The black square is what the picture is about. Kazimir Malevich: the man who liberated painting
The painting was part of a triptych
The painting was part of a triptych that also included “Black Circle” and “Black Cross”. There were other works by the author at the exhibition (about three dozen), but, of course, they were all lost against the background of the “Black Square”: the scandalous canvas hung in the most prominent place - according to the principle of the “red” corner, where icons were placed in the huts. Naturally, many perceived the picture as a challenge to Orthodoxy and an anti-Christian gesture.
The creation of the “Black Square” was preceded by a period of experiments and searches
The creation of the “Black Square” was preceded by a period of experiments and searches. The Russian avant-garde was torn apart by numerous new artistic directions. Malevich worked simultaneously in cubism, futurism and “abstruse realism” until he reached Suprematism. The latter's method was to look at the earth from the outside. Therefore, in Suprematist paintings, as in outer space, the idea of “up” and “down,” “left” and “right” disappears, and an independent world arises, correlated as an equal with universal world harmony.
The image of the black square as a symbol first appeared in Matyushin’s opera
The image of the black square as a symbol first appeared in Matyushin’s opera “Victory over the Sun,” for which Malevich created sketches of the scenery and costumes. Then the image meant a plastic expression of the victory of active human creativity over the passive form of nature: a black square appeared instead of a solar circle.
A scene from the production of “Victory over the Sun” - a reconstruction performed by the Stas Namin Theater
Later, for the exhibition “0.10” at the Art Bureau of N. E. Dobychina, Malevich used the image of a black square to create a painting. The artists were given the opportunity to exhibit many works. Malevich’s friend Ivan Puni wrote to him: “I need to write a lot now. The room is very large, and if we, 10 people, paint 25 paintings, then it will only be possible.” Malevich signed 39 canvases, which occupied a separate room.
Of course, as often happens, in addition to official version creating a picture, there are stories. So, Malevich allegedly did not have time to finish the painting for the exhibition, and therefore rashly covered it up by painting a black square. At that moment, one of his friends came into the studio and, seeing the painting, shouted: “Brilliant!” Whether this is true or not, we will never know.
By the way, recent research by specialists from the Tretyakov Gallery suggests that under the black square there are colored complexes connected to each other. geometric shapes. Having taken an x-ray of the painting, the experts also saw Malevich’s fingerprints on the canvas (which is natural) and three words, two of which were read by museum staff as “Battle of the Negroes...”, the third is difficult to make out. The phrase refers to the famous monochrome painting by Alphonse Allais “Battle of the Negroes in a Cave” late at night", created in 1882, is a work that Malevich had never seen.
What was discovered under"Hblack square«
Malevich made several copies of “Black Square”
Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of “Black Square”. Now, in addition to the original of 1915, three more variants are known, differing in design, texture and color. The first copy was made in 1923 for the Venice Biennale (now kept in the Russian Museum), the second - in 1929 for personal exhibition Malevich in the Tretyakov Gallery.
The third option became the hero mysterious story. It was probably written in 1932, but it was not known then. Information about the painting first appeared in 1993, when a person whose name remains unknown brought the painting to the Samara branch of Inkombank as collateral for a loan. Subsequently, the owner did not claim the canvas, and it became the property of the bank. After the collapse of Inkombank in 1998, Malevich’s painting became the main asset in settlements with creditors. By agreement with the Russian government, “Black Square” was withdrawn from public auction, acquired by Vladimir Potanin and transferred to the Hermitage.
By the way, there are two more basic Suprematist squares - red and white. The artist stated: “The Suprematist three squares are the establishment of certain worldviews and world-building... black as a sign of economy, red as a signal of revolution, and white as pure action.”
"Red Square"
Malevich's funeral in 1935 was a performance
Malevich's funeral in 1935 was a kind of performance. At the civil memorial service in Leningrad, a “Black Square” hung at the head of the coffin; the body was covered with white canvas with a black square sewn on it. A “Black Square” was painted on the coffin lid from the side of the head. During the funeral procession along Nevsky Prospekt, the Suprematist sarcophagus was installed on the open platform of a truck with a black square on the hood. On the carriage of the train transporting Malevich's coffin to Moscow, a black square was painted on a white background. At the civil memorial service in the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow, the “Black Square” was mounted on a podium among flowers.
