Anna Artobatskaya

Artist. Born in the family of a peasant called Ivan in the village of Alexandrovka in Penza Province (1899). Orphaned at an early age and adopted by her father’s relatives from Grozny in the Caucasus. Began work at the age of ten (1909). Studied retouching and worked in Baku (1915). Studied at the Penza School of Art (1917–20). Moved to Moscow and enrolled at the workers’ faculty of the VKhUTEMAS (1920). Transferred to the daytime department (1925). Graduated from the VKhUTEMAS (1930). Trained at the Central Union Publishing House. Member of the Moscow branch of the Union of Artists. Worked for various organisations as a freelance artist (1930–35). Studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan (1935–37). Returned to Moscow (1937), where she was arrested as the “member of the family of a traitor” following the arrest of her husband (1938). Sentenced to eight years imprisonment by a special board. Served her sentence at the Akmolinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors (probably) and Dolinka of Karlag. Headed a studio of art at the Dolinka club (first half of 1940s). Released without the right to leave the district (1946). Lived and worked in Dolinka for a short period following her release. Died in Moscow (1974).