Malevich's paintings are the most famous Lonely Tree. Malevich, whom you did not know: little-known facts about the life and work of the artist

Born in Kyiv on February 11 (23), 1878 in a family of immigrants from Poland (his father worked as a manager at sugar factories). In 1895–1896 he studied at the Kyiv drawing school of N.I. Murashko; Having arrived in Moscow in 1905, he studied in the studio of F.I. Rerberg. He went through almost all the styles of that time - from painting in the spirit of the Itinerants to impressionism and mystical symbolism, and then to the post-impressionistic “primitive” (Ball operator in the bathhouse, 1911–1912, City Museum, Amsterdam). Was a participant in the exhibitions " Jack of Diamonds" and "Donkey's Tail", a member of the Youth Union. Lived in Moscow (until 1918) and Leningrad.

Exposing academic artistic stereotypes, he showed the bright temperament of a critic-polemicist. In his works of the first half of the 1910s, more and more fervently innovative, semi-abstract, the style of cubo-futurism was defined, combining cubist plastic forms with futuristic dynamics (The Grinder (The Flickering Principle), 1912, Yale University Gallery, New Haven, USA; Lumberjack, 1912–1913, City Museum, Amsterdam).

During these years, Malevich’s method of “abstruse realism”, the poetics of the absurd, the illogical grotesque (Englishman in Moscow, ibid.; Aviator, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg; both works - 1914) also gained importance in these years. After the start of the war, he performed a cycle of patriotic propaganda pieces (with texts by V.V. Mayakovsky) for the publishing house “Modern Lubok”.

The key meaning for the master was the work on the design of the opera Victory over the Sun (music by M.V. Matyushin, text by A.E. Kruchenykh and V.V. Khlebnikov; the premiere took place in St. Petersburg Luna Park in 1913); From the tragicomic burlesque about the collapse of the old and the birth of a new world, the concept of the famous Black Square emerged, first shown at the exhibition “0, 10” in 1915 (kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

This simple geometric figure on a white background is both a kind of apocalyptic curtain over the past history of mankind and a call to build the future. The motif of an omnipotent artist-builder starting from scratch also dominates in “Suprematism” - a new method designed, according to Malevich, to crown all previous movements of the avant-garde (hence the name itself - from the Latin supremus, “highest”). The theory is illustrated by a large cycle of non-objective geometric compositions, which ends in 1918 with “white suprematism”, where colors and forms, floating in the cosmic void, are reduced to a minimum, almost to absolute whiteness.

After October Revolution Malevich first acts as an “artist-commissar”, actively participating in revolutionary changes, including monumental agitation. Glorifies " new planet"Avant-garde art in articles in the newspaper Anarchy (1918). He summed up the results of his search during his years in Vitebsk (1919–1922), where he created the “Association of Proponents of New Art” (Unovis), striving (including in his main philosophical work, The World as Non-Objectivity) to outline a universal artistic and pedagogical system, decisively reshaping the relationship between man and nature.

Upon his return from Vitebsk, Malevich headed (since 1923) State Institute artistic culture(Ginkhuk), putting forward ideas that radically updated modern design and architecture (volumetric, three-dimensional suprematism, embodied in household things(porcelain products) and building models, the so-called “architectons”). Malevich dreams of going into “pure design,” becoming increasingly alienated from the revolutionary utopia.

Notes of anxious alienation are characteristic of many of his easel works from the late 1910s to the 1930s, where the dominant motifs of facelessness, loneliness, emptiness are no longer cosmically primordial, but completely earthly (a cycle of paintings with figures of peasants against the backdrop of empty fields, as well as the canvas Red house, 1932, Russian Museum). IN later paintings the master returns to the classical principles of constructing a picture (Self-Portrait, 1933, ibid.).

The authorities are increasingly suspicious of Malevich's activities (he was arrested twice, in 1927 and 1930). Towards the end of his life he finds himself in an environment of social isolation. The original “school of Malevich”, formed from his Vitebsk and Leningrad students (V.M. Ermolaeva, A.A. Leporskaya, N.M. Suetin, L.M. Khidekel, I.G. Chashnik and others) goes either into applied design, or into underground “unofficial” art.

