Lot Essay
Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (1878-1935) was born near Kiev. From 1904-5 he studied at both the Stroganov school and the Moscow School of Arts. By 1915 he had developed a new system of art, explained in his booklet Ot kubizma i futurizma k suprematismu: Novyi zhivopisnyi realism [From Cubism and Futurism to Suprematism: the new realism in painting]. The concept of purely aesthetic form within space was in union with Malevich's spiritual quest for 'pure sensation in creative art'. Following the Revolution of 1917, Malevich was given a prominent teaching post at Vitebsk Popular Art School, where in 1920 he published Suprematism, 34 drawings: 'The most important things in Suprematism - its two foundations - are the energy of black and white which serve to open up the form of action', 'red as the signal of revolution and white as pure action...symbol of purity of human creative life.'
He also founded the student group 'Unovis' (The Affirmers of the New Art). The members of this group, including Chashnik, Suetin, Ermolaeva, Yudin and Lissitsky were interested in utilitarian designs and produced designs in different media. While porcelain proved to be the most popular medium for the Suprematists as white symbolised the 'absolute', students also worked with other media, including enamel as in the present lot.
He also founded the student group 'Unovis' (The Affirmers of the New Art). The members of this group, including Chashnik, Suetin, Ermolaeva, Yudin and Lissitsky were interested in utilitarian designs and produced designs in different media. While porcelain proved to be the most popular medium for the Suprematists as white symbolised the 'absolute', students also worked with other media, including enamel as in the present lot.