Artwork
Βιολί
Βιολί is a drawing by Nadezhda Udaltsova. It dates from 1933 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus.
About this work
Back home, she mixed its sharp angles with Russian boldness.
You see a violin drawn with sharp, jagged lines. The neck tilts at a sharp angle. The body looks flat, like a paper cut-out. Udaltsova splits the drawing into uneven vertical bands. Some bands use fine lines. Others use rough scribbles. It feels broken and whole at once.
She studied Cubism in Paris in 1912. Back home, she mixed its sharp angles with Russian boldness. The violin isn’t real—it’s built from shapes and shadows.
Look up Udaltsova, Nadezhya (1886-1961) next.
Overview
Violin is a Cubist painting by Nadezhda Udaltsova, characterized by the division of the canvas into vertical strips of varying textures, achieving a frontal composition.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a violin, is abstracted into geometric shapes and jagged lines, transcending representation to emphasize formal qualities, reflecting Udaltsova's interpretation of Cubism.
Technique & Style
Udaltsova employs contrasting textures and sharp, angular forms, blending Parisian Cubist influences with a distinctly bold, Russian aesthetic, as seen in the interplay of fine lines and rough scribbles.
History & Provenance
Previously misattributed to Kazimir Malevich due to an inscription, the painting's correct authorship was confirmed by its appearance in a 1916 exhibition photograph among Udaltsova's works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nadezhda Andreevna Udaltsova (née Prudkovskaia; Russian: Наде́жда Андре́евна Удальцо́ва; 29 December 1885 – 25 January 1961) was a Russian and Soviet artist, painter and teacher.
Museum
Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus
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