Woman Reaper (front cover) from Slovo Kak Takavoe (The Word as Such)

Woman Reaper (front cover) from Slovo Kak Takavoe (The Word as Such) is a historically significant lithograph created by Kazimir Malevich in 1913. This graphic work was conceived as the front cover for the radical Russian Futurist publication, Slovo Kak Takovoe (The Word as Such), an illustrated book that combined experimental poetry with revolutionary visual art. As a lithograph, the technique allowed for the quick dissemination of the emerging aesthetic of the avant-garde, bridging the gap between fine art and accessible prints.

The design embodies the crucial transition happening in Malevich's oeuvre during this period. While incorporating the Primitivist themes of peasant life common in his earlier figurative work, the rendering of the reaper figure is filtered through the geometric fragmentation of Cubo-Futurism. The resulting image features hard, angular planes and simplified forms, transforming the traditional agrarian subject into a dynamic, near-abstract emblem of modernity. Malevich's deliberate flattening and manipulation of space were essential steps that led directly to his establishment of Suprematism two years later.

This piece stands as a powerful example of the dynamism and intellectual fervor present in the Russian artistic culture of 1913. The intensity of the black ink composition reveals the urgency with which Malevich and his contemporaries were pushing against established academic traditions, using the format of the illustrated book as a crucial vehicle for change.

The work is classified today as an Illustrated Book due to its origin, and it contains one of two lithographs Malevich contributed to the publication. This foundational piece of modernist design is preserved within the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Although the original physical editions of Slovo Kak Takovoe are rare, the enduring importance of this artwork ensures that images and prints are often studied globally, ensuring its accessibility for research and reference in the public domain.