Folio 19 from Igra v adu (A Game in Hell)

Folio 19 from Igra v adu (A Game in Hell) by Kazimir Malevich is a significant example of early Russian Futurism, created between 1913 and 1914 and published in 1914. This artwork is one component of an illustrated book consisting of 28 lithographs that defined the radical aesthetic of the period. The medium, a lithograph featuring lithographed manuscript text, underscores the collaborative and experimental nature of the Futurist movement, where visual art and text were integrated directly onto the printing stone. This production date places the work at a pivotal moment in the artist’s development, just preceding his complete shift toward Suprematism.

As part of the seminal publication Igra v adu, the folio represents Malevich’s engagement with radical aesthetics that sought to dismantle traditional narrative structures. The artist, collaborating with writers like Alexei Kruchenykh (who provided the conceptual text for the publication), employed primitive, raw drawing styles and handwritten text that deliberately rejected academic polish and established artistic norms. These characteristics were essential to the Russian Futurist mission, often challenging public perception through provocative and deliberately crude zaum (transrational) language and imagery. The use of prints allowed these avant-garde ideas to be disseminated quickly, establishing the illustrated book as a crucial vehicle for revolutionary art during this time.

This specific piece is a valuable record of Malevich's transition from Cubo-Futurism towards pure abstraction, characterized by fragmented, energetic forms. The work resides in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its central importance to the history of Russian modernism. While the original Igra v adu is a rare artifact of the 1913–14, published 1914 period, its innovative visual components are widely referenced in scholarly studies of the avant-garde. Today, high-quality prints and reproductions of many early 20th-century works like this have entered the public domain, ensuring broad access to the experimental printed output of the era.