PETRA MANDT The Paintings of Kazimir Malevich in the Ludwig Collection from the Art-Technological Point of View Petra Mandt is Deputy Head of Conservation at the Ludwig Museum in Cologne. Her article was first published as, “Die Gemâlde Kasimir Malewitschs im Bestand der Sammlung Ludwig aus kunst-technologischer Sicht”, in Kasimir Malewitsch und der Suprematismus in der Sammlung Ludwig, Russische Avantgarde im Museum Ludwig, Cologne, 2011. It is an excellent demonstration of the contributions of scientific analysis to works of art. The photograph to the left shows Malevich retouching a painting in 1932. ,Q SUHSDUDWLRQ IRU D SUHVHQWDWLRQ RI ZRUNV E\ LQ WKH ZRUOG8 8QGHU WKH OHDGHUVKLS RI 6YHWODQD 5LPVND\D .D]LPLU0DOHYLFKLQIRXUSLFWXUHVIURPWKH .RUVDNRYD D WHFKQRORJLFDO H[DPLQDWLRQ ZDV PDGH EDVHG RQ 49 collection were examined from an art-technological point of FRPSRVLWLRQDO FRPSDULVRQ9 ,Q WKH H[DPLQDWLRQ RI 0DOHYLFK¶V YLHZLQ17KH¿UVWUHVXOWVRIWKHSDLQWLQJVSuprematist ODWHU ZRUNV ZKHUH ZH REVHUYH WKH VW\OLVWLF GHYHORSPHQW RI Composition 1R DQGSupremus No. 38 1R HDUOLHUFUHDWLYHSKDVHVWKHUHDUHQXPHURXVSDLQWLQJVZKLFKZHUH 10 ZHUH SUHVHQWHG LQ D ³FDELQHW H[KLELWLRQ´2 The painting SUHGDWHG E\ WKH DUWLVW The aim of this investigation was to Landscape (Winter) ZDVGDWHGE\WKHDUWLVWWRWKH\HDU FODULI\WKHFKURQRORJ\RIWKHZRUNVZKLFKIRUDORQJWLPHKDG 1R 3ZKLOHGXHWRLWVLPSUHVVLRQLVWLFVW\OHLandscape FD EHHQDSUREOHPLQDUWKLVWRULFDOUHVHDUFK2QWKHEDVLVRI¿UPO\ GDWHG SDLQWLQJV DQG LQ WXUQ RQ WKH EDVLV RI GHWDLOHG DQDO\VHV 1R LVFKDUDFWHULVWLFRIWKHDUWLVW¶VHDUOLHUFUHDWLYH RI WKH VWUXFWXUH RI WKH SDLQWLQJ VHUYLQJ DV D UHIHUHQFH LW ZDV SKDVH2QWKHEDVLVRIDUWKLVWRULFDOUHVHDUFKERWKSLFWXUHVDUH SRVVLEOH WR ¿OWHU RXW SLFWXUHV KDYLQJ VLPLODU VWUXFWXUHV DQG WR DVVLJQHGWRDODWHUSHULRG GDWHWKHPDQHZ11 $QGUHL 1DNRY GHGLFDWHG D ZKROH FKDSWHU WR 0DOHYLFK¶V SDLQWHUO\ WHFKQLTXH LQ KLV PRQRJUDSK Kazimir Malewicz, Le An Overview of Contributions Regarding peintre absoluZKLFKZDVSXEOLVKHGLQ127KHEDVLVIRUWKLV Kazimir Malevich’s Painting Technique ZHUH WKH SUHYLRXVO\ SXEOLVKHG DQDO\VHV ZKLFK FRPSOHWHG WKH HYDOXDWLRQRIKHUHWRIRUHXQGRFXPHQWHGREMHFWV131DNRYSODFHG $ ¿UVW DQDO\VLV RI WHQ SDLQWLQJV GDWLQJ IURP WKHHPSKDVLVRIKLVDQDO\VHVRQ0DOHYLFK¶VGHYHORSPHQWRIKLV IURPWKHFROOHFWLRQRIWKH7UHWLDNRY*DOOHU\ZDVPDGHE\0LOGD 6XSUHPDWLVWZRUNV 4 9LNWXULQD DQG$OOD /XNDQRYD LQ 7KHVH ZRUNV ZHUH $VLQJOHVWXG\DOVRZULWWHQE\$QGUHL1DNRYRIWKHSDLQWLQJ FRQVLGHUHGZLWKUHJDUGWRSDLQWDQGWROD\HUVRIYDUQLVKRUJOD]H Black and White GDWHG 0RGHUQD 0XVHHW 6WRFNKROP 5 ZLGWKRIWKHEUXVKDQGRYHUDOOVWUXFWXUH FRQWDLQV EHVLGHV WKH UHVWRUDWLRQ UHSRUW DOVR WKH UHVXOWV RI WKH ,Q $QQ +RQLJVZDOG SXEOLVKHG D VWXG\ ZKLFK DUWWHFKQRORJLFDOHYDOXDWLRQ14 HQFRPSDVVHG SDLQWLQJV IURP 6 The text V\VWHPDWLFDOO\ IROORZV WKH FRPSRVLWLRQ RI WKH SDLQWLQJV The UHVXOWVDUHEDVHGRQSXUHO\YLVXDOREVHUYDWLRQRQO\LHRQXOWUD Provenance YLROHWDQGLQIUDUHGH[DPLQDWLRQV7 ,QWKH\HDUWKH6WDWH5XVVLDQ0XVHXPLQ6W3HWHUVEXUJ :KHQDVVHVVLQJWKHFRQGLWLRQRIDSDLQWLQJLWVSURYHQDQFHPXVW H[KLELWHGLWVFROOHFWLRQRIZRUNVE\.D]LPLU0DOHYLFKZKLFK DOZD\VEHFRQVLGHUHG7KHSUHYLRXVRZQHUVDPRQJRWKHUVPD\ FRPSULVLQJSDLQWLQJVLVWKHPRVWFRPSUHKHQVLYHFROOHFWLRQ SOD\DQLPSRUWDQWUROHDVWKHLQLWLDWRUVRIUHVWRUDWLRQUHSRUWV7KH InCoRM Journal Vol. 3 Spring-Autumn UÊ2012 No. 1 Suprematist Composition, 1915 Oil on canvas, 66.5 x 57 cm. 50 No. 2 Supremus No. 38, 1916 Oil on canvas, 102.4 x 66.9 cm. No. 3 Landscape,(Winter), 1909/ after 1927 No. 4 Landscape, c. 1932/33 Oil on canvas, 48.5 x 54 cm. Oil on canvas, 31 x 52 cm. painting Suprematist Composition XVHGWREHORQJWRWKH1LNRODL *DOOHU\*PXU]\QVND &RORJQH DQGKDVEHHQSDUWRIWKH/XGZLJ .KDUG]KLHY FROOHFWLRQ15,QEHJDQDVHULHVRI &ROOHFWLRQVLQFH $QXQGRFXPHQWHGUHVWRUDWLRQWRRNSODFH SKRWRJUDSKV ZKLFK GRFXPHQWHG WKH FRQGLWLRQ RI WKH ZRUNV LQ EHWZHHQDQG177KHSDLQWLQJSupremus No. 38, once WKH.KDUG]KLHYFROOHFWLRQWKDWZHUHLQKLV0RVFRZDSDUWPHQW16 EHORQJHGWRWKH0XVHXPRI$UWLVWLF&XOWXUHLQ0RVFRZ18 and after 7KHSDLQWLQJVKDGEHHQUHPRYHGIURPWKHLUVWUHWFKHUVIRUODFNRI LWVIRUPDOGLVVROXWLRQLQZDVWUDQVIHUUHGWRWKH7UHWLDNRY VSDFHDQGSODFHGRQHRQWRSRIWKHRWKHU *DOOHU\19,QWKH5XVVLDQ6WDWHJDYHLWDVDQRI¿FLDOJLIWWR ,QWKHSuprematist Composition ZDVDFTXLUHGE\WKH WKH$PHULFDQLQGXVWULDOLVWDQGDUWFROOHFWRU$UPDQG+DPPHU20 InCoRM Journal Vol. 3 Spring-Autumn UÊ2012 $WWKHUHTXHVWRIWKHFROOHFWRULQWKHSDLQWLQJZDVVXEMHFWHG to a thorough restoration21DQGVROGLQYLDWKHDUWPDUNHW22 7KH WZR SDLQWLQJV Landscape (Winter) and Landscape EHORQJHGWR0DOHYLFK¶VVWXGHQW$QQD/HSRUVND\D 23 7KHVHZRUNVZHUHDFTXLUHGLQE\WKH/XGZLJ&ROOHFWLRQ IURPWKH*DOOHU\*PXU]\QVNDLQ&RORJQH Summary of Results of the Art- Technological Examination Formats23 If one compares the entries in Kazimir Malevicz Catalogue Raisonné $QGUp 1DNRY WKHUH LV DQ HQRUPRXV YDULHW\ LQ WKH IRUPDWV ZLWK PHGLXP VL]HV SUHGRPLQDWLQJ 7KH WZR SDLQWLQJV IURP WKH 6XSUHPDWLVW SKDVH Suprematist Composition [ FP DQGSupremus No. 38 [FP ZHUHGRQHLQ DYHUWLFDOIRUPDW)RUWKHWZRODQGVFDSHVLandscape (Winter) [FP DQGLandscape [FP 0DOHYLFKVHOHFWHG WKHWUDGLWLRQDOKRUL]RQWDOIRUPDW 51 Supports $OWKRXJK0DOHYLFKXVHGERWKFDUGERDUGDQGZRRGSDQHOVPRVW No. 5 Photograph of the back of Supremus No. 38 with the RIKLVSLFWXUHVDUHRQOLQHQVXSSRUWV)URPWKHZRUNVZKLFKZHUH inscription by the artist before the restoration in 1975. The H[DPLQHGKHXVHGVLPSOHDQGURXJKFDQYDVHVZKLFKYDULHGLQ inscription reads: “1914 (sic) Moscow K Malevich Dynamic GHQVLW\ DQG ZHDYH VWUXFWXUH ,Q WKH Suprematist Composition Suprematism” WKHUH LV D WKUHDG GHQVLW\ RI SHU VTXDUH FHQWLPHWHU 7KH FDQYDVGHVSLWHLWVGHQVLW\LVZRYHQORRVHO\:LWKSupremus No. 38, a rougher weave was used with 12 threads per warp and 13 Composition 1R The edges of the canvas pulled round the WKUHDGVRIZHIW7KHVWUHQJWKVRIWKHWKUHDGVDUHLUUHJXODUDQG VWUHWFKHUFDQEHVHHQLQWKHKDQJLQJRIWKHSLFWXUHRQWKHZDOO VKRZNQRWWLQJRIWKH\DUQ 2QWKHSKRWRJUDSKIURPZKLFKVKRZVWKHSLFWXUHUHPRYHG !# 7KHWZRSLFWXUHVIURPKLVODWHU FUHDWLYH SKDVHDOVRVKRZHG IURPWKHVWUHWFKHUWKHRULJLQDOQDLOKROHVDUHFOHDUO\YLVLEOH GLIIHULQJ ZHDYH GHQVLWLHV D ¿QHU ZHDYH RI WKUHDGV SHU The edges of the canvas of Supremus No. 38ZHUHWDFNHG VTXDUHFPLQLandscape (Winter) and a rougher weave of 10 to the stretcher in wide distances thus resulting in a drooping of threads per warp and 12 threads per weft in the Landscape. WKHFDQYDV7KHWUDFHVOHIWE\WKHIROGVDQGWKHSUHYLRXVIDVWHQLQJ SRLQWV WR WKH VWUHWFKHU DUH FOHDUO\ YLVLEOH LQ WKH ;UD\V 7KH &KDUDFWHULVWLFIRUERWKFDQYDVHVLVDQLUUHJXODUVWUHQJWKRIWKH FDQYDVZDVIROGHGRYHURQWKHULJKWVLGHRIWKHVWUHWFKHU+HUH WKUHDGVZLWKEXOJHVDQGNQRWVLQWKHURXJKFDQYDV\DUQ WKHHGJHRIWKHFDQYDVZDVUHWDLQHG Stretcher and Tension In Landscape (Winter) the canvas was cut from a larger SLHFH RI FDQYDV 7KH GLVWDQFH EHWZHHQ WKH RULJLQDO QDLO KROHV 7KHRULJLQDOVWUHWFKHUVDUHQRORQJHUH[WDQW)RUSupremus No. GLIIHUHGLQDOOFRUQHUVUDQJLQJIURPWRFP(YHQZLWKWKH 38 WKH HDUOLHU SRVVLEO\ RULJLQDO VWUHWFKHU LV GRFXPHQWHG E\ D impressionistic Landscape WKH FDQYDV ZDV FXW IURP D ODUJHU SKRWRJUDSK IURP WKH \HDU LW ZDV SUREDEO\ PDGH RXW RI VKHHW$WWKHORZHUHGJHRIWKHSDLQWLQJOLQHVRIFUHDVLQJFDQEH pine re-enforced with dowels. The stretching of the canvases VHHQWRGD\ZKLFKJRXSWRDVPXFKDVFPLQWRWKHSLFWXUH RIERWK6XSUHPDWLVWZRUNVFRXOGEHUHFRQVWUXFWHGRQWKHEDVLVRI VXUIDFH7KHHGJHRIWKHFDQYDVLVSDUWLDOO\YLVLEOH2QWKHOHIW SKRWRJUDSKVIURPWKHSHULRGDQG;UD\V