1910 - 1930
Analytical art
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Appeared in the 1910s of the 20th century. Officially ceased to exist in 1932, unofficially existed until 1941.
Synopsis:
Analytical art was an art movement in the art of Russian avant-garde. The artistic method was practically developed and theoretically explained by Pavel Filonov in a number of his treatises, starting with the article “Canon and the Law” (1912). The official date of the birth of the analytical, that is, “made up art” is considered the release of the manifesto “Intimate workshop of painters and draftsmen “Made pictures”” in 1914. The “Declaration of the World Bloom” (1923) and others were published later.
Basing on the theory of Futurism and Cubism as the carrier of rationalism, Analytical artists contrasted the principle of organic growth of the artistic form to the method of “splitting” objects into its geometric figures. The essence of the principle is that trees grow from a seed, just like the plot of the painting grows from one dot. The followers of the style had their own association of young Leningrad artists, students of P. N. Filonov, named “Masters of Analytical Art” (MAA). The group began to form in the summer of 1925 around P. N. Filonov, who worked as a teacher at the Higher Art and Technical Institute and finally formed after the first exhibition in 1927 with the adoption of the regulations of the association. During the existence of MAA, its members changed many times. In total, it included around 70 artists during the years of its active work.
Key artists:
Pavel Filonov (founder and principal theorist), Tatyana Glebova, Alisa Poret, Mikhail Tsibasov, Sofia Zaklinovskaya, Pavel Zaltsman, Pavel Kondratiev, Boris Gurvich, Nikolai Evgrafov, Yury Khrzhanovsky.
Key ideas:
1) The main idea of analytic art is to approach the reproduction of not ready-made objective forms of nature, but its creative processes themselves in fine art and graphic art.
2) An important postulate of an Analytical artist is his promotion from the particular to the general during the creation of a painting, which ensures the principle of “organic growth” of the painting.
3) The idea of the mandatory multidimensionality of the depicted plot implies the presence of many details and, therefore, several motifs in the works of this style.
4) The main method of the artists of Analytical art was the completeness of the painting, thus the composition of the conceived plot from the set point (the grain of the future picture) to the edge of the canvas or the conceived composition.
5) The technique of the creation of the painting implied work with thin brushes and an ink pen – an artist was not allowed to make any emotional sweeping strokes.
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A Russian painter and graphic artist, book illustrator and film artist. Mikhail Tsybasov was among the followers of Pavel Filonov, who formed the core of the group “Masters of Analytical Art” and remained faithful to his teacher until the end, despite the persecution that he was subjected to by the Soviet government.In his work, the artist strictly followed the basic principles of the system of analytical art. Hardworking and purposeful Tsybasov did everything masterfully. His hard work and professionalism allowed him to master the “principle of accomplishment”, which was fundamental for representatives of analytical art.Mikhail Tsybasov actively participated in the collective work of Filonov’s students on the design of costumes and sets for the production of “The Inspector General”, thanks to which the group’s work became widely known. In 1931, he became one of the most prominent developers of illustrations of the Finnish ethnic epic “Kalevala”, investing a lot of strength and energy in this publication. Eight large illustrations for the poem became one of the best graphic works of the artist and in many respects formed his graphic style, determining the theme and manner of his subsequent work.In the last years of his life, the artist focused mainly on portraits, where he fully expressed his bright and positive attitude towards people and life.
1904 - 1967
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A Russian painter and graphic artist, one of the first students of Pavel Filonov and a talented follower of the method of analytical art. Pavel Kondratiev was a member of a circle of young artists, musicians and writers who collaborated with Isaiah Braudo, Maria Yudina, and Tatyana Glebova. He was a close friend of Alice Poret and for some time lived in her house, where a creative atmosphere reigned and meetings of people of art took place. The artist also became a regular character of several verses of famous poet Daniil Kharms and maintained friendly relations with him.The artist was famous not only for his numerous paintings and graphic works but also as an art theorist and a talented teacher. In the post-war period, a kind of “Kondratyev's circle” supporting his creative ideas formed around him. The painter collaborated with Vladimir Sterligov and together with him used the so-called "surplus element" in painting - a curved line that formed the basis of the famous "cup-dome" system.Kondratiev’s work is a kind of synthesis of several areas of the Russian avant-garde. He possessed a special talent to feel the pulse of his era and to combine seemingly incompatible styles and trends in his works. The works of Pavel Kondratiev are a unique fusion of scientific theories and the deep spirituality inherent in the real Artist.
