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Wardrobe designed by E.D. Polenova

1895
Materials: wood (oak), carving
54 см x 123 см
Category: design
Item Number: 153952
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About the Work
About the Artist

This cabinet is a beautiful example of Russian-style furniture, designed by Elena Dmitrievna Polenova for the Abramtsevo Art Workshops. The composition is built on the artist's characteristic reinterpretation of motifs from Russian folk art: geometric carving, stylized floral patterns, and symmetrical architectural forms. Such pieces played an important role in the formation of the Russian national version of Art Nouveau and became one of the most significant achievements of the Abramtsevo Art Circle.

Polenova, a talented artist and sister of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov, served as the artistic director of the Abramtsevo carpentry workshop and played a significant role in shaping the aesthetics of Russian national style in the late 19th century.

The cabinet consists of three tiers. The lower one is a two-door cabinet, while the upper one is also a two-door cabinet, but smaller. Between them is an open niche. The cabinet is decorated with geometric carving. The doors of the lower cabinet emphasize two corner segments of rosettes with radiating rays. The doors of the upper cabinet feature stylized flowers on straight stems with symmetrically arranged leaves. The cabinet is flanked by pilaster-like panels: on the lower and central tiers, they are decorated with transverse fluting alternating with smooth inlays; on the upper tier, they feature stylized palmettes and carved half-rosettes.

Elena Polenova (1850–1898) was a Russian artist, illustrator and designer, and one of the leading members of the Abramtsevo artistic circle. She played a crucial role in the revival of Russian decorative arts in the late nineteenth century, drawing inspiration from folk ornament, traditional woodcarving and vernacular culture. Her designs for furniture, textiles and interior objects contributed significantly to the emergence of Russian Art Nouveau. Today, Polenova is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Russian design.