The Art of Romans Suta

Romans Suta spent only a bit more than four years (1913–1917) at art schools. He mostly taught himself by reading books, frequently traveling abroad and forming contacts with contemporary modern artists (Amédée Ozenfant, Le Corbusier, Louis Marcoussis, Juan Gris and others). In 1915, when the World War I had begun, Suta moved to the Russian town of Penza, where he intended to continue his artistic studies at Penza Art School (before that he studied at private art Studio of Jūlijs Madernieks and Rīga City Art School). He also spent a bit of time in Petrograd, where he studied French and Russian modern art. In early 1920s he was strongly influenced by Frenc Cubism.He and other young Latvian artists were founders of Riga Artists group (1920 – 1938) – its mission was to spread ideas of modernism in Latvian art scene.In the late 1910s, Romans Suta created artworks with simple forms and heightened expression. He often depicted Latvians, forged by war and their lives as refugees. By the first half of the 1920s, artist increasingly turned to the styles of Constructivism and  Cubism, as seen in the subject matter which he chose – various still life paintings, figures from the Italian Commedia dell’arte, etc.

 Romans Suta became interested in the lives of ordinary people, watching,  painting and drawing them at outdoor dances and weddings, in little salons, out in the streets of city, as well as at work. Especially it can be seen in Suta’s ink drawings.In 1928 he contributed works for exhibitions organised by the Rīga Association of Graphic Artists.In 1929 Suta became head of the Rīga People’s University’s drawing Studio and he was very enthusiastic about training new artists, specially new graphic artists. After the univeristy was closed down in 1934, Suta continued to teach at his own private studio.

Romans Suta was as an active scenographer and costume designer in the 1920s and 1930, working with a number of theatrical and ballet performances in Rīga, Jelgava, Liepāja and Rēzekne. Similary how in his painting, Suta in scenography also tend to choose his favorite characters from Commedia dell’arte (for example, in set and costume designs for Igor Stravinsky’s ballet „Pulcinella”). Artist liked to interpret themes for operas or plays quite freely, in this way showing his own artistic manner and originality.

In tableware Suta mostly produced designs which displayed motifs from Latvian etnography and everyday life – outdoor parties, weddings etc.

In 1923, upon returning from a trip to Berlin, Dresded and Paris, Suta started to think about a modern Latvian style of interior design – National Constructivism. He together with his wife Aleksandra Beļcova and graphic artist Sigismunds Vidbergs established porcelain painting workshop „Baltars” (from Latin – ars Baltica mean Baltic art). Porcelain ware at the World Exhibition in Paris 1925 received two gold and one bronze medal, and several of the artworks were purchased by the National Museum of Ceramics in Sèvres.

In the 1930s he was the chief artist at the Kuzņecovs porcelain and faience workshop. Suta deisgned both dishware and its decorations.

For the Iļģuciems glass factory, he designed sketches for glass engravings. During the World Expo in Brussels 1935, Suta won a silver medal for a ceramic tea service he designed for the Kuzņecovs workshop. In 1937, at the World Expo in Paris, he took the grand prize for dishes he designed for the Iļģuciems factory.