VLGHRIWKHSLFWXUHVXUIDFHDWDKHLJKWRIDSSUR[LPDWHO\FP 7KH KLVWRULF SKRWRJUDSK RI WKH H[KLELWLRQ RI WKH Last WKHUHLVDFLUFXODU¿QJHUSULQWE\0DOHYLFK7KLVFRXOGPHDQWKDW Futurist Exhibition of Paintings 0.10ZKLFKWRRNSODFHLQ the canvas was not nailed to the stretcher during the painting VKRZHGPRVWRIWKHZRUNVXQIUDPHG!" including the Suprematist SURFHVVEXWWKDWLWZDVDWWDFKHGVROHO\ZLWKWKXPEWDFNV!$ InCoRM Journal Vol. 3 Spring-Autumn UÊ2012 Priming and Ground 7KH SLFWXUHV ZKLFK ZHUH H[DPLQHG DOO VKRZHG D EULJKW JURXQG%HVLGHVDFKDONOD\HU29 there was a mixture of oil DQGFKDONJURXQG307KHUHZDVHYLGHQFHDVZHOORI]LQFZKLWH DQGEDULXPVXOIDWH317KHFRORXURIWKHJURXQGZDVDOZD\V GHWHUPLQHGE\WKHPL[WXUHRIDGGLWLRQDOSLJPHQWVZKLFKDOVR LQIOXHQFHGWKHOXPLQRVLW\RIWKHJURXQG:LWKWKHSDLQWLQJV Suprematist Composition, Landscape (Winter), and the impressionistic Landscape, primed canvas was used and WKHQFXWGRZQWRWKHGHVLUHGVL]H:LWKWKHLPSUHVVLRQLVWLF No 6 Landscape (Winter) (No 4), detail. Landscape WKHUH DUH PDUNLQJV LQGLFDWLQJ WKH VL]H RI WKH The underdrawing in pencil is visible on the ground. FDQYDV7KHVHERUGHUOLQHVRQWKHOHIWDQGDWWKHWRSRIWKH SLFWXUHVXUIDFHKDYHVXUYLYHGSDUWLDOO\ 7KHJURXQGOD\HUVRIWKHSuprematist Composition and Landscape (Winter) KDYH D YHU\ VPRRWK VXUIDFH DQG WKH SULPLQJGLGQRWILOWHUWKURXJKWKHEDFNRIWKHFDQYDV2QH FDQ WKHUHIRUH DVVXPH WKDW D OD\HU RI JOXH ZDV SUHYLRXVO\ DSSOLHG WR WKH VXUIDFH RI WKH FDQYDV 7KLV LV SDUWLFXODUO\ WUXHRIWKHILQHEXWORRVHO\ZRYHQFDQYDVRIWKH6XSUHPDWLVW 52 ZRUN:LWKSupremus No. 38 the artist himself primed the FDQYDVDIWHULWZDVVWUHWFKHG7KHFUHDVHVWKDWZHUHFUHDWHG GXULQJWKHVWUHWFKLQJZHUHWKHUHIRUHUHPRYHG7KHHGJHVRI WKHFDQYDV ZKLFKZUDSSHGDURXQGWKHVWUHWFKHU ZHUHQRW SULPHG :LWKWKHLPSUHVVLRQLVWLFSDLQWLQJLandscape, the structure DQGZHDYHSDWWHUQPDUNHGWKHVXUIDFHRIWKHSLFWXUHEHFDXVH WKHSULPLQJOD\HUFRYHUVRQO\WKHVXUIDFHRIWKHFDQYDVDQG No. 7 Suprematist Composition (No. 1), detail. WKHJDSVEHWZHHQWKHWKUHDGV The underdrawing around the yellow circle remains visible. Underdrawings and Preparatory Sketches 7KUHHRIWKHDQDO\]HGSDLQWLQJVVKRZHGDQXQGHUGUDZLQJ 7KH\DUHDOOLQJUDSKLWHSHQFLORQWKHJURXQGRIWKHFDQYDV :KHUH WKHVH ZHUH QRW FRYHUHG XS GXULQJ WKH SDLQWLQJ SURFHVVWKH\DUHSDUWLDOO\YLVLEOHWRWKHQDNHGH\HRUFDQ EH VHHQ WKURXJK D PLFURVFRSH RU E\ ZD\ RI DQ LQIUDUHG H[DPLQDWLRQ )RUDOOWKHSDLQWLQJVWKHUHH[LVWVHSDUDWHGUDZLQJV32 The smaller studies for Suprematist Composition and Supremus No. 38ZHUHGRQHLQSHQFLORQVTXDUHGSDSHUWKHXVHRI