Analytical Chart

The Analytical Chart is a critical drawing created by Kazimir Malevich in 1924. This complex, mixed-media work, rooted in the experimental period of Russian avant-garde art between 1924 and 1927, is a meticulous assembly of diverse materials. Malevich constructed the piece using cut-and-pasted printed and painted paper, integrated with gelatin silver prints, and further elaborated with ink and crayon on a paper support, all finalized with ink and pencil annotations. This method, blending collage, photographic elements, and traditional drawing, reflects Malevich’s ongoing investigation into the principles governing artistic creation and the systematic organization of Suprematist theory.

Unlike Malevich's famous pure geometric canvases, this work functions primarily as a theoretical diagram, illustrating the relationships between various artistic movements or charting the internal structures of his own evolving ideology. Malevich, having previously declared the "zero point of painting," dedicated much of the mid-1920s to documenting and charting the historical progression that culminated in non-objective art. The chart serves less as a conventional drawing and more as an analytical tool, mapping trajectories and conceptual developments that defined the Russian artistic landscape following the upheaval of the Revolution.

The integration of existing prints and photographic matter underscores Malevich’s desire to move beyond traditional canvas limitations and engage with reproducibility and mass dissemination of ideas. This approach was highly characteristic of pedagogical efforts during the post-Revolutionary period. The original drawing resides in the Museum of Modern Art collection. Due to the artwork’s age and historical significance, reproductions and high-quality prints of this important theoretical document are frequently accessible for academic study, often entering the public domain.