Angels and Airplanes

Russian artists responded to the outbreak of war in Central Europe in 1914 in paintings and works on paper. In her portfolio Mystical Images of War, Natalia Goncharova depicts all aspects of armed conflict past and present, ranging from the archangel Michael riding triumphantly through flames on horseback to celestial beings observing fighter planes in combat. She realizes her apocalyptic vision of war in this powerful portfolio of masterful lithographs formally inspired by the solemn gravity of traditional Russian icons and the dynamism of contemporary Futurist painting. She successfully draws upon these diverse stylistic influences to express the horror of armed conflict.