Fearing for the fate of his legacy, in 1927, during a business trip abroad, the master left a significant part of his paintings and archive in Berlin (later they formed the basis of the Malevich fund in the Amsterdam City Museum).

Kazimir Malevich is not only “Black Square”. What is the meaning of Malevich's work? Why did he become so popular? It turns out that Malevich worked as a fabric designer and drew sketches of costumes for the play. And much more... We bring to your attention little-known creativity artist.

Malevich, is there any point?

I say “Malevich” - you imagine a black square. But Malevich painted not only a square, but also many different colored figures. And not only figures. But now let's talk about them. When you look at Malevich’s paintings, the question arises: “why did he paint this?” By the way, Malevich answers the question “why” - very long and boring in his philosophical works. To put it simply and briefly, it was a protest. Creativity as protest. An attempt to create something completely new. And there’s no arguing that Malevich managed to surprise and shock. A hundred years have passed since the “Black Square” was created, and it still haunts people, and many consider it their duty to dismiss “I can do it too.” And you can do this, and Malevich could do it. Malevich was the first to think of this - and therefore became popular.

Even the artist draws inspiration from the master’s paintings!

Malevich was able to come up with a new direction. This direction of painting is called “Suprematism”. From the word “supremus”, which means “highest”. At first, Malevich called color “high.” After all, color is the main thing in painting. And then, with the advent of popularity, the artist already called his style “superior”. I could afford it. Now Suprematism is the highest, the best, the only true style of painting.

Suprematist artists draw different geometric shapes, most often square, rectangle, circle and line. The colors are simple - black, white, red and yellow. But there may be exceptions - every artist draws the way he wants.

If you want to understand the trends of contemporary art, we recommend reading a couple of books in the selection.

How did Malevich understand painting?

This can be said in one quote:

“When the habit of seeing in paintings images of corners of nature, Madonnas and shameless Venuses disappears, then only we will see a purely pictorial work.”

How does it differ from the work of the “unclean”? The fact that painting, according to Malevich, should create something that has never existed before. Create, not repeat. This is what distinguishes an artist from a craftsman. The artisan “stamps” the product. And the artist’s work is one such thing. Without repeating what has already been created. If we see a landscape on a canvas, it is a “repetition” of nature. If a person is drawn, this is also a repetition, because people already exist in life.

Malevich coined the term – pointlessness. In the picture we must see the non-objectivity, and only in this case the picture is real. Because if we see an object, it means that this object exists in the world. If it exists, it means that the artist did not draw anything new. Then why did he draw at all? This is the philosophy.

In addition to the famous “Black Square,” Malevich also painted white and red squares. But for some reason they did not become so popular.

So, the meaning of Malevich’s paintings is that the artist comes up with something that has never happened and never will. This is how he excites the audience. The public likes to discuss, condemn, or, on the contrary, admire. That is why Malevich gained popularity, and debates about his work have not subsided to this day. But Malevich is not only Suprematism.

What else did Malevich paint?

All artists, before moving on to such experiments, first learned academic painting. The one that follows the rules to which we are accustomed. Malevich is no exception. He painted landscapes and portraits and was engaged in fresco painting.

Sketch fresco painting entitled "The Triumph of Heaven":

Scenery. "Spring":

Portrait of a girl:

After this, Malevich moved on to experiments. The artist tried to convey the movement of people using geometric shapes. One of the most popular paintings in this style is called “The Lumberjack”. The movement effect is achieved thanks to smooth transitions colors.

And these are paintings from the artist’s “Peasant Cycle”. “To the harvest. Marfa and Vanka." At first glance, the figures seem motionless, but another moment and we will see movement.

Another “moving” picture is “Harvest”:

And this picture is called “Athletes”. The main thing here is color and symmetry. This is an example of how the Suprematism movement can be used not only in drawing squares and lines. The silhouettes consist of multi-colored figures. But at the same time we see people in the picture. And we even notice the sports uniform.

