Suprematism

First movement of pure geometrical abstraction in art, introduced in Russia c. 1913. Originated by Kazimir Malevich and disseminated by El Lissitzky and the Bauhaus school, it had far-reaching influence on Western art and design. Malevich aimed to convey the “supremacy of feeling in art,” which he believed could be expressed through the simplest of visual forms. He exhibited the first Suprematist compositions in 1915, the year he issued the Suprematist manifesto. The purest embodiment of Suprematist ideals can be seen in his White on White series (1917–18).

Find more information on Suprematism. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Suprematism.