The Pale Horse 1914

lithograph, print

ink drawing

lithograph

print

pen illustration

pen sketch

junji ito style

cartoon sketch

ink line art

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

tattoo art

doodle art

"The Pale Horse" (1914) by Natalia Goncharova, a leading figure in the Russian avant-garde, is a powerful woodcut print. It depicts Death as a hooded figure riding a pale horse, a symbol of the end times, over a field of skeletons. The stark black and white composition and simplified forms emphasize the grim subject matter, reflecting the anxieties and uncertainties of the period leading up to World War I. The print is a striking example of Goncharova's signature style, which combined traditional Russian iconography with modern artistic techniques.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Russian artists responded to the outbreak of war in Central Europe in 1914 in paintings and works on paper. In her portfolio "Mystical Images of War," Natalia Goncharova depicts all aspects of armed conflict past and present, ranging from the archangel Michael riding triumphantly through flames on horseback to celestial beings observing fighter planes in combat. She realizes her apocalyptic vision of war in this powerful portfolio of masterful lithographs formally inspired by the solemn gravity of traditional Russian icons and the dynamism of contemporary Futurist painting. She successfully draws upon these diverse stylistic influences to express the horror of armed conflict.