''Cyclist'' is a 1913

Cubo-Futurist Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...

painting by the Russian artist

Natalia Goncharova Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova (russian: Ната́лья Серге́евна Гончаро́ва, p=nɐˈtalʲjə sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvnə ɡənʲtɕɪˈrovə; 3 July 188117 October 1962) was a Russian avant-garde artist, painter, costume designe ...

. The painting is considered an "archetypal work" of

Futurism Futurism ( it, Futurismo, link=no) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy, and to a lesser extent in other countries, in the early 20th century. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such ...

by its current holder, the

State Russian Museum The State Russian Museum (russian: Государственный Русский музей), formerly the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III (russian: Русский Музей Императора Александра III), on ...

Description

The titular cyclist is a male figure bent over his bicycle while pedaling through a town or city. The street beneath the cyclist is cobbled while behind him lies a row of shop windows. Goncharova was an early Russian developer of

Cubo-Futurism Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...

, combining characteristics of both

and

Cubism Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassemble ...

in ''Cyclist''. Cubist fragmentation, for example, is used to indicate the cyclist's speed. Movement is also portrayed in the work's Futurist elements, such as its repetition of forms and dislocation of contours. The dynamic effect of multiplied forms and repeated delineation is further amplified by Goncharova's use of broad brushstrokes. The presence of urban life, another concern of Futurism, is included in the work through the use of street signs in the background. However, the composition is distinct from classical Futurist works due to its higher level of visual balance. In particular, ''Cyclist'' contrasts with the more abstract and dematerialized representation of cycling found in

Umberto Boccioni Umberto Boccioni (, ; 19 October 1882 – 17 August 1916) was an influential Italian painter and sculptor. He helped shape the revolutionary aesthetic of the Futurism movement as one of its principal figures. Despite his short life, his approach ...

's 1913 painting ''

Dynamism of a Cyclist ''Dynamism of a Cyclist'' (''Dinamismo di un Ciclista'') is a 1913 painting by Italian Futurism, Futurist artist Umberto Boccioni (1882–1916) that demonstrates the Futurist fascination with speed, modern methods of transport, and the depiction o ...

''.

Cyrillic letters , bg, кирилица , mk, кирилица , russian: кириллица , sr, ћирилица, uk, кирилиця , fam1 = Egyptian hieroglyphs , fam2 = Proto-Sinaitic , fam3 = Phoenician , fam4 = G ...

from the shop signs are visually "shifted" onto the bicyclist in the painting. The art historian Tim Harte views the pointing finger on the leftmost storefront as part of a "visual clash" since it points in the opposite direction of the cyclist's motions.

Exhibition and reception

''Cyclist'' was shown with Goncharova's ''Airplane over a Train'' in the artist's 1913 solo show. In his 2009 book on the

Russian avant-garde The Russian avant-garde was a large, influential wave of avant-garde modern art that flourished in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, approximately from 1890 to 1930—although some have placed its beginning as early as 1850 and its e ...

, Harte considered ''Cyclist'' to be a "more mature" Cubo-Futurist painting compared to Goncharova's earlier works and wrote that the painting evidences Goncharova's intensified focus on "modern motion's distortion of space and image". In a 2019 review of Goncharova's work, the art critic

Laura Cumming Laura Cumming is the art critic of ''The Observer'' newspaper, a position she has held since 1999. Before that she worked for ''The Guardian'', the ''New Statesman'' and the BBC. In addition to her career in journalism, Cumming has written well-r ...

described ''Cyclist'' as "an exhilarating picture" demonstrative of the artist's "excitement with futurism". As of 2021, ''Cyclist'' is in the

and is located in the museum's Benois Wing.

References

{{Authority control 1913 paintings Paintings by Natalia Goncharova Bicycles in art Futurist paintings Collections of the Russian Museum

Description

Exhibition and reception

See also

References