Homage to Goncharova 

Miriam Schapiro created this vibrant ‘femmage,’ a portmanteau of ‘female’ and ‘collage,’ as an Homage to Goncharova. Here we see the layered patterns and textures so central to Schapiro's work. The piece creates meaning through its visual codes and cultural references. The Russian folk-art style consciously references Natalia Goncharova, a leading female avant-garde artist in pre-revolutionary Russia. Schapiro made this artwork in the context of the feminist art movement in the United States. By collaging together fabric and paint, Schapiro challenged the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft. The ‘craft’ element, historically associated with women's work, became a powerful tool to critique the patriarchal structures of the art world. She questions whether these gendered associations are culturally constructed. As historians, we can dig deeper into Schapiro's influences by researching the feminist art movement, the history of collage, and the life and work of Natalia Goncharova. Art history is not just about aesthetics; it’s about understanding the social and institutional contexts that shape artistic production and reception.