Aristarkh Vasilevich Lentulov stands as one of the most dynamic and influential figures of the Russian avant-garde, a painter whose canvases exploded with color, energy, and a unique synthesis of Western European modernist innovations and deeply rooted Russian artistic traditions. His life (1882-1943) spanned a tumultuous period in Russian history, and his art vibrantly reflected the cultural ferment and revolutionary zeal of his time. From his early explorations to his mature Cubo-Futurist masterpieces and later stylistic shifts, Lentulov consistently sought a visual language that could capture the intensity and dynamism of the modern age, leaving an indelible mark on the course of 20th-century art.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Born in the village of Nizhny Lomov in Penza Governorate, Russia, Aristarkh Lentulov's upbringing was modest. His father was a village priest, and this early exposure to the rich visual culture of the Russian Orthodox Church – its icons, frescoes, and the architecture of its churches – would subtly inform his later artistic sensibilities, particularly his fascination with monumental forms and radiant color. Though he initially received a religious education, his artistic inclinations soon led him to pursue formal training.
Between 1897 and 1905, Lentulov honed his foundational skills at art schools in Penza and Kyiv (Kiev). These provincial institutions provided him with a solid academic grounding, but the young artist was already hungry for more radical forms of expression. The turn of the century was a period of burgeoning artistic experimentation across Europe, and news of these developments, however filtered, began to reach even the more traditional art centers of Russia.
In 1906, Lentulov made the pivotal move to St. Petersburg, then the imperial capital and a major cultural hub. There, he studied in the private studio of Dmitry Kardovsky, a respected painter and teacher who, while himself a product of the academic tradition, was open-minded enough to encourage his students' individual explorations. St. Petersburg exposed Lentulov to a wider range of artistic influences and connected him with other aspiring young artists. However, it was Moscow that would soon become the epicenter of the Russian avant-garde, and in 1909, Lentulov relocated there, a city that would become central to his life and work.
The Parisian Sojourn and the Embrace of Modernism
The years 1910 and 1911 were transformative for Lentulov. Like many ambitious Russian artists of his generation, he traveled to Paris, the undisputed capital of the art world. This period was crucial for his absorption of the latest artistic currents. He studied at the Académie de La Palette, a progressive art school, and also spent time in the studio of Henri Le Fauconnier, a painter associated with Cubism.
In Paris, Lentulov was immersed in a whirlwind of artistic innovation. He encountered firsthand the revolutionary works of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, whose Cubist deconstruction of form and space was sending shockwaves through the art establishment. He was also captivated by the vibrant, expressive colors of Fauvism, championed by artists like Henri Matisse and André Derain. Furthermore, the principles of Orphism, a lyrical and colorful offshoot of Cubism developed by Robert Delaunay and Sonia Delaunay, resonated deeply with Lentulov's own burgeoning interest in the emotive power of color and dynamic composition. These encounters were not merely academic; they were profound, visceral experiences that reshaped his artistic vision. He absorbed these influences, not as a mere imitator, but as an artist seeking to forge his own unique path.
The Jack of Diamonds and the Russian Avant-Garde
Upon his return to Moscow, Lentulov was brimming with new ideas and a fervent desire to challenge the artistic status quo in Russia. He became one of the most active and prominent founders of the "Bubnovy Valet" (Jack of Diamonds) group, an exhibiting society that became a lightning rod for avant-garde activity in Russia. Founded in 1909 and active until around 1916, the Jack of Diamonds included other pioneering artists such as Mikhail Larionov (though he soon broke away to form the more radical "Donkey's Tail" group), Natalia Goncharova, Pyotr Konchalovsky, and Ilya Mashkov.
The Jack of Diamonds artists were united by their rejection of academic realism and Symbolist mysticism, which had dominated Russian art in the preceding decades. They championed a "new primitivism," drawing inspiration from Russian folk art (lubok prints, signboards, traditional crafts), as well as the bold colors and simplified forms of French Post-Impressionism (particularly Paul Cézanne) and Fauvism. Their exhibitions were often scandalous, provoking outrage from conservative critics and the public but energizing a younger generation of artists and intellectuals. Lentulov was a key figure in this movement, his work characterized by its increasing boldness, vibrant palette, and a move towards the fragmentation of form.
Cubo-Futurism: Lentulov's Signature Style
Lentulov's experiences in Paris, combined with the native influences of Russian folk art and icon painting, coalesced into his distinctive Cubo-Futurist style. Cubo-Futurism was a uniquely Russian avant-garde movement that synthesized the analytical deconstruction of form found in French Cubism with the dynamism, speed, and urban energy celebrated by Italian Futurism (led by figures like Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Umberto Boccioni). Lentulov, alongside artists like Kazimir Malevich (before his Suprematist phase), Lyubov Popova, and Alexandra Exter, became a leading exponent of this style.
His paintings from this period are characterized by their kaleidoscopic fragmentation of forms, dynamic compositional structures, and an exuberant, almost musical use of color. He often depicted architectural motifs, particularly the ancient churches and cityscapes of Moscow, transforming them into vibrant, pulsating visions. Works like Moscow (1913) and the iconic St. Basil's Cathedral (1913) are prime examples. In St. Basil's Cathedral, the familiar onion domes and intricate patterns of the landmark are fractured into a dazzling array of brightly colored planes, conveying not just the physical structure but the very essence and energy of the place. He sought to express the "ringing" quality of the bells and the festive spirit of the city.
