L’art décoratif théâtral moderne

by rbdhin abstraction, avant-garde, Ballets-Russes, France, Russiaon Posted on

L’art décoratif théâtral moderne / Gontcharova, Larionow [with engravings and pochoirs in color and black and white by Goncharova and Larionov]. — Paris, Editions de la Cible, 15 June, 1919.
Folio (502 x 324 mm). 21 pp. containing 8 mounted coloured illustrations, with fourteen leaves of plates: 3 mounted, 6 full leaf and 5 double-leaf plates. The edition is limited to 515 copies.

Title page. Courtesy of Russian Enamel Auction House
Second title page. Courtesy of collections.geneve.ch

Vladimir Polyakov in his Книги русского кубофутуризма [Books of Russian Cubo Futurism] considers this book “Larionov and Goncharova’s most impressive Paris edition.” According to the Sotheby’s description of the deluxe copy, signed by both artists, this edition was “published to mark the occasion of Larionov and Goncharova’s arrival in Paris from Russia, and the grand exhibition of their theatrical work at the Galerie Barbazanges […] This sumptuous portfolio highlights the avant-garde artists’ ongoing concern with costume design expressed through a distinctly cubist sensibility filled with vibrant color and abstract forms.”. The introduction by Valentin Parnak (pp. 7-18) narrates about the changes in the art of set designs and costumes in Goncharova’s and Larionov’s projects — both artists established a new approach to costumes and stage decorations after series of successful work for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes.

Natalia Goncharova’s design “Une Espagnole”. Courtesy of the BnF

Even though Goncharova and Larionov were rather successful in Europe in their careers as stage and costume designers already by 1919, this work appears to promote their work even to the broader audience in France.

Even though the present edition is not the book for which Goncharova purposely created illustrations, we still want to note this visual influence of her stage costumes and designs on her book illustrations during her early years in France. At the same time, it is most likely that Goncharova, together with Larionov, worked on the layout of the text and illustrations of the present luxury large edition, using very high quality coloured prints — this can also give us an idea of the opportunities and potential of the Editions de la Cible during the most prolific years of Ballets Russes as well as Goncharova’s first steps in book design industry in France.

Goncharova’s design for the first act of the Ballet “Coq d’Or”, 1914. Courtesy of the BnF
BnF catalogue link