"A Game in Hell", by Velimir Khlebnikov and Aleksi Kruchenykh – Lithographic Print, St. Petersburg, 1914 – Cover ...

"A Game in Hell", by Velimir Khlebnikov and Aleksi Kruchenykh – Lithographic Print, St. Petersburg, 1914 – Cover and Illustrations by Kazimir Malevich and Olga Rozanova

Игра в аду [A Game in Hell], Futurist text by Velimir Khlebnikov and Aleksi Kruchenykh. [St. Petersburg]: Свѣт, [1914]. Russian. Second edition. Copy of a limited edition of 800 copies.

The book was entirely handwritten by Aleksi Kruchenykh and published in lithographic print. Included are 26 lithographic illustrations in the style of the Russian avant-garde, of which three are by Kazimir Malevich and 23 by Olga Rozanova. Both sides of the cover feature lithographic illustrations by Malevich.

The book was first published in 1912, accompanied by illustrations by Natalia Goncharova. The first edition differs significantly in content and form from the present second edition.

[40] leaves (printed on one side). Approx. 18 cm. Fair condition. Stains, creases, tears and wear to margins of leaves and cover. Inscriptions and stamps. Some unopened pages. Detached leaves and cover; torn and missing spine.

MoMA 79.

Kazimir Malevich (Казими́р Севери́нович Мале́вич; 1879-1935), an artist and theoretician of the Russian avant-garde. One of the pioneers of abstract art in the early 20th century. Malevich was born in Ukraine to a family of Polish origin, the eldest of fourteen siblings. In 1904, he travelled to Moscow to study art and took part in several of the projects that are most identified with the Russian avant-garde (including the design of the stage-set for the Futurist opera "Victory Over the Sun").

In 1915, he exhibited in the "Last Futurist Exhibition of Paintings 0.10" one of his iconic works – "The Black Square", which is considered one of the seminal works of modern art (Malevich painted four additional versions of the work in his lifetime). The work paved the way for the new style developed by Malevich, Suprematism, and introduced its major characteristics: using simple geometrical forms and a limited selection of colors. In years to come, Malevich's influence increased and in 1920, backed up by an enthusiastic circle of supporters, he took the place of Marc Chagall at the art school of Vitebsk. Due to political changes, in his final years Malevich was forced to alter his revolutionary style and adopt the model of socialist realism. He died in 1935, in poverty and far from the public's eye.

Olga Rozanova (Ольга Владимировна Розанова; 1886-1918), painter, designer, and graphic artist, one of the leading figures of the Russian avant-garde in the early 20th century. She studied at art schools in Moscow and St. Petersburg and was involved in the avant-garde art movement "Union of Youth" (Союз молодёжи), and collaborated with leading artists such as Kazimir Malevich and Lyubov Popova. Rozanova died of diphtheria in 1918, at the age of 32. Her works are displayed in important museums around the world, including the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Aleksei Kruchenykh (Алексе́й Елисе́евич Кручёных; 1886-1968) was a poet and theoretician; one of the most radical representatives of Russian Futurism. Kruchenykh is considered the inventor of the "Zaum" language (Russian: "beyond reason") – an experimental language using meaningless expressions (this literary style is considered a Russian equivalent of Dada, although it preceded it by three years).

In 1916 he founded the literary group "41°" in Tbilisi, and was responsible for its various publications, known for their avant-garde design and unique printing technique. After returning to Moscow, he joined the "LEF" (ЛЕФ) journal.

From the 1930s onwards, following political changes in Soviet Russia, he published less poetry and devoted most of his energy to theoretical work. Among his most famous works is the libretto for the great Futurist opera "Victory over the Sun".