Malevich's daughter Una and widow Natalya Andreevna at the artist's grave in Nemchinovka
Malevich bequeathed to bury his ashes surrounded by nature, among open space. The Suprematist coffin was sent by train to Moscow, where Malevich was cremated. His ashes were buried in a field near the village of Nemchinovka. Instead of the monument, a white wooden cube with the image of a black square was installed. To the Great Patriotic War the grave disappeared, and now a residential complex has been built on that site.
Kazimir Malevich throughout his history creative activity went through several stages in different times focusing on various aspects art. The artist’s vision gradually changed, and the result of these changes was the paintings that best reflect the essence of each period. However, despite this diversity of the artist’s works, the most famous painting Malevich became the painting “Black Square”.
The painting is a small canvas, the width and length of which are 79.5 centimeters. The background is white, with a large black square in the center. Despite the apparent simplicity of creating this painting, Malevich claimed that he worked on it for several months. The painting was painted in 1915 and was shown to the public at the same time.
An exhibition called “Zero-Ten” took place in St. Petersburg in December 1915. Malevich presented there the cycle of paintings “Suprematism of Painting”. The very name of the exhibition had a special meaning associated with the new concept developed by Malevich. New idea consisted of striving towards zero, and then going beyond its limits. In this sense, the painting “Black Square” had special significance. Great value This painting was emphasized by its location at the exhibition: the work was located where icons are traditionally located in houses, in a place called the “red corner”.
Malevich did not come to the Black Square right away. Harbingers of this work appeared already during the period of work on the opera “Victory over the Sun,” the scenery of which Malevich designed together with like-minded people. One of the decorations was then conceived as a black square instead of the sun. This move was supposed to express the idea of celebration active creativity man over nature.
“Black Square” was just one of the basic Suprematist paintings. Among them were also paintings " White square on white", "Red square. Picturesque realism of a peasant woman in two dimensions.”
Criticism's reaction to scandalous picture was ambiguous. However, reviews immediately appeared that claimed that “Black Square” was a modern alternative to traditional icons, indicating a search for new religion, about some of the chaos of modern times. The artist himself argued that the “Black Square” is a symbol of the completion of art, its peak and at the same time the end. Indeed, the picture depicts a mysterious abyss that seems to draw the viewer in and leaves limitless scope for imagination.
Paintings by Kazimir Malevich -
A century-long joke: experts from the Tretyakov Gallery spoke in detail about the secrets of the famous “Black Square” by Kazimir Malevich. The picture is already a hundred years old, but it is still impossible to say that it is well understood by the general public. Even art critics argue. The discussion is fueled by new facts that have become known to specialists. The name of the painting was originally completely different, and under the layers of paint there were two more paintings.
Sensational research details and unique footage. Employees of the Tretyakov Gallery filmed how they looked into the Black Square, reported. IN x-rays Under the picture one can clearly see intricately interconnected geometric figures. This is a completely different picture. Yes, not one, but two, experts say. And both are colored.
The fact that the “Black Square” is not simple, and there is another image inside, was known already in the nineties of the last century, after the first studies. But the technology did not allow us to understand what exactly was there. Now a year centenary anniversary Experts resumed their work using digital equipment. It wasn't just paintings that were discovered.
“The most important thing: in addition to the two compositions, we found fingerprints, presumably of Malevich himself, because they were embedded directly on the damp layer, these are mainly areas white field", - said researcher Department of Scientific Expertise of the Tretyakov Gallery Ekaterina Voronina.
We also found an inscription. True, Malevich’s handwriting is not easy. But the experts deciphered: “The battle of blacks in a dark cave.” Now they consider this to be an absentee dialogue between the artist and his predecessors. Even at the end of the nineteenth century, black rectangles “Night fight of blacks in the basement” by Paul Bilhold appeared, and then by Alphonse Allais.
One thing is clear - creative process Malevich had a difficult one. But the version that he simply sketched unsuccessful works with black paint in his heart is refuted by new research.