Lentulov's approach was often described as "Orphist" in its emphasis on color as a primary structural and emotional element, akin to the work of Robert Delaunay. He incorporated elements of collage, sometimes using gold or silver foil, which added a shimmering, almost icon-like quality to his canvases, further linking his modernism with ancient Russian artistic traditions. His exploration of light, color, and space was profound, creating works that were both visually stunning and intellectually engaging. He was not merely depicting reality; he was constructing a new, heightened reality on the canvas.
Theatrical Design and Broader Artistic Activities
Lentulov's creative energies were not confined to painting. He was also an innovative and active stage designer, contributing significantly to the avant-garde theatre scene in Russia. He designed sets and costumes for productions at the Kamerny Theatre (Chamber Theatre) under the direction of Alexander Tairov, a key figure in experimental Russian theatre. His designs for plays, including revolutionary-themed productions and even an unrealized project for Vladimir Mayakovsky's Vladimir Mayakovsky. Tragedy, were characterized by the same principles that informed his painting: bold, geometric forms, vibrant colors, and a dynamic sense of space.
His theatrical work, like that of contemporaries such as Alexandra Exter and Lyubov Popova, sought to break away from illusionistic stagecraft, instead creating abstract, constructivist environments that actively engaged with the performance. He understood the stage as a three-dimensional canvas, a space where art and action could merge.
During the First World War, Lentulov, alongside Mikhail Larionov, co-founded the "Segodnyashnii Lubok" (Today's Lubok) group, which produced satirical, patriotic prints in the style of traditional Russian lubok broadsides, often targeting Germany and Austria. This demonstrated his engagement with contemporary events and his ability to adapt his artistic language to different purposes.
Post-Revolutionary Years and Pedagogical Influence
The Russian Revolution of 1917 ushered in a period of immense social and cultural upheaval, and initially, a flourishing of avant-garde artistic activity. Many avant-garde artists, including Lentulov, initially embraced the revolutionary spirit, seeing it as an opportunity to create a new art for a new society. He actively participated in the artistic life of the new Soviet state, contributing to public art projects and decorations for revolutionary festivals.
Lentulov also became an influential teacher. He held teaching positions at various art institutions, most notably at VKhUTEMAS (Higher Art and Technical Studios) in Moscow, a groundbreaking art and design school that was a crucible of Constructivist and avant-garde thought, comparable to the Bauhaus in Germany. His students included many who would go on to become significant figures in Soviet art. He was instrumental in shaping the "Moscow School of Painting," known for its emphasis on color and painterly qualities. He even ran free workshops, demonstrating his commitment to art education.
In the 1920s, he was involved in the founding of the Moscow Painters' Association and the Moscow Artists' Association (OMKh), organizations that sought to navigate the evolving cultural landscape and provide a platform for artists. His work from this period continued to explore architectural themes and landscapes, often with a vibrant, celebratory feel. Paintings like New Jerusalem (1917), View with the red house (1917), and later works like The cracking of petroleum refinery (1928) and Night on the ponds (1928) showcase his evolving interests.
Later Career and Stylistic Shifts
As the 1920s gave way to the 1930s, the artistic climate in the Soviet Union began to change dramatically. The state increasingly favored Socialist Realism, a style that promoted idealized, easily legible depictions of Soviet life and heroes. The experimentalism of the avant-garde was gradually suppressed, deemed "formalist" and bourgeois.
This shift inevitably impacted Lentulov's work. While he never fully abandoned his modernist sensibilities, his later paintings show a move towards a more representational, somewhat Post-Impressionistic style. His palette remained rich, but the radical fragmentation of form seen in his Cubo-Futurist masterpieces became less pronounced. Works like Vegetables (1933) and Building of the metro over the Lubyanka area (1933) reflect this transition. Some art historians see this shift as a pragmatic adaptation to the prevailing political and cultural pressures, while others suggest it also represented a natural evolution in his artistic concerns, perhaps a turn towards more introspective and lyrical themes.
His painting By the Sea (1935), a study for a larger mural, still retains a sense of vibrancy and compositional dynamism, but it is couched in a more accessible, naturalistic language. Despite the changing artistic tides, Lentulov continued to paint and exhibit, focusing on landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, including a notable Portrait of A. Tairov (1917) and a portrait of the actress Aleksandra Khokhlova (1917).
Legacy and Enduring Impact
Aristarkh Lentulov passed away in Moscow in 1943, during the height of the Second World War. He was buried in the Vagankovo Cemetery. By the time of his death, the heroic age of the Russian avant-garde had long passed, and Socialist Realism was the officially sanctioned artistic doctrine. For many years, his, and other avant-garde artists', contributions were largely overlooked or suppressed within the Soviet Union.
However, with the cultural thaws of the later 20th century and the renewed international interest in the Russian avant-garde, Lentulov's work has been rightfully reassessed and celebrated. He is now recognized as a pivotal figure, a bridge between Russian traditions and Western modernism, and a key innovator in his own right. His influence on contemporaries like Wassily Kandinsky (in his earlier, more representational phases) and Kazimir Malevich (during his Cubo-Futurist period) is acknowledged.
His paintings, with their joyous celebration of color, their dynamic fusion of ancient and modern, and their sheer visual exuberance, continue to captivate audiences. They stand as a testament to a period of extraordinary artistic ferment and to an artist who fearlessly embraced the challenges and possibilities of his time. Lentulov's legacy is not just in his individual masterpieces, but in his role as a catalyst, an organizer, and a teacher who helped to shape one of the most exciting and radical movements in the history of modern art. His works are prominently featured in major Russian museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, ensuring that his vibrant vision endures.
