Malevich's letters were put up for auction for 5 million rubles

Auction house "Litfond" put up for auction two letters of the artist-avant-gardist Kazimir Malevich. The author of the "Black square" addressed them in the spring of 1930 to his old friend, a major party figure Kirill Shutko.

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These messages vividly reflect the dramatic circumstances of the artist's life. Malevicha attacked from all sides, accused of unnecessary and individualism of the work of his laboratory in the State Institute of History of Art, prevent the opening of exhibitions of his comrades Filonova and Tatlin.

Loudly complaining to the official, Malevich does not ask anything specific, but between the lines reads a desperate plea for protection. Shutko's patronage to the painter will really need very soon: in September 1930 Malevich is arrested and about three months kept in "Kresty", regularly interrogated. It is believed that it was Shutko who was able to save him from the walls.

The artist died in 1935, but his patron lived only a little longer: in 1938 he was repressed. During the arrest, the letters were seized and later given to Shutko's wife. She also gave them to the current owner, a local historian from Yeisk, who wrote a book about Shutko (he was born just in Yeisk and even worked there for a while on theater productions together with Malevich).

Acquire a piece of art history can not be less than 5 million rubles - this is the starting price of the lot.

Read more in the exclusive material "Izvestia":

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