Pavel Sokolov-Skalya

Painter, graphic artist, theatrical, cinema and poster designer, illustrator, caricaturist, writer, teacher. Born in the family of Pyotr Sokolov in the resort of Strelna on the Gulf of Finland (1899). Studied under Vasily Konovalov in Saratov (1909–14), in Ilya Mashkov’s studio in Moscow (1914–18) and under Ilya Mashkov at the VKhUTEMAS (1920–22). Lived in St Petersburg (until 1903), Saratov (1903–14), Khvalynsk (1918), Troitsk (1919–20) and Moscow (from 1920). Founding member of Existence (1921–25), member of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (1926–29). Opened studios for workers in Moscow (1920s–30s). Visited France, Germany (1928–29), Albania (1951) and Poland (1957). Sent on field trips to Central Asia (1931–32), Far East (1934–35), White Russia (1939), Donets Basin (1946), Kuibyshev Hydroelectric Station and the Volga-Don Canal (1952). Painted decorative panels for Soviet and international exhibitions (1939–60). Designed posters for TASS (1941–44) and sets and costumes for theatres in Moscow (1945–51). Helped to restore Franz Roubaud’s Defence of Sebastopole (1954–56). Artistic director of the Mitrofan Grekov Studio of War Artists. Taught at the Moscow Institute of Applied and Decorative Art (1948–51), Vladimir Potemkin Pedagogical Institute (1952–53) and the Vasily Surikov Institute of Art in Moscow (1953–61). Professor. Wrote the book An Artist’s Duty (1963). People’s Artist of the RSFSR, full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, winner of the State Prize. Died in Moscow and buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery (1961).