speaking about the secrets of craftsmanship, Larisa said that painting is an improvisation: the author himself does not know what will happen, his hand goes “automatically”!
What a Master one must be so that these bewitching flowers, glowing from the depths of the buds with a magical light, reverently “sound” on the varnished surface, like notes of virtuoso musical improvisation! The exquisite beauty of the flowers created by the Goncharovs is filled with a special meaning, conveying to us the mood of either a jubilant holiday or impartial contemplation.
Admiring the perfection of the implementation of the plan, enjoying the freedom and airy lightness in the depiction of bouquets, you begin to understand that a once utilitarian object has long ago become a symbol of art, and that Zhostovo painting is an independent form of art.
The village of Zhostovo, which is located very close to the capital, has been a symbol of the unique Russian craft for several centuries. In the last decades of the 20th century, the village was chosen by new Russians, tired of the bustle of the city and the deteriorating environment. By the way, Gerda, whom we have known since childhood from “ Snow Queen“, or rather, the popular theater and film actress Elena Proklova, who played her, has also lived for many years in this village next to the forest, enjoying landscaping and growing organic fruits and vegetables. She did not escape the temptation to learn how to paint trays!
Against the backdrop of the ever-expanding “city of mansions,” the houses of the old-timers became lower and lower, “grew” into their native land, clinging deeper and tighter, as if afraid of being uprooted. And there were reasons for this.
At first there were rumors, but I didn’t want to believe it. Could an ancient folk craft, of which the state was so proud, become private property? A little time passed and the rumors became a fait accompli. The owner of the legendary Zhostovo fishery became the Bank (we won’t do additional advertising for it, especially since the owner of the bank can sell it!). And everything went according to the usual pattern. The bank promised to preserve folk crafts and famous museum Zhostovo trays, but the territory and area of the factory began to be rented out. There are now about thirty enterprises not related to the tray fishery. The thirty young masters remaining at the factory huddle in four small rooms reserved for painting workshops. Now they work “for the owner.” All the great artists, old masters, real creators have left their craft and are working at home. Lately they have practically stopped cooperating with the factory.
The tray as a household item has been known since ancient times, but it was from the beginning of the 19th century, due to the growth of cities, the emergence of numerous hotels, taverns, restaurants, that trays began to be required in large quantities and were used not only for their intended purpose, but also for interior decoration. Bright bouquets, still lifes, scenes of tea drinking or troika riding are traditional subjects of tray paintings that adorned the walls of such establishments.
Zhostovo trays belong to a trend that has the general name “Russian varnishes”. First, at the end of the 18th century, lacquer miniature painting on papier-mâché appeared. The village of Danilkovo near Fedoskino, the villages of Zhostovo and Ostashkovo were famous for the production of boxes, snuff boxes, boxes, glasses for pencils, cigarette cases, albums, crackers, wallets - items decorated with miniature paintings. Artists at that time turned to famous works easel painting, engravings, freely interpreting which they created their works. Having originated in the mainstream of lacquer miniatures, the production of trays gradually became an independent craft. The starting point is 1807, when the workshop of Philip Nikitich Vishnyakov began working in Zhostovo. Although the foundation of the fishery is associated with the name of another Vishnyakov - Osip Filippovich. By the middle of the 19th century, there were already twelve workshops in the district: Belyaev, Mitrofanov, Zaitsev, Leontyev and others. The craft developed, and trays began to be made not only from papier-mâché, but also from iron. Undoubtedly, in this regard, the influence of the famous tray production center in Nizhny Tagil since the 18th century.
If at first the owners worked on an equal basis with the workers, then by the 1870-1880s they increasingly turned into entrepreneurs. During these years, there were more than 240 hired workers in the tray industry near Moscow. Usually three people worked on one tray: a farrier who made the mold, a putter who primed the surface, and a painter who painted the tray. After drying, the primer coated it with varnish.
