Artwork
Woman with a rake
Woman with a rake is an oil painting by Kazimir Malevich. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Woman with a Rake, painted circa 1916 by Kazimir Malevich, is an oil on canvas work housed in the Tretyakov Gallery. It represents a transitional piece in Malevich's oeuvre, reflecting early explorations of geometric abstraction.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman in a landscape, her face obscured, wearing a layered outfit (white dress, black skirt, red shirt) and holding a rake. Her body is rendered in geometric forms, emphasizing the artist's growing interest in abstracting figural representation.
Technique & Style
Characterized by bold lines, bright colors, and a predominantly blue sky with distant buildings, the work showcases Malevich's shift towards simplicity and clarity through geometric simplification, foreshadowing his Suprematist movement.
History & Provenance
Created around 1916 by Kazimir Malevich, a pivotal Russian avant-garde artist and Suprematism founder, the piece is part of the Tretyakov Gallery's collection, reflecting Malevich's significant contribution to early 20th-century Russian art.
Context
Painted during a period of artistic experimentation in Russia, Woman with a Rake sits at the cusp of Malevich's transition from representational art to the purely abstract forms of Suprematism, which would soon dominate his work.
Legacy
While not a fully Suprematist work, Woman with a Rake is valued for its transitional nature, illustrating Malevich's evolutionary process towards pioneering a major avant-garde movement of the 20th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (23 February 1879 – 15 May 1935) was a Russian avant-garde artist and art theorist, whose work and writings pioneered the development of abstract painting in the 20th century.
