Natalia Goncharova’s art is trailblazing, even for the avant-garde art scene. She is unique in that she is a woman, as women did not reach the levels of fame she did in art. However, I found her style and boldness in the artworks to be quite intricate. Goncharova was known for her radical art in the Jack of Diamonds group, and her pieces often were fragmented reflections of Russian society. However, the work that struck meetups the most was her self-portrait, painted in 1907.
Titled Self-Portrait with Yellow Lillies, the piece does not seem as bold as her other pieces, yet it holds skill that is distinctive of expressionism. Her self-portrait is reminiscent of those done similarly by the artist Vincent van Gogh, who was known for his bold expressionist self-portraits. The way Goncharova painted herself looking directly at the viewer gives off extreme confidence. She framed herself as a creator in this painting–this is obvious by the unfinished pieces behind her. Both her confidant gaze and the works behind Goncharova indicate that she is very proud of her art and not at all worried about backlash. She seems calm and in control of her surroundings.
The colors Goncharova chose to use in her self-portrait are telling of additional details. Again, she is bold and bright in her usage of colors. The brightness, rather than overpowering the portrait, adds a dynamic nature and emotion. The pink and orange tinges brightening her face make her look, in a way, imperfectly perfect, as viewers can connect with the confidence this painted flush adds. The flower bouquet Goncharova holds is especially eye-catching. The glowing oranges, reds, and yellows in the flowers are especially stunning. The flowers are like a torch, lighting up the piece. The bold colors she chose are again similar to Van Gogh’s bright color choices.
The influence of expressionism in avant-garde art seems to be a popular choice in Russia, and across Western Europe. I think it would be interesting to cover both expressionism and impressionism in European art, and how Russian avant-garde artists incorporated that style and made it their own.
Your comparison of Goncharova to Van Gogh, particularly in this painting, is really apt and very suggestive! It hadn’t occurred to me before. Wonderful discussion of this vibrant self-portrait! Goncharova is another artist whose work we saw during our culture trip to NYC. We got to see another of her self-portraits in Amherst College’s Mead Art Museum!
Sophie, I love your take on Goncharova’s self-portrait! Goncharova’s work is often characterized as inhibiting the neo-primitive movement and I think some themes of that movement are present in this portrait. I love your comments on the colors that Goncharova chose for the self-portrait. The green is especially vibrant and it permeates the whole image. Green is often associated with nature. Peasants are often depicted as connected to nature. The presence of the green throughout demonstrates Natalia’s focus on nature, and she is attempting to put herself on the same level as peasants, the people responsible for laying the foundation of her country.