Samokhvalov Alexander Nikolaevich

Alexander Nikolayevich Samokhvalov was a Russian painter and graphic artist who masterfully combined features of Art Nouveau and symbolism with the ideology of Socialist Realism. He studied at the Academy of Arts (1914–1918) and the Petrograd Free Art Studios (1919–1923) under K. S. Petrov-Vodkin. He was a member of the 'Circle of Artists' and 'October' groups. Samokhvalov became famous for his monumental images of 'heroines of labor and sport' (the 'Metro-builders' series, 'Girl in a T-shirt'), filled with romantic pathos. He also worked as a theater designer and illustrator, creating expressionist lithographs for M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin's 'The History of a Town'. In his later years, he focused on literary work.