Natalia Goncharova's 136th Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 136th birthday of Russian art icon Natalia Goncharova. Her contributions to the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century have made her one of the most famous and sought-after female artists in the twenty-first century art market. 

Goncharova was born on June 21st, 1881, in a small village southeast of Moscow in the Tula province.[WN] Her father Sergei Goncharov was a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and Natalia began her career by attending the prestigious institute as well. She initially focused on sculpture, with great success; just three years after she began her studies, her work was shown at major Russian salons. In 1909, Goncharova left the institute to help form the Jack of Diamonds, an avant-garde group that focused on combining Russian folk art with developing styles like Russian Primitivism. 

Later in her career, Goncharova’s work showed the influence of other emerging styles like Russian Futurism. As the Russian art scene overflowed with new movements, like Rayonism and Cubo-Futurism, Goncharova became a pioneering force. Critic and patron Sergei Diaghilev described her as “the most celebrated of [the] advanced painters” of her time. Later in life, her influence and portfolio expanded into new mediums as she traveled through Europe. In Geneva, Goncharova began designing ballet costumes and sets. She continued on to Paris, where she turned her talent to fashion design. Like her early work, the dresses she designed drew heavily on Russian folk art.

After decades of work and an international career, Goncharova died in Paris in October of 1962. Her pieces are displayed around the world at the Museum of Modern Art, the Tretyakov Gallery, Tate, and more. Today’s Doodle reflects Goncharova’s folk art influences and her distinctive, colorful style.