Liubov Popova (Russian, 1887-1938)

Biography

Liubov Popova began her art education by taking lessons from her family’s domestic tutor. In 1908— 1909, she took classes at the Moscow school of Konstantin Yuon and Ivan Dudin. In 1910—1911, Popova travelled to Italy and visited some Russian towns. Giotto and early-Russian icons made a big impression on the young Popova. She travelled to Paris next and in 1912—1913 took classes at Académie de la Palette under Henri Le Fauconnier and Jean Metzinger. Back in Moscow in 1913, Popova collaborated with Vladimir Tatlin and Nadezhda Udaltsova. In 1914, Popova travelled to France and Italy again, this time bringing back to Russia elements of Cubism and Futurism.

Popova’s apartment in Moscow became a key meeting place for young artists. She participated in many important exhibitions, including ten works at 0.10: The Last Futurist Exhibition of Paintings in 1915. In subsequent years Popova developed the style of abstraction she is most known for, her ‘architectonics’. Following the Revolution of 1917, Popova became a professor at Svomas (Free State Art Studios) and later VKhUTEMAS (Higher Artists and Technical Studios).

A few years later, Popova abandoned painting almost completely and focused instead on industrial and book design, posters, porcelain, fabric, and fashion. This was a common trajectory for artists that came to abstraction alongside the political change in Russia, they wanted their art to be useful, to serve the purpose of the revolution and the people. Liubov Popova died from scarlet fever at the age of 35.  

Available works

Please see below the selection of available original artworks by Liubov Popova.