Cyclist, Natalia Goncharova

   Natalia Goncharova  (1881-1962) was a multi-talented, avant-garde woman who defied art rules and restrictions of Russia to become a successful artist.  Like other painters of her time she also designed clothing, costumes and theater sets, and was a writer and illustrator.
  Goncharova was educated in Moscow's major art school but by 1910, she and friends were expelled for imitating contemporary European art.
   Cyclist was created in 1913 when she lived in Moscow.  It made her famous.  The painting reflects a bridge between traditions of the East and West.  Here we have a combination of Futurism, Cubism and some realistic images. (Futurism was a short-lived movement which showed objects, people in motion)  Goncharova was considered provocative and suffered harassment for her avant-garde ideas and work.  In 1914 she moved to Paris where she remained for the remainder of her life.
    Cyclist has an unusual design.  Here the center of interest is massive, occupying almost the whole format.  There is no attempt to create depth, all is almost flat against the foreground.   Yet somehow we can see  a man riding on a cobble street with posters close on the wall within 2 - 3 feet behind him.  The lines around him tell us he is moving forward, but it is a bumpy ride.
   In the upper left corner is a pointing finger with a steamy cup under it.  Below and to the right are a series of letters.  I do not understand the meaning of these objects, we can only guess.  Knowing just a little about the artist, and the history of the time, I think we are fairly safe to assume they may suggest some political injustice or social unrest.
   I find Cyclist an attractive image.  Blue and orange-brown dominate the work.  Notice how the blue of the upper left moves down in an diagonal direction into the figure.  The painting is divided in half horizontally, with all the graphic work on the top portion.
   This painting is only a small sample of the interesting work by Goncharova.  I encourage you to check her out, you will be delighted and amazed.
Make Art a part of your day, it's a beautiful thing to do.