Fabrics from Malevich

Malevich created sketches of such fabrics. Their ornamentation was invented under the influence of the same Suprematism: on the fabric we see figures and typical colors - black, red, blue, green.

Based on the sketches of Malevich and Alexandra Ekster (artist and designer), the craftswomen of the village of Verbovka made embroidery. They embroidered scarves, tablecloths and pillows, and then sold them at fairs. Such embroideries were especially popular at fairs in Berlin.

Malevich also drew sketches of costumes for the play “Victory over the Sun.” It was an experimental play that defied logic. The only one musical instrument which accompanied the piece was an out-of-tune piano. From left to right: Attentive worker, Athlete, Bully.

What inspired Malevich?

How was Malevich able to come up with a new direction? Amazing fact, but the artist was inspired folk art. In his autobiography, he called ordinary peasant women his first art teachers. Future artist I looked at their work and realized that I wanted to learn the same way. Take a closer look at the embroidery - this is the beginning of Suprematism. Here we see the same geometry that Malevich would later create. These are ornaments without beginning or end - multi-colored figures on a white background. Squares. In Malevich's Suprematist drawings the background is white, because it means infinity. And the colors of the patterns are the same: red, black, blue are used.

1. At the porcelain factory in Petrograd, tableware and tea sets were decorated according to the sketches of Malevich and his students.

2. Malevich was the designer of the bottle of Severny cologne. The artist designed the bottle at the request of perfumer Alexandre Brocard. This is a transparent glass bottle, shaped like an ice mountain. And on top there is a cap in the shape of a bear.

3. The familiar word “weightlessness” was invented by Malevich. The artist understood development (whether creative or technical) as an airplane that had overcome its weight and taken to the sky. That is, weightlessness for Malevich meant an ideal. And weight is a frame, a weight that pulls people down. And over time, the word began to be used in its usual meaning.

4. A true artist has art everywhere. Even in everyday life. This is what Malevich's office looked like. We see a black square, a cross and a circle. In the middle is one of the Suprematist paintings that the artist painted at that time.

5. Malevich had a wonderful sense of humor. He signed some paintings like this: “The meaning of the painting is unknown to the author.” Funny, but honest.

6. There is still not a single Malevich museum in the world. But there are monuments.

Opening of the monument to the “Black Square”:

Monument to the work of Malevich:

7. Malevich is not only an artist and designer, but also a writer: he wrote poems, articles and philosophical books.

8. Malevich was abroad only once, but his work was popular throughout Europe. And now most of his paintings are in museums in Europe and America.

9. All his life the artist thought that he was born in 1878. And only after the celebration of his 125th anniversary it became clear that his real date of birth was 1879. Therefore, Malevich’s 125th anniversary was celebrated twice.

10. Recently programmers came up with the “Malevich font”. It's difficult to read, but looks interesting.

7 facts about the “Black Square”

1. The first name of the “Black Square” is “Black quadrangle on a white background.” And it’s true: the “Black Square” is not actually a square. After all, neither side is equal to the other. It's almost invisible - but you can apply a ruler and measure.

2. In total, Malevich painted 4 “Black Squares”. They are all different in size and are located in Russian museums. The artist himself called his square “the beginning of everything.” But in fact, the first “Black Square” is a painted over picture. Which one – we don’t know. There was a lot of debate about whether to remove the paint from the square and have a look, or to leave everything as is. We decided to leave it. After all, first of all, this was the will of the artist. And under the x-ray you can see what kind of drawing Malevich began to draw. Most likely, this is also something geometric:

3. Malevich himself explained “painting over” differently. He said that he drew the square quickly, that the idea arose as an inspiration. Therefore, there was no time to look for a clean linen - and he took the one that was lying at hand.

4. “Black Square” quickly became a symbol of new art. It was used as a signature. Artists sewed a square piece of black fabric onto clothing. This meant that they were artists of a new generation. In the photo: Malevich’s students under a flag in the form of a black square.