By the beginning of the 20th century, having mastered all the most interesting things that were in the tray production of St. Petersburg, Nizhny Tagil, in lacquer miniatures near Moscow, easel painting, porcelain painting and other forms of art, the artists of Zhostovo formed their own style, based, after all, first of all on , on the development of their local traditions. A system has been developed, a professional pictorial canon that is inherent in the art of Zhostovo even today. In the sequence of techniques of multi-layered Zhostovo writing, a kind of alphabet is recorded, which is absorbed by the masters, which is called “with milk”. Shading, shading, laying, highlighting, drawing, tying - these are the “steps” that from the generalized silhouettes of flowers and leaves of shading led to the creation of complex compositions with the finest details of tying, combining flowers into bouquets and connecting it with the background. And only having mastered this alphabet “perfectly”, having learned to “speak the most difficult words clearly”, does the artist receive the long-awaited Freedom. Now the Master’s hand has the right to lead him along his own paths of magical gardens in which birds of paradise live, and masterfully improvising, create ever new bouquets of fabulous beauty.
Communicating with famous masters various Russian crafts, I noticed that they are all talented not only in their main profession, but often in many other areas of activity. Several years ago, Nikolai Gushchin, People’s Artist of Russia, chief artist of the Nizhny Novgorod craft “Khokhloma Artist”, was a participant in the Buyan Island festival in Sochi. He amazed the participants not only with the works brought to the exhibition, the talented painting that he demonstrated at the master class, but also... with his wonderful gift as a dancer! How he danced at the banquet! Not many men can boast of such abilities. And one more thing: the artist’s eyes constantly snatch from the surrounding reality the elements necessary for creativity, and each creator has his own. I remember how, having come to visit me, Gushchin immediately found new ideas for his paintings: in the first minute of walking through the garden, he picked an inconspicuous flower. Admiringly looking at the curls of the “weed,” he said that he had never seen anything like it in the middle zone and would definitely use it in his paintings. He carefully wrapped the flower blade of grass and put it in his pocket. Flowers are the most popular motif of paintings in Russian artistic crafts.
This is how traditions develop. Each artist brings into the established canons what he has seen and experienced. Each author has his own individual style. Professionals can easily distinguish the “hands” of masters by the nature of the strokes, and, noting the individuality nurtured by labor and talent, they often give definitions that are by no means art historical terms. They enthusiastically call the brushstroke of the Honored Artist of Russia Larisa Goncharova, a master of Zhostovo painting, “dancing.” Larisa sings as... as she writes her famous flowers (or writes as she sings!).
Larisa Goncharova's diploma work at the Art School named after. Kalinina was highly appreciated by the commission and sent to VDNKh, and Larisa received the Komsomol Central Committee Prize.
As a child, Larisa studied choreography, but having received the profession of an artist, she sang in the folk ensemble “Rus” for many years and toured. She is also a born fashion designer and can sew herself a beautiful outfit overnight. Try to repeat it: a taffeta dress with rabbit trim, painted with Zhostovo flowers - exclusive!
A positive character and bright artistic inclinations were naturally reflected in the painting. Hence the “dancing” stroke!
An artist in the fourth generation, from childhood Larisa could observe all the stages of creating the famous Zhostovo trays, running to her mother’s work (fortunately, the Zhostovo Decorative Painting Factory was located next to the house!), although she had no intention of following in her footsteps. But mom was wise woman and was able to gradually guide her along the right path. This is where genes obviously played a role. After all, the same Timofey Maksimovich Belyaev, who in the 1830s had his own workshop for making trays in Zhostovo, was the great-grandfather of Larisa Goncharova’s mother, Nina Nikolaevna, People's Artist Russia, Laureate of the State Prize named after. I. E. Repin.