“This is a complex paint that consists of several substances. Among them, for example, burnt bone, black carbon-containing pigment and chalk. That is, he prepared this paint. It was not spontaneous - he squeezed it out, wrote it - but still he thought about how it will look like this,” noted Ekaterina Voronina.
“This is a special combination of pigments that gives a special velvety effect that Malevich needed. Because he needed not just black color, but a deep black abyss,” added Zelfira Tregulova, general director of the Tretyakov Gallery.
This is not only one of the most mysterious paintings in the world, but also one of the most expensive. Whether “Black Square” will become even more expensive, because now there is not one painting, but three, is a question. But the fact that interest in him will not disappear is absolutely certain. An infrared image of the painting may also appear in the Tretyakov Gallery. However, the fact that this is not exactly a “Black Square” can be seen even with the naked eye.
Yulia Bogomanshina, Alexandra Sergomasova, Dmitry Sharakin, TV Center
It is known that Malevich created four or seven “Black Squares”.Clearly aware of the process of creating a picture, it becomes clear that since the main creative problems The problems that the author encounters are decided on sensations; the artist cannot, for the purpose of self-control, rewrite an already created square. He is forced to try new options. While in process creative search, to test those very sensations that cannot be measured by anything other than experiment and talent. One of the last conclusions that can be drawn to more deeply appreciate the dignity of this work you need to display all the squares together, in one exhibition display.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1913 1915 1919-1920 1923 1927 1929 1932 1935
“We know of several picturesque squares, but we cannot say definitively how many, since perhaps squares still unknown to us may emerge. They differ from the very first one, as a rule, in greater accuracy of execution, material, and, importantly, proportions. So far there is no study of these proportions, by which, in essence, sometimes it is only possible to establish which of the Squares known to us is captured in a particular photograph.”
It follows from this that the “Black Square” that the artist himself chose for demonstration is the most successful in relation to the implementation of creative ideas.
The square accompanied Malevich in his last path. Researchers of Malevich’s work note that the artist painted the following paintings:
- “Red Square” (in two copies);
- “White Square” (Suprematist composition);
- “White on white” - one;
- “Black Square” (several copies), - without catching that copies
There cannot be a “Black Square”.
Another one (unidentified) in Ukraine and one (unconfirmed, three-dimensional) from the St. Petersburg gallery owner, Sergei Kovalsky.
[b] 1913 - availability is indicated on the reverse side of the Hermitage (location unknown;
[b] 1915 - (quadrangle), in 1920 exhibited at the personal exhibition "0.10" in catalog No. 39, 1918-1919. - Kandinsky Ave. NARKOMPROS, since 1929. State. Tretyakov Gallery, G T G;
[b] 1919-1920 - Black Square, State. Russian Museum, 1922 - ex. in Berlin, sold from exhibition (location unknown;
[b] 1923 - Black Square, 1926 - “Large exposition of the exhibition. in GINKHUK (authenticity is in question)?
[b] 1927 - Black square, copy of 1915, "Berlin Art Exhibition", in the architectural exhibition;
[b] 1929 - Black Square, pers. Exhibition at the State Tretyakov Gallery, 80x80, 2004. exhibited in Warsaw;
[b] 1932 - Black Square, exhibition “Artists of the RSFSR for XV Years”, Located in the Hermitage, 53.5x53.5, 1995-1996 - Exhibited in the State Museum of Fine Arts. Previously belonged to INCOMBANK.
[b] 1935 - Black square, (at a funeral), which one is unknown?;
[b]ХХХХ - UNCONFIRMED - in Ukraine and [b] one from S. Kovalsky.
You can count!
Kazimir Malevich. Black suprematist square. 1915, Moscow.
Everyone has thought about the paradox of Malevich’s “Black Square”.
It's impossible to think of anything simpler. Like a black square. It's impossible to draw anything easier. Like a black square. Nevertheless, it is recognized as a masterpiece.
If it goes to public auction today, they will be ready to buy it for $140 million!
How did this “misunderstanding” arise? The primitive image is recognized as a masterpiece by all art critics around the world. Did they conspire?
Obviously, there is something special in “Black Square”. Invisible to the average viewer. Let's try to discover this “something”.
1. “Black Square” is not as simple as it seems.
