St George (II)
1911
- Period Early 20th century
- CategoryAbstraction, Biblical Subject
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St George is from the very beginning of the artist’s abstract period. The Russian icons or lubki may have served as the impetus for the creation of this version of St George. In his chosen motif, the artist was not concerned with naturalistic collisions of battle, but its emotional atmosphere, the stress of combat, and the pathos and joy of victory. He achieved this with the composition itself and the development of its musical “drama”.In the chaos of filling the canvas with expressivespots of colour, the outlines of the rocks, the figuresof the princess and the horseman, who is strikinga dragon, are still discernable. It gives rise to associations,and these recognisable details enrichthe image, making the layers of multiple meaningseven stronger. But like musical sounds, the forms,combinations and contrasts of the spots of colour inthis work are liberated from the shackles of havinga concrete subject, and are still able to convey theconditions of its creator’s soul and spirit.