5. What does “Black Square” mean? Everyone can understand the picture in their own way. Some people believe that in a square we see space, because in space there is no up and down. Only weightlessness and infinity. Malevich said that a square is a feeling, and white background- nothing. It turns out that this feeling is empty. Also, a square does not occur in nature, unlike other figures. This means it is not related to real world. This is the whole meaning of Suprematism.

6. At his first exhibition in St. Petersburg, Malevich defiantly hung the “Black Square” in the corner where icons usually hung. The artist challenged the public. And the public was immediately divided into opponents of the new art and its admirers.

7. Main value“Black Square” is that every admirer of Malevich’s work can hang a reproduction of the painting in his home. Moreover - own production.

Finally, I offer this quote from Malevich, which explains all of his work:

“They always demand that art be understandable, but they never demand that they adapt their heads to understanding.”

On February 23, 1879, Russian and Soviet avant-garde artist, founder of Suprematism Kazimir Malevich was born in Kyiv. He is one of the founders abstract art. He became known for his interpretation of the subject form as a combination of geometric elements contrasting in color. We decided to remember a few famous paintings artist.

"Black Square"

This painting was created by Kazimir Malevich in 1915. It is his most famous work. “Black Square” was conceived as part of a triptych, which included “Black Circle” and “Black Cross”. The painting was created by Malevich for the futuristic exhibition “0.10”, which opened in St. Petersburg on December 19, 1915. The painting “Black Square” was in the most prominent place, in the so-called red corner, where icons are usually hung in Russian houses.

Some felt that the artist was misleading them by hiding the original image under a black square. However, a later examination did not confirm the presence of another image on the canvas.

Malevich himself explained the concept of his first “Black Square” as follows: “The square is a feeling, the white space is the emptiness behind this feeling.”

There are two more basic Suprematist squares - red and white. Red and white squares were part of the artistic and philosophical triad defined by Malevich. Subsequently, Malevich performed several original repetitions of “Black Square” for various purposes. There are now four known versions of the “Black Square”, differing in design, texture and color.

"Black Circle"

One more famous work Malevich - "Black Circle". He also created this painting in 1915; it was also exhibited at the “0.10” exhibition. It is part of the triptych “Black Square”, “Black Circle” and “Black Cross”. The "Black Circle" is stored in private collection. Later, Malevich's students under his leadership created the second version of the painting. The second version is kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

"Red Cavalry Gallops"

Between 1928 and 1932, Malevich created another painting that became famous. It is known as "The Red Cavalry Rides." It's interesting that this picture for a long time was the only one abstract works artist who entered official history Soviet art. This was facilitated by its name and depiction of the events of the October Revolution. Malevich put on back side date of the 18th year, although in fact it was written later. The picture is divided into three parts: sky, earth and people (red cavalry). The ratio of the width of the earth and the sky is in the proportion of 0.618 ( golden ratio). Cavalry of three groups of four riders, each rider blurred - perhaps a cavalry of four ranks. The earth is drawn from 12 colors.

"Suprematist composition"

The painting “Suprematist Composition” was created by Malevich in 1916. She exhibited in Moscow in 1919-1920. In 1927, Malevich exhibited the painting at exhibitions in Warsaw and later in Berlin. After Kazimir Malevich’s urgent departure to the USSR in June 1927, he transferred the painting to the German architect Hugo Goering for storage. In total, after the exhibition, Malevich left more than a hundred of his paintings in Berlin in 1927. Goering later took these paintings from Nazi Germany, where they were to be destroyed as “degenerate art.”

The large Polish family of the Malevichs constantly moved from place to place, traveling across half of Ukraine: Kyiv, Moevka, Parkhomovka, Belopole, Konotop. Severin Malevich worked as a manager at sugar production. The eldest of nine children, Casimir, born February 23, 1879, was destined for a similar career. But technology did not at all attract the boy, who was in love with nature, bright colors And peasant life. He admired the ability of people working on the land to find time for creative activities: singing, dancing, decorating their homes.