It is only at first glance that it seems that anyone could create such a masterpiece. Both the child and the adult without art education.
A child would not have the patience to paint such a large surface with one color.
But seriously, even an adult could hardly repeat “Black Square”. Because not everything in this picture is so simple.
The black square is NOT actually black
The “black square” is not actually a square. Its sides are NOT equal to each other. AND opposite sides NOT parallel to each other.
Besides, “Black Square” is NOT completely black.
Chemical analysis showed that Malevich used three homemade paints. The first is burnt bone. The second is black ocher. And the third is another natural component... dark green. Malevich also mixed in CHALK. To remove the glossy effect inherent oil paints.
That is, Malevich did not just take the first one he came across black paint and painted over the drawn square. He spent at least a day preparing the paint.
There are four “Black Squares”
If this were a randomly created painting, the artist would not create repetitions of it. Over the next 15 years, he created 3 more “Black Squares”.
If you have seen all 4 paintings (two are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery, one in the Russian Museum, one in the Hermitage), then you probably noticed how different they are.
Yes, yes. Despite their simplicity, they are different. The first “Square” of 1915 is considered the most energetically charged. It's all about the successful selection of shades of black and white, as well as the composition of the paints.
All four paintings are not similar in size or color. One of the “Squares” is larger in size (created in 1923, kept in the Russian Museum). The other one is much blacker. It is the most dull and all-consuming in color (also kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).
Below are all four “Squares”. The difference in reproductions is difficult to understand. But suddenly this will inspire you to watch them live.
From left to right: 1.Black square. 1929 79.5 x 79.5 cm. Tretyakov Gallery. 2. Black square. 1930-1932 53.5 x 53.5 cm. 3. Black square. 1923 106 x 106 cm. Russian Museum. 4. Black square. 1915 79.5 x 79.5 cm. Tretyakov Gallery.
“Black Square” closes two more paintings
On the 1915 “Square” you probably noticed cracks (craquelures). The lower paint layer is visible through them. These are the colors of another painting. It was written in a proto-Suprematist style. Something like the painting “The Lady at the Lamp Post”.
Kazimir Malevich. Lady at the lamppost. 1914 Stedelek City Museum, Amsterdam That's not all. Below it is another image. Already the third in a row. Written in the style of cubo-futurism. This is what this style looks like.
Kazimir Malevich. Grinder. 1912 Art gallery Yale University, New Haven That's why craquelures appeared. The paint layer is too thick.
Why such difficulties? As many as three images on one surface!
Perhaps this is an accident. It happens. The artist gets an idea. He wants to express it right away. But you may not have a canvas at hand. But even if there is canvas, it needs to be prepared and primed. Then insignificant pictures come into play. Or which the artist considers unsuccessful.
The result was a sort of picturesque nesting doll. Evolution. From Cubo-Futurism to Cubo-Suprematism and to pure Suprematism in the form of the “Black Square”.
2. Strong theory of strong personality
“Black Square” was created within the framework of a new direction in painting invented by Malevich. Suprematism. “Supreme” means “excellent”. Since the artist considered him highest point development of painting.
This the whole school. How . Like academicism. Only this school was created by one person. Kazimir Malevich. He attracted many supporters and followers to his side.
Malevich knew how to speak clearly and charismatically about his brainchild. He zealously campaigned for a complete abandonment of figurativeness. That is, from the image of objects and objects. Suprematism is an art that creates, and does not repeat, as the artist said.
If we remove the pathos and look at his theory from the outside, then we cannot help but recognize its greatness. Malevich, as befits a genius, felt which way the wind was blowing.
The time for individual perception was ending. What did this mean? Previously, only a select few admired works of art. Those who owned them. Or he could afford to walk to the museum.
Now the century has come popular culture. When are they important? simplified forms and pure colors. Malevich understood that art should not lag behind. Or maybe even lead this movement.
He invented essentially a new pictorial language. Proportionate to the time to come, which is about to come. And the language has its own alphabet.
The “black square” is the main sign of this alphabet. “Zero forms”, as Malevich said.
Before Malevich, there was another alphabet, invented at the beginning of the 14th century. All art existed according to this alphabet. This is perspective. Volume. Emotional expressiveness.
