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[THE EARLIEST EXHIBITION OF WORKS BY ARISTARKH LENTULOV] Khudozhnik Lentulov [i.e. Artist Lentulov]

Khvoynik, I.

Item #2553

Moscow: 1933. 34 pp., 1 frontispiece, 14 ill. 18x13 cm. In original publisher’s illustrated wrappers. Tears of the spine, rubbed edges, but otherwise in a very good condition.

Scarce. Text in Russian. With 15 full-size black-and-white illustrations throughout.
A catalogue of the first solo exhibition of Aristarkh Lentulov (1882–1943), a leading figure of the Russian avant-garde, organized in honor of the 25th anniversary of his artistic career. The catalogue lists 254 exhibits in chronological order, includes two brief biographical notes on the artist by A. Skvortsov and Ignaty Khvoynik (1887-1946), and features 15 black-and-white reproductions (excluding “Cracking,” which appears on the front cover). The exhibition presented not only Lentulov’s paintings but also sketches for theatrical costumes and set designs.
From 1912, Lentulov became a major influence on Russian futurism, particularly cubo-Futurism. He was a co-founder of the influential avant-garde group “Jack of Diamonds” and participated in its exhibitions from 1909 to 1916. This catalogue highlights Lentulov’s creative output during his formative years with the group.
Interestingly, the exhibition took place in 1933, at a time when Socialist Realism had become the official Soviet artistic doctrine and the Russian avant-garde was considered largely obsolete. Lentulov’s later turn to realism and depictions of Soviet industrial subjects earned him both critical recognition and praise, while his earlier avant-garde works were sometimes interpreted as aligning with leftist ideals. The catalogue thus stands as a testament to the breadth of Lentulov’s artistic legacy, bridging his avant-garde experimentation and later Soviet-era work.

Worldcat shows copies of the edition at Frick Art Research Library, Princeton University Library, Getty Research Institute, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Landesbibliothek Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Günther Uecker, and Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

Price: $350.00