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[ARCHITECTURAL VISION AGAINST CONFORMITY: THE RARE FIRST EDITION OF CHERNIKHOV’S ORNAMENTS] Ornament: Kompozitsionno-klassich. Postroyeniya [i.e. Ornament: Compositional-Classical Constructions]

Chernikhov, Ya.

Item #2410

Leningrad: Izdaniye avtora, 1930. 221, [5] pp., 8 color plates: ills. 30x21 cm. Owner’s cloth binding with original wrappers preserved. Binding rubbed, but otherwise near fine.

Scarce. First edition. Text in Russian.

An exceptionally rare and visually striking course in ornamental drafting by Yakov Chernikhov (1889-1951)—one of the most original figures in early Soviet architectural thought. Known for his radical graphic experiments and unorthodox teaching methods, Chernikhov developed a unique visual language that blended elements of suprematism, cubism, and expressionism into a singular architectural idiom. Though celebrated for his theoretical brilliance, he remained an outsider both to the avant-garde elite and to the official artistic establishment of the 1930s. With only one major project — the Red Nail Factory in Leningrad—ever realized, his legacy mostly lay in his drawings and pedagogical work.

The book is the result of Yakov Chernikhov’s extensive teaching experience and stands as a bold statement in the context of early Soviet art, published just as Socialist Realism was beginning to take hold. Released in 1931, Ornaments reflects Chernikhov’s conviction that ornament is not mere decoration but a core element of spatial composition, structure, and complexity. Drawing on his pedagogical practice, the volume functions as both a technical manual and an artistic manifesto. It opens with practical guidance for beginners—how to sit correctly, how to hold a compass— and gradually develops into a visual training that explores linear rhythm, contrast, spatial layering, and tonal gradation. Classical motifs are reimagined through radical formal methods: symmetry gives way to asymmetry, planes dissolve into tonal transitions, and elaborate three-dimensional forms emerge from basic lines. Richly illustrated, the book contains 57 diagrams, 56 tonal exercises, 658 advanced linear compositions, and 8 full-page color plates.

Overall, a rare glimpse into Chernikhov’s visionary approach to architectural education at a time of growing artistic conformity in the Soviet Union.

Price: $1,500.00