Giotto. Kiss of Judas. 1303-1305 Fresco in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy Malevich's language is completely different. Simple color forms. In which color is given a different role. It is not intended to convey nature. And not to create the illusion of volume. It is expressive in its own right.
“Black square” is the main “letter” in the new alphabet. Square because it is the first form. Black color because it absorbs all colors.
Together with the “Black Square” Malevich creates the “Black Cross” and “Black Circle”. Simple elements. But they are also derivatives of the black square.
A circle appears if the square is rotated on a plane. The cross consists of several squares.
Paintings by K. Malevich. Left: Black cross. 1915 Center Pompidou, Paris. Right: Black circle. 1923 Russian Museum, St. Petersburg.
Paintings by K. Malevich. Left: Black square and red square. 1915 Museum contemporary art, New York. Middle: Suprematist composition. 1916 Private collection. Right: Suprematism. 1916 Russian Museum, St. Petersburg.
Malevich painted in the style of Suprematism for several years. And then the incredible happened. He denied figurativeness for so long that... he returned to it.
This could be seen as inconsistency. Like, they “played” with a beautiful theory and that’s enough.
In fact, the language he created was hungry for use. Applications in the world of form and nature. And Malevich obediently returned to this world. But he portrayed it using the new language of Suprematism.
Paintings by Kazimir Malevich. Left: Athletes. 1932 Russian Museum. Middle: Red House. 1932 Ibid. Right: Girl with a comb in her hair. 1934 Tretyakov Gallery
So “Black Square” is not the end of art. How it is sometimes referred to. This is the beginning of a new art.
Then it came new stage. Language wanted to serve people. And he passed into our lives.
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3. Huge impact on living space
Having created Suprematism, Malevich did everything to prevent it from gathering dust in museums. And he went to the masses.
He drew sketches of dresses. But during his lifetime he was able to “put them on” only on the heroes of his paintings.
Kazimir Malevich. Portrait of the artist's wife. 1934. Wikiart.org He also painted porcelain. Created designs for fabrics.
Left: Leningradsky service porcelain factory, created according to sketches by Malevich (1922). Right: fabric sample with a design by Malevich (1919)
Malevich’s supporters began to speak the language of the “Black Square”. The most famous of them is El Lissitzky. Who invented printing fonts, as well as new book designs.
He was inspired by the theory of Suprematism and Malevich’s “Black Square”.
El Lissitzky. Cover of Vladimir Mayakovsky’s book “Good!” 1927 Designing books like this seems natural to us. But only because Malevich’s style has firmly entered our lives.
Our contemporaries, designers, architects and fashion designers do not hide the fact that all their lives they have drawn inspiration from the works of Malevich. Among them is one of the most famous architects Zaha Hadid (1950-2016).
Left: Dominion Tower. Architect: Zaha Hadid. Construction 2005-2015 Moscow (metro station Dubrovka). In the center: Table “Malevich”. Alberto Lievore. 2016 Spain. Right: Gabrielo Colangelo. Spring-summer 2013 collection
4. Why “Black Square” is puzzling. And why is it still a masterpiece?
Almost every viewer tries to understand Malevich using the familiar language of natural images. The same one that Giotto invented and which was developed
Many people try to evaluate “Black Square” using inappropriate criteria. Like it or not. Beautiful - not beautiful. Realistic - not realistic.
Awkwardness sets in. Discouragement. Because “Black Square” remains deaf to such assessments. What remains? Only condemn or ridicule.
Daub. Nonsense. “A child can draw better” or “I can draw that too” and so on.
Then it will become clear why this is a masterpiece. It is impossible to evaluate “Black Square” on its own. But only together with the space it serves.
PS.
Malevich was famous during his lifetime. But he did not receive any material benefit from this. Going to an exhibition in Paris in 1929, he asked the authorities to let him go there... on foot. Because he didn’t have money for the trip.
The authorities realized that Comrade Malevich, who came to Europe on his own two feet, would undermine their authority. Therefore, 40 rubles were allocated for the trip.
True, after 2 weeks he was urgently called back by telegram. And upon arrival he was immediately arrested. By denunciation. Like a German spy.