Father often took Kazimir on business trips. During one of them, he saw in the window of a Kyiv store a picture of a girl peeling potatoes. Despite the simple plot and standard style of painting, this portrait became one of his first aesthetic shocks. Saved Kazimir from boring and routine work at the factory or railway his mother. Ludviga Alexandrovna not only took care of the house and children, but also did needlework, teaching her son a lot along the way, and wrote poetry. At the age of 15, she purchased a set of paints of 54 colors, realizing that this was exactly the gift her son, sensitive to beauty, needed. Accumulated during childhood and adolescence varied experiences - moonlight V dark room, the immensity of the horizon, the green-painted roof, the ripples on a huge puddle - and the admiration for color were splashed out on paper. The first picture was the one that delighted his friends, “ moonlit night", sold in a Konotop stationery shop for 5 rubles. The first meeting with real artists took place with Malevich in Belopole. The work of icon painters from St. Petersburg so impressed the future painter that he and a friend even planned an escape to Northern capital. Years later, the study of icon painting would help him better understand the naive creativity of the peasants.

Kazimir Severinovich can rightfully be called self-taught, including in painting. In his luggage there are only a few classes of an agricultural school, a year's study at the drawing school of Nikolai Murashko in Kyiv in 1895-96. An attempt to become a student at the MUZHVZ (school of painting, sculpture and architecture) was stopped by his father, who did not send an application for admission to Moscow.

After moving to Kursk in 1896 in connection with the appointment of Malevich Sr. to work at the Railway Administration, considerable changes occurred in the life of the family. Kazimir got a job as a draftsman in the same department, not forgetting about painting. Together with several colleagues, he organized a circle that united amateur artists. In 1901, he married the daughter of the pharmacist Zgleits, his namesake, who bore him two children - Anatoly (1901) and Galina (1905). In 1902, a misfortune happened - Severin Antonovich died suddenly of a heart attack. Despite the economic crisis and the status of the main breadwinner big family, Malevich was haunted by thoughts about Moscow. It was there, in his opinion, that the dream of serious painting could be realized. In 1905 his dream came true. Leaving his family in Kursk with the promise to return for his loved ones when he settles down, Kazimir moves to Moscow. The small funds accumulated during his service in Kursk allowed him to settle in the Kurdyumov art commune. Several unsuccessful attempts to enter the Moscow School of Art and Painting and a great desire to learn drawing led him in 1906 to the private school-studio of the artist Fyodor Rerberg, one of the founders of the Association of Artists. Malevich also took part in exhibitions of this community since 1907. His acquaintance with Ivan Klyun and Mikhail Larionov dates back to this period. The works of that period reflected his passion for impressionism. Studying with Rerberg allowed him to master various methods and techniques of painting and gain systematic knowledge of its history. He visited regularly Tretyakov Gallery, visited exhibitions contemporary artists and performances of Moscow theaters.

