Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova

Estate of the Artist
Sale: Sotheby's, London, October 13, 1993, lot 66, illustrated
Acquired directly from the above sale by the present owner

This painting does not seem to have been removed from its original stretcher and the inscription on the reverse of the canvas is clearly visible. The very heavy paint layer is well preserved and stable. The canvas is well stretched and there is certainly no cause for any concern regarding the structure of the piece. The paint layer has been varnished quite brightly and the picture itself seems to have been cleaned fairly recently. There are a few spots of retouching in the dark brown background in the upper right and center right as well as in the center of the central sunflower, which presumably address some paint loss. The bulk of this piece is in beautiful state, however. These retouches are isolated and probably sloppily applied and for the most part could probably be reduced to almost nothing. The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Natalia Goncharova is known for her complex and highly stylistic  painterly technique, which melds Western modernist style with Russian and Eastern tradition. She avidly explored Neo-Primitivism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism and Rayism, adapting and integrating motifs from each style while creating complexly structured canvases replete with geometric patterns, dynamic colors and thick impasto. Her unique style was progressively more dramatic, marked by a loud yet harmonious palette, bold outlines and a flattened sense of space. Goncharova also developed her own motifs and characteristic choice of subjects, which included peasants (whom she painted at home on her family estate in the rural village of Negaevo) as well as still life compositions.

The Post-Impressionist movement of the early 1900s had a profound effect on Goncharova and her oeuvre. She was drawn to the works of Post-Impressionist leaders including Gaugin, Cézanne and particularly Van Gogh, whose influence is evident in many of her early still-life compositions. At the time, Van Gogh's Night Café in Arles (along with many other Post-Impressionist paintings) belonged to Russian collector Ivan Morozov, and Goncharova surely viewed this collection firsthand in Moscow.

Goncharova meticulously laid out each composition in the setting of her studio, and with methodical brushstrokes and bright, impulsive colors, she brought her subjects to life on two-dimensional canvas. The extent of Van Gogh's influence is evident in the present lot, not only in choice of subject but also in the intensity with which the painting is rendered. Although beautifully decorative, the composition also exudes brash character at odds with geometric restraint. Like the Dutch master, Goncharova achieves a sense of sheer power in the simplicity of a flower. Vivid yellows and greens convey a sense of drama, while rich browns and fallen petals suggest inevitable demise. Tournesols is an exquisite example of the artist's still-life work at its finest.