David Davidovich Burliuk, 1882-1967

Lilia Brik and Vasily Katanyan, Moscow
Galerie Papst, Munich
Acquired from the above by the present owner

The sheet is slightly worn and a little discoloured. There are creases to the corners and handling marks in places. The paint surface is a little dirty and there are some media smudges. There are two stickers to the reverse with which the work is arrached to the mount. Unframed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

David Burliuk, famous as 'the father of Russian Futurism' was insatiably radical from the moment he rebelled against the pictorial tradition. In 1912, the artist was responsible for bringing the Russian Futurist manifesto A Slap in the Face to a world which, the Futurists believed, craved change. Together with like-minded theorists, artists and poets like V. Mayakovsky and V. Kamensky, he was involved in numerous volumes of literature and poetry, magazines, exhibitions and discussions between 1912 and his departure for Bashkiria in 1915.

 

The Orange Sail, a storm of interlocking forms and colours, connected by a network of white brush strokes, relates closely to the style of work Burliuk produced to accompany his poetry. It also follows The Bridge (Landscape from Four Points of View) (1911) in its dynamism and passion for speed and movement of forms, both tangible and intangible. Burliuk published Trebnik troikh in March 1913, and incorporated pictures by himself and V. Tatlin. Each of the four parts is dedicated to a different poet, and comprises a portrait, a selection of poems and illustrations. The fourth part contains Burliuk's poetry, as well as several verses by his brother Vladimir.