malevich reapers c1929-32 Kazimir Malevich (1879-1935)
Kazimir Malevich – malevich reapers c1929-32
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Painter: Kazimir Malevich
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One of the most famous and influential Russian artists, Kazimir Malevich, who is considered the founder of one of the earliest manifestations of abstraction, Supermatism, has left behind a great legacy in the field of art. In addition, Malevich was also a remarkable philosopher, he reflected on painting and the various phenomena in this area. There was a period of Russian artist in his creative activity, when he wrote paintings on peasant themes. To the works of this period refers and work "Reapers" in 1929, where the author depicted in a field of three women reapers, during the harvest.
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Description of Kazimir Malevich’s painting The Reapers
One of the most famous and influential Russian artists, Kazimir Malevich, who is considered the founder of one of the earliest manifestations of abstraction, Supermatism, has left behind a great legacy in the field of art. In addition, Malevich was also a remarkable philosopher, he reflected on painting and the various phenomena in this area. There was a period of Russian artist in his creative activity, when he wrote paintings on peasant themes.
To the works of this period refers and work "Reapers" in 1929, where the author depicted in a field of three women reapers, during the harvest. The viewer can see the typical life of a peasant in the village, which is very difficult, on the face of the woman in the foreground, reads fatigue, suffering, but she must work, as the welfare of her family depends on the quantity and quality of the harvest. On the left side of the painting is the shade of a large tree, under which the reapers could take a break and at least a little escape from the heat.
In the distance, in the background, you can see Nikolsky Church, which is in the village of Romashkovo, where the artist often loved to go and create, after his death, Malevich was buried in the field between the villages of Romashkovo and Nemchinovka, with a high probability the artist is buried in the place where he painted "reapers".
In the works of the author of the peasant line noticeable change in his work, he deeply penetrated the problems of ordinary peasants. In order to give his paintings expressiveness, the artist purposely deformed and somewhere primitively simplified the figures of the people depicted. Without icons and religion, Malevich considered impossible, and paid great attention to iconography, calling it the highest level of "peasant art", so the image of St. Nicholas Church in the painting "Reapers", can be considered very symbolic.
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The central figure, a woman clad in traditional peasant attire – a white blouse, a green skirt with a contrasting dark waistband, and a headscarf – stands prominently in the field. She holds a scythe across her body, its presence signifying labor and toil. Her posture is upright, almost stoic, conveying a sense of dignity and resilience. The three other figures are depicted from behind, their red garments providing a striking contrast against the yellow wheat and green foliage. They bend over, immersed in the task of gathering the harvest.
The artist’s use of color contributes significantly to the works overall effect. The warm tones of gold and green evoke feelings of prosperity and connection to the land. The cooler blues and grays of the sky introduce a note of melancholy or perhaps foreboding, hinting at the cyclical nature of agricultural life – the end of one season inevitably leading to another.
Beyond the literal depiction of harvesting, the painting seems to explore themes of labor, tradition, and human connection to the natural world. The central figure’s commanding presence suggests a symbolic representation of rural identity or perhaps even collective strength. The anonymity of the figures, particularly those engaged in the harvest, reinforces the idea of communal effort and shared experience. The landscape itself – the rolling hills visible in the distance – implies a sense of continuity and timelessness, suggesting that these scenes have unfolded repeatedly throughout history.
The dark borders around the image create an isolating effect, drawing attention to the scene within while simultaneously distancing it from any immediate context.