After the death of her husband, Ludwig Alexandrovna did not lose heart and took upon herself to provide for her family, while at the same time providing the maximum possible support to her son in his quest to become a real artist. Thanks to her efforts, his wife and children were able to move to Moscow from Kursk. But after a couple of years, the marriage collapsed, unable to withstand material difficulties and guest relations. After all, even after the family moved to Moscow, Kazimir did not immediately leave the commune, not intending to sacrifice his dream. Priority was unconditionally given to painting, in contrast to Klyun, who did not leave his service to provide for a family with three children. Malevich’s work at the beginning of the 20th century is characterized by eclecticism or mixture different styles: departure from realistic manner in favor of impressionism, fauvism, modernism. The end of the first decade was very fruitful for the artist, and Fauvist motifs predominated in his work. Acquaintance with Larionov allowed him to take part in the first exhibition of the Jack of Diamonds association. From 1908 to 1912, his vivid works in folk style, belonging to the so-called peasant cycle, appeared in the exhibitions of the Moscow Salon, the Youth Union, the Munich Blue Horseman, and Donkey's Tail. The "Donkey's Tail" included Larionov, Goncharova, Malevich, Tatlin, Chagall, Fonvizin, who broke away from the "Jack of Diamonds" group. Subsequently, having disagreed with Larionov, Malevich, at the invitation of Matyushin, joined the Youth Union association. During this period, there was a gradual transition to the cubo-futuristic style. In 1913, he took part in the “Target” exhibition with compositions written in a similar manner. The idea for the famous “Black Square” arose in 1913 while working on the sets and costumes for the futuristic opera “Victory over the Sun” by Kruchenykh and Matyushin. The black and white backdrop, against which a chaotic action unfolded with illogical text, symbolized an eclipse, the triumph of a new life and human mind. Malevich's innovative discoveries: the effect of depth achieved by constructing scenery in a cubic-shaped structure, creating three-dimensional space with the help of light. The use of geometric figures in stage design and costumes, dividing them into component parts, anticipated the creation of its own direction in painting - Suprematism. Asymmetrical compositions of multi-colored planes in dynamic space. The results of work in a new direction were presented at futuristic exhibition"0.10" in 1915. The selection of 39 paintings also included “Black Square,” located in the upper corner of the room. Where icons are traditionally hung. In 2015, a sensational discovery was made. The picture resembles a matryoshka doll in which several images are hidden: under the quadrangle dark color there are two more compositions - cubo-futurist and proto-suprematist. The inscription “Battle of Negroes in a dark cave” was also found there. evocative with a black rectangle by Alphonse Allais.

After the revolution, Malevich was called up new government to work in the field of monument protection and cultural values, including in the Kremlin. He served as chairman of the art department in the Moscow City Council, after which two new museums of modern art appeared in Moscow. He taught at the State Free Workshops, collaborated with Meyerhold on the production of Mystery Bouffe in Petrograd, and wrote the work “On New Systems in Art.” In 1919 its first personal exhibition. In the same year, Malevich moved with his second wife to Vitebsk, where he was mainly engaged in teaching art school, created by Chagall, and writing works dedicated to contemporary art. The UNOVIS society he created in 1920 included Lisitsky, Kogan, Chashnik and others talented artists and architects. In 1922, Malevich and his students and followers returned to Petrograd. In 1925, he presented his new developments regarding the use of Suprematism in building design - architectons and planites.

The artist’s trips abroad began only in 1927. The first country was Poland, where the artist’s Suprematist paintings were treated very favorably. The exhibition in Berlin was a triumph. But instead of five months, he was only able to stay there for one. The authorities' demand for Malevich's immediate return to the USSR forced him to leave Germany. Most of He left the paintings for the preservation of the architect Hugo Hering. Many of them can be seen in the Amsterdam City Museum. At home he was arrested as an alleged German spy. The imprisonment did not last long - about a month. But we can confidently assume that the trigger for the terrible illness from which he later died was the stress experienced during his first arrest.

While Malevich’s fame was growing abroad (new exhibitions in Berlin and Vienna), clouds were gathering around him in his native country. For about a year he regularly came to Kyiv to give lectures at the art institute. The exhibition organized there in the spring of 1930 caused a negative reaction in the authorities. A new arrest followed, and only the intervention of high-ranking official Kirill Shutko, his friend, allowed him to soon be released. New created by 1932 folklore cycle, “post-Suprematist” canvases, with flat torsos - evidence of internal breakdown and growing anxiety. A painting with the eloquent title “Complex Premonition” with a dramatic color scheme, the absence of a face on the character, deprived of the ability to see and speak, anticipates the events of the near future. In the works late period there is an unexpected return to a realistic manner. This is exactly how the portraits of his daughter Una, born in his second marriage, of Klyun, Punin, the artist’s third wife, and ordinary workers were painted.

