D. Merezhkovsky (poet, critic) said the following:
«1) “Futurism is the coming Boor, blasphemers, savages who dismembered the language.
A gang of hooligans, a band of savages, the all-deafening sound of a swindle, a naked savage, a hottentot in a bowler hat”.
2) “Futurism, Cubism are hysteria, futurism is the murder of the soul of the world, eternal femininity”.
3) “Replacement of reproduction by mechanical means, abomination and desolation…”7 (author’s stanza).
The meaningless, illogical, abstruse things were declared to be main objects of reality. During this period Malevich wrote three works: “Dressing Box”, “Station Without Stopping” (both in 1913, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), “Cow and Violin” (1913, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg). These paintings had one common feature. They were painted on a wooden canvas which was made from the shelves of the bookcase. There was a lack of funds for everyday life and for the purchase of canvases in particular and then furniture was used.
“During his life Malevich did not receive even some of money at which one of his drawings was estimated later (tens of thousands dollars). There is no need to mention a painting that worths millions. Unfortunately for Malevich he continued the romantic tradition of the 19th century where “an unrecognized geniuses died in poverty.” It influenced the “chronological provincialism” of Russia for sure. In the 20th century the situation had changed in the rest of the world. Only Modigliani passed away early and did not see the material dimension of fame. Other great brothers – Matisse, Picasso, Chagall – were not only famous, but also fabulously rich”8.
The author revealed the meaning of the painting “The Cow and the Violin” with an inscription on the back of the canvas (which was made from the bookshelf). It said “The alogical comparison of two forms – “cow and violin” – is a moment of struggle against logic, naturalness, bourgeois meaning and prejudices. K. Malevich”9. “The Cow and the Violin” was the painting that ment the beginning of the concepts of Abstruse realism and Cubo-futuristic realism.
These three works were presented at the exhibition of the “Union of Youth”, which opened in November 1913 in St. Petersburg.
The Opera “Victory Over the Sun”