1902 - 1985
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A Russian painter and graphic artist of German-Jewish origin, master of the monumental genre (in particular, the mosaic), film artist, art theorist, talented art history teacher, poet and writer.Pavel Zaltsman can be hardly called a consistent successor of the ideas of analytical art, but as a student of P.N. Filonov he brought his ideas to the artistic environment of Kazakhstan, where he lived for more than 40 years and became an Honored Artist (1962).According to specialists, Zaltsman was a paradoxical figure: having no formal art education, he became one of the most profound and virtuosic masters of the 20th century. Repeatedly standing on the verge of death, he almost miraculously survived and again turned to creative activity. Not being an illustrator, but possessing a “literary” type of thinking, he left a legacy that is considered impeccable material for illustration.The phenomenon lies in the family education, inherited talents, and in communication with P. Filonov from the age of 17, who not only instilled taste in him and taught him to paint, but also taught to always be faithful to his vocation.Steadfastly enduring the difficulties of survival in conditions of extreme poverty, hunger, besieged life, lack of housing, chronic lack of money, despite the certain recognition in the 1970s, the artist remained a thinker and philosopher.Zaltsman's works are in the collections of the Russian Museum, his graphics are presented in the permanent exhibition of the Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val, the State Museum of Art of Kazakhstan, in many private collections.
1912 - 1985
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A Russian artist, theater decorator, illustrator and graphic artist. A student of Pavel Filonov and a follower of analytical art in painting, Tatyana Glebova was a member of the "Workshop of Analytical Art" and a regular participant in the group's collective exhibitions. Despite the great authority of her teacher, the artist managed to develop her bright painting style, sincere and original, filled with deep images that take their roots in religious teaching and folk life.The noble origin of the artist left an imprint on her worldview and work. This became the reason that the art of Glebova was away from the official paths of Soviet painting, and the artist’s paintings were rarely presented at major exhibitions.Together with her husband and like-minded person Vladimir Sterlingov, Glebova became the author of new principles of painting, called the "bowl-domed space system". According to this theory, heaven and earth are a kind of construction; they interpenetrate and complement each other, creating a single harmony of the universe. This new philosophical opinion about painting attracted many followers. The artists got students; lessons and exhibitions of contemporary artists were held at the joint workshop of the “Old Peterhof School”.
1900 - 1985
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Synopsis:A Russian painter and graphic artist, who officially called himself an artist-researcher. He was one of the famous leaders of the avant-garde in his country, a theorist and founder, as well as a practitioner and teacher of "analytical art", a unique reforming movement that had a significant impact on the artistic mindsets of many creators of the first half of the 20th century.Filonov brought elements of scientific knowledge into the vanguard movement and was engaged in combining different ways of knowing the world, relying on intuition. In fact, the artist, who had phenomenal abilities in abstracted thinking, developed a symbolic understanding of painting, the aim of which was to depict not only the object but also thoughts about it and the way of its transmission, that is, added self-reflection to symbolism.Filonov had many followers and imitators, but the strength of his original “accomplishment” was difficult to achieve. Filonov’s “analytical art”, which formed the symbolist branch in the Russian avant-garde, was in opposition to constructivism and suprematism and came close to the surrealistic motives of European modernism.The master’s works are popular in the art market and are constantly exhibited throughout the world. At the exhibition in the Paris center of G. Pompidou in 1990, eight works stolen from the Russian Museum were found; seven of them were returned after many years of negotiations.
1883 - 1941
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Alisa (Alisa-Ekaterina-Ada) Iwanowna Poret (Poret, Porret) was a Russian artist and graphic artist of Swedish-French origin, an outstanding master of book illustration. The student of Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin and Pavel Filonov became a prominent representative of the Russian avant-garde, and her apartment became a kind of literary and art salon, where one could not adhere to the style of socialist Realism that was official and obligatory for all creators of the country in the 1930s and subsequent years.On behalf of P. Filonov, Alisa Poret created a large number of illustrations for the Karelian-Finnish epic “Kalevala” - this was a collective work of the group “Masters of Analytical Art”. In the future, the Museum of Karelia bought 50 drawings from the author (strip illustrations, original miniatures and endings to runes).The artist was a close person and faithful creative partner for writer Daniil Kharms - they collaborated at the Children's Department of the Leningrad State Publishing House and at the magazines "Hedgehog" and "Chizh". Subsequently, A. Poret became the author of the appearance of Winnie the Pooh and his friends, drawing illustrations for the first edition in Russian - moving plush toys became our favourite cartoon characters. The artist created a series of famous kitties, present in different forms in every Soviet family.In recent times, Alisa Poret, who had been repeatedly accused of formalism, was finally recognized as an outstanding artist, and not just an illustrator of children's books (she designed books of Hoffmann, Zakhoder, Marshak, Mikhalkov, Bianki, etc.). Paintings and graphic works of the avant-garde artist are stored in leading museums in Russia; her works appear at the Sotheby's auction.
1902 - 1984