The artist is Popova
The Portrait of the Philosopher is a recognized masterpiece of the cuboturistic period of the work of Popova. Several picturesque and graphic versions of this portrait are known, on which, according to the artist herself, her brother Paul is depicted. At the same time, the image of a brother for the artist serves only as an initial idea and impulse for further picturesque work. The name itself is emphasized by this one already detached from the real character and generalized meaning. In addition, the portrait is tangible to the quality, which is almost an integral property of the Russian avant -garde. This is the irony, which is permeated by the composition of Popova. In combination with the name here, the entire selection of attributes turns out to be ironic: a cylinder and a white shout, dandy antennae and a skeptical grin recognized in this flickering, “rattling” image, a glass and an edition of a philosophical “Revue”. (E. B.).
The prototype of the portrait was Popov Pavel Sergeevich (1892–1964) – brother L. WITH. Popova, graduated from the Law Faculty of Moscow University, was fond of philosophy, psychology, ancient literature, in the 1920s taught state higher theater workshops led in in. E. Meyerhold. It was he who retained the creative heritage of Popova.
Russian portrait. XX century: St. Petersburg, 2001. WITH. 137.
The artist’s brother Pavel Sergeyevich Popov (1892–1964) is depicted, who graduated from the law faculty of Moscow University, who was fond of philosophy, psychology, ancient literature, in the 1920s taught in state higher theater workshops, led by in the 1920s. Meyerhold. It was he who retained the creative heritage of Popova.
The model surrounding objects and background is homogeneous, the artist deprives the space of depth, and the background ceases to be a background. Unwritten words contain a hint, forcing to look for a cipher, image code and a picturesque-plastic meaning. The shape of the body, head, objects are built the same. The artist does not distinguish between a person, a thing and air, preparing a transition to an endless painting for herself.