The pre-war history of the fishery left us only male names. But 1941 turned the life of the country upside down and began to write its history in all areas and spheres of life. The men were taken to the front. And for the first time, so that the Zhostovo industry, already more than 100 years old, would not perish, six girls of 13-14 years old were hired at the factory. Among them was Nina Belyaeva (later by her husband Goncharova). Military childhood in production - this is a separate article. You can write novels and make feature films! Nina Nikolaevna told how they, little girls, carried logs from the forest on themselves to heat production, and painted cans, since there was no iron (all the metal was used for defense). It is unlikely that in those years Nina could present her works in museum collections and the best exhibition halls peace! Obviously: it doesn’t matter what walls, floors, pots and jars your child’s hand paints. It is important who “bet” this hand. The girls were taught by the oldest master Andrei Pavlovich Gogin, who played an outstanding role in the history of Zhostovo. It was Gogin who, in the 20s of the last century, became an active organizer of the artel, on the basis of which he created many outstanding works and taught traditional skills to numerous students. He was one of those whose activities helped to survive the crisis that disrupted the work of literally all folk crafts at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1928, the artels merged into one - “Metal Tray”, which in 1960 was renamed the Zhostovo Decorative Painting Factory. All these stages were the life of Andrei Pavlovich, and after the war, from 1948 to 1961, he headed the fishery as artistic director and the main artist. At that time, the team of Zhostovo artists still had to overcome the attempts of Soviet government agencies that began in the 20-30s to change the established direction of development of the craft by introducing a straightforward statement of realism. Such innovations could destroy an entire movement in Russian art. But leading masters were able to resist this, directing the implementation of new ideas to deepen traditional craftsmanship.
In his work, Gogin experimented with the shape of trays and with compositional schemes, using mother-of-pearl inlay, colored and gold backgrounds. His lyrical gift remained unchanged, which he passed on to his student, Nina Goncharova. For more than half a century she has been creating works that delight us with their perfection.
It has long been proven that a person who does not live in the area where the craft originated and developed will never become its representative and will not be able to develop traditions. The art of Russian folk crafts is truly alive only in native land and is inspired by it. Despite this, in different parts of our country and in many countries of the world there are people who are passionately drawn to the beauty of Russian art and dream of mastering at least the basics of craftsmanship. That's why our artists are invited to different countries, organize schools, conduct master classes. Larisa often travels abroad and teaches foreigners. Anyone can learn the basics of Zhostovo painting, but not everyone can be an artist of this painting. Foreigners study because it is new to them. For many, acquaintance with Russian art for many years was limited to nesting dolls. For some it is now entertainment, for others it is business. L. Goncharova taught in Australia and Taiwan. She had the opportunity to visit America several times: art studios in 8 states organized her master classes. And one day such a master class on painting trays turned into a real and unique show: it took place against the backdrop of a performance by a folk ensemble, whose participants were dressed in chic, colorful Russian costumes. Larisa also sang, alternating her performances with teaching. In a luxurious suit, she sat behind a tray against the backdrop of the ensemble! American women ran to watch the singer-artist change her clothes and outfit in one minute: the spectacle was breathtaking!
“Foreign countries will help us” is such a familiar phrase to everyone. Classic. Participating in last years Our artists' trips abroad for long periods of time confirm it without humor. Working and living conditions, wages are immeasurably higher there! Although no, you can “measure” it, but you don’t want to! Money is good: the master receives satisfaction not only from the fact that he can buy bread and butter. Money is a “measure”, an assessment of the creator: “They pay me well, which means they value my talent and the works I create. So, I have achieved something! It was not in vain that I studied and worked hard!” It turns out that money is an incentive to work further! But the phrase: “An artist must be hungry”... Starve yourself, gentlemen!
Times are changing, Zhostovo painting, responding to fashion trends, now decorates not only traditional trays, but also other interior items: cabinets, tables, chests, boxes... and even buckets! If there were orders: you could paint both shoes and a dress. And it's really beautiful. Several years ago, the exhibition “Everything about the structure of the world” was held in Moscow. The organizers ordered Larisa Goncharova to paint the computer. The result was a wonderful and unusual artifact!
But still talented artists craftsmen are doing everything to preserve the Zhostovo tray as a phenomenon of Russian culture. And “Flowers of the Goncharovs,” with its subtle lyricism and exquisite beauty of painting, breaks everyday shackles from our hands and feet and gives us a feeling of freedom and joy!
Natalia Tsygikalo
