During her French period, while focusing primarily on her theatrical commissions, Goncharova also worked as an easel painter. “She went through a very interesting phase in the early ’20s where she was influenced by Parisian purism—by the ideas of Léger and Le Corbusier—so we have a remarkable series of geometric abstract paintings, quite large-scale works with robotic figures,” says Parton. “And we have an enormous number of paintings of Spanish themes, which reflect how her stage designs actually influenced her paintings.” In 1916, Goncharova visited Spain, where Diaghilev commissioned her to design costumes for two productions. They ultimately went unproduced, but they provided creative fodder for several of Goncharova’s later works.

The artist’s French-period oils have begun to creep into her top-10 lots: The 1918 Danseuses espagnoles sold for £2.8 million ($5.6 million) at Christie’s London in the same June 2007 sale as Picking Apples, and the 1919–24 Lady with a Parasol brought $1.7 million at a Sotheby’s New York sale of Russianart in April 2007. Camu, of Christie’s, says that Lady made “a good price for a ’20s work, indicative of the fact that [Goncharova’s] market is rising overall.” Danseuse espagnole, a gouache from 1920, is her 10th-highest lot, having earned £300,500 ($591,400) at Christie’s London in February 2008.

Still an auction backwater are Goncharova’s paintings from 1930 on, which are considered to be far less innovative. “You do see her late still lifes coming on to the market,” Sotheby’s Vickery notes, “but they are in the price range of $100,000 to $200,000—they’re really not on our radar.” The artist’s last oils were painted in the 1950s, as her health began to decline, and she lived her last seven years in poverty.

This month the latest chapter in Goncharova’s market is unfolding, as several grand Russian-period oils hit the block in London. Sotheby’s is offering two, from private French collections: Still Life (Melon and Grapes), circa 1911 (est. £2–3 million; $4–6 million), and Still Life with Peaches and Flowers, circa 1910 (est. £1–£1.5 million; $2–3 million). Bonhams is selling The Sailboat, circa 1910–20 (est. £1.5–2 million; $3–4 million)—the first major piece by Goncharova that the house has procured since it began its sales of Russian art in 2005—from the collection of the family of the late Sir John Rothenstein, the director of London’s Tate Gallery from 1939 to 1964. And not to be outdone, Christie’s has a large circa 1912 oil, Les fleurs (est. £3.5–4.5 million). The lot’s high estimate is just shy of Goncharova’s record price, and one can’t help but wonder if, given the robust Russian economy, it may even eclipse that sum.

"Artist Dossier: Natalia Goncharova" originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's June 2008 Table of Contents.