Why I recommend RUSSIAN GRAPHIC DESIGN 1880 -1917 by Elena Chernevich and M.A. Aniks 1992 to better visualisation of Russian embroidery in the early 1900's.

 

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Academically trained painters and designers have worked in several disciplines to expand their creativity and as part of industrial economies, however in Russia from the late 1880s until today, there have been a particular visible contribution of Art and Graphic design movements to the Embroidery revival movements and a deliberate involvement of Russian painters and graphic designers in the design of embroidery, which today we can see stunning examples of archaeological embroidery in Museums all over the world.

Dr Wendy Selman research article on the Solomenko Embroidery Workshops - Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, volume 5, in summer 1987 is a very localised work covering the intersection of academic trained artists in the process of revival of traditional folk arts, in particularly embroidery and rug making,  while intentionally or unintentionally  reflecting the art movements of the time.

An illustrative example is the painting of the Elena Polenova design for embroidery , painted in watercolour in the early 1890's, and the work(paintings for embroidery and rugs ) of her fellow movement artist and co-worker at the Solomenko Embroidery workshops, Natalia Dovydova, academically trained at Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture ( Selman 1987).

The fact that the revival kustar workshops , in particular Solomenko workshops lasted from 1881 to 1917 made me buy the book Russian Graphic Design 1880-1917 by Elena Chernevich and M A Aniks published in 1992.

I was rather disappointed when I bought the book because I could not see any direct mention to embroidery, however as soon as I scrolled down the chapter Art Nouveau, I could identify every corner , any brush , every nuance that I understood to have permeated the textile arts through the commission of design work by painters and designers of this era.

Here are my favourite pictures ,

Truly formidable illustrative designs of what really was Art Nouveau way of capturing reality and emanating beauty through art in a very linear way, giving everything a slim delineated look, even if  just a curvy petal or flowers in a vase.

These pictures above could well have been  applied to a rug, a wall hanging, a dress, a table cloth, because all are relatable and can decorate in a very pleasant manner items that surround us at home or via graphic art conveyed and accessible in the media and cultural institutions.

Equally, these pictures can be used today to recreate items of value to you and your community, just as much as can be used in understanding the influence Art Nouveau had in kustar workshops like the Solomenko workshops which lasted from 1880-1917, precisely the time length covered in this book.

The book is mostly a fascinating illustrative guide of the era through the visualisation of commercial and political posters and advertisements which give us the sense of transition from non-monetary art like the Art Nouveau to a pre-revolutionary anxiety for political change and intolerance for injustice and society limitations to bring happiness like 1917 Russian Revolution so well materialised in Russian History.

Thank you for reading my book review,

Until next time,

Ariane Crafts