In 1933, Kazimir Severinovich was diagnosed with cancer, from which he died on May 15, 1935. Malevich bequeathed to bury him in a cross-shaped Suprematist coffin with his arms outstretched to the sides. After the cremation procedure, the ashes were transported to Nemchinovka, a village near Moscow, where the artist loved to relax. On the cubic monument erected over the grave, a black square was depicted. Several decades later, the burial site, lost during World War II, was discovered by pathfinders.

Elena Tanakova

Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (Polish: Kazimierz Malewicz; February 11, 1879, Kyiv - May 15, 1935, Leningrad) - Russian and Soviet avant-garde artist Polish origin, teacher, art theorist, philosopher. The founder of Suprematism - one of the most early manifestations abstract art of modern times.

According to the entry in metric book Kyiv Church of St. Alexandra, Kazimir Malevich was born on February 11 (23), and baptized on March 1, 1879 in the city of Kyiv. Previously it was believed that the year of his birth was 1878.

His father, Severin Antonovich Malevich (1845-1902) (a nobleman of the Volyn province of Zhitomir district), originally from the town of Turbova, Podolsk province, served as a manager at the sugar factories of the famous industrialist Nikolai Tereshchenko. Mother, Ludviga Alexandrovna (1858-1942), nee Galinovskaya, was a housewife. They got married in Kyiv on February 26 (March 10), 1878.

Parents are Polish by origin. Casimir became their first-born. The family had four more sons (Anton, Boleslav, Bronislav, Mieczyslaw) and four daughters (Maria, Wanda, Severina, Victoria). In total, the Malevich couple had fourteen children, but only nine of them lived to adulthood.

The Malevich family was Polish, at home the family spoke Polish, and around them they spoke Ukrainian; Subsequently, Malevich wrote a number of articles about art in Ukrainian. Malevich's contemporaries considered him a Pole, and Kazimir Malevich himself considered himself a Pole, but in the 1920s, during the so-called period. indigenization, Malevich wrote about himself as “Ukrainian” in some questionnaires and even tried to persuade his relatives to do so. In “Chapters from the Artist’s Autobiography,” written shortly before his death, he recalled himself and his best friend Kursk period Lev Kvachevsky: “We were both Ukrainians.” Also in some sources they search Belarusian roots the artist's father.

Kazimir spent his childhood in a Ukrainian village. Up to 12 years in Moevka, Yampol district, Podolsk province, then in Parkhomovka, Volchka, Belopole; Then, until he was 17 years old, he mainly remained in Konotop. In 1895-1896 he attended the Kyiv drawing school of N. I. Murashko, studying with N. K. Pimonenko.

In 1894-1895, Malevich lived in Konotop. According to the artist’s own memoirs (initiated in 1933 by Nikolai Khardzhiev), he painted his first oil painting at the age of 16 (most likely in 1894). The painting, entitled “Moonlit Night,” was three-quarters arshin in size and depicted a river with a boat on the shore and the Moon reflecting its rays. Malevich's friends liked the work. One of the friends (apparently from Konotop) offered to sell the painting and, without asking the artist, took it to the store, where it was quickly bought for 5 rubles. The location of the painting remains unknown.

In 1896, the Malevich family moved to Kursk. Here Kazimir worked as a draftsman in the Office of the Moscow-Kursk Railway, while simultaneously practicing painting. Together with his comrades in spirit, Malevich managed to organize in Kursk art club. Malevich was forced to lead as if double life- on the one hand, the daily worries of a provincial, an unloved and dreary service as a draftsman on the railway, and on the other, a thirst for creativity.

Malevich himself called 1898 in his “Autobiography” “the beginning of public exhibitions” (although no documentary information about this was found).

In 1899 he married Kazimiera Ivanovna Zglejc (Polish: Kazimiera Zglejc) (1881-1942). The wedding took place on January 27, 1902 in Kursk in Catholic Temple Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

In Kursk, the Malevich family rented a house (five rooms) for 260 rubles a year, at the address: st. Pochtovaya, 13, owned by Anna Klein. The building has survived to this day.

In 1904, he decided to radically change his life and move to Moscow, even though his wife was against it, since Malevich left her with the children in Kursk. This marked a rift in his family life.

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