The works of Russian artists of the early 20th century today seem strange and incomprehensible. Flat clumsy figures, sometimes similar to the drawings of a child, many lines and spots, buying up a palette of colors - this is the Russian avant-garde.
How it all began
By the beginning of the 20th century, painting, like many other forms of art, had reached such a high level that it began to seem to many: this is the highest point, there is nowhere to develop further. Simply put, artists are tired of painting nature and portraits in traditional proportions and colors. In the wake of such moods, they began to look for some new ways, forms, methods. And, as often happens in such periods, they began by denying previous experience. Symbolists believed that one should not depict reality, but human feelings. Impressionists, on the contrary, denied any meaning, and considered only the shape important, decomposing it into simple geometric shapes and recognizing only the basic colors - yellow, red and blue. And someone was looking for truth in primitive folk art.
This gave rise to many trends in European fine art of the early 20th century. All together they began to be called the vanguard, that is, advanced, new. The paintings of this genre are characterized by innovation and shocking viewers.
The sharpest and most diverse was the Russian avant-garde. He went further than anyone else in his denials, but was also the most fruitful. Now the paintings of the legendary Russian avant-garde artists are sold at world auctions for millions of dollars.
