Natalia Gontcharova

(1884 - 1962)

 3227

 

Valentin Parnakh

L'Art décoratif theâtral moderne

Paris: La cible, 1919

490 x 332 mm. 18 pages

Edition: 500. Copy nr. 39

 

In June 1915 Gontcharova and Larionov left Russia for good to join Diaghilev in Switzerland. Their theatrical work for the famous Russian Ballets was exhibited for the first time in full (with 280 exhibits) at the Galerie Sauvage in Paris in spring 1918. A year later, in June 1919, an extended version of that exhibition (with 358 exhibits) was shown at the Galerie Barbazenges also in Paris. On that occasion this portfolio was presented. Of the total edition, 100 copies were full-size and  signed by the artists. The remaining 415 copies were half-size and contained fewer plates. Larionov created an abstract design for the cover. The introduction was written by Valentin Parnakh, for whom Gontcharova illustrated the book Simoom and Larionov designed the cover of Embankment, published in the same year. In the introduction Parnakh discusses Larionov’s theatre theory, which is based on the futurist theory of movement, mobility, machines and city life. Following the introduction there are 18 plates, some with reproductions, others with pochoir plates. All designs were also represented in the exhibitions. The cricket and the peacock are pochoir designs by Larionov  for the play Kikimora. (In this set1 pochoir is missing)

References:

San Antonio 1987, nrs. 92-99

Parton 1993, pp. 159-160
Getty 1997, nr. 618

Groningen 2004, pp. 126 ff

Hellyer 2006, nr. 408

Offenbach 2016, nr. 20