AKIMOV Nikolay Pavlovich

April 3(16), 1901 (Kharkov) — September 6, 1968 (Moscow)

Painter, book artist, scene-designer, stage director and teacher

Akimov Nikolay Pavlovich was born to a family of railroad employee. In 1910 his father occupied a senior position in Moscow-Windau-Rybinsk Railway, and the family moved first to Tsarskoe Selo, and then to St. Petersburg. In 1914 Akimov studied at the evening Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (OPKh), in 1915 took lessons at the studio of S. M. Seidenberg and in 1916–1918 he continued his education under M. V. Dobuzhinsky, A. E. Yakovlev, and V. I. Shukhaev at the New Art Studio.

In 1918 Akimov interrupted his studies and began to work for the Studio of the ProletCult (Proletarian Culture) Poster in Petrograd. From 1920 till 1922 he taught drawing at high courses of Politprosvet-workers (workers of political enlightenment) in Kharkov. In 1922 Akimov worked as a painter in Kharkov Children’s Theater. The first play, which he designed, was Feats of Hercules by A. Beletsky, then — Alinur (V. Meyerkhold’s and U. Bondy’s staging of the fairy tale The Star Child by O. Wilde).  At the same time Akimov worked for the theatre Red Torch.

In 1923 Akimov entered the Art and Technical Studios (VKhUTEMAS), where he worked on the setting of the play Dayesh Hamleta (“Let there be Hamlet”) by N. N. Evreinov in the Krivoye Zerkalo (“Distorting Mirror”) Theatre. Since 1923 the artist worked in theatre variety shows: in Musical comedy, Contemporary Theater, Free Style Comedy, Carousel and Balaganchik (“Show Booth”) cabaret theatres. In 1924 Akimov designed the play Virgin Forest by E. Toller in the Bolshoi Drama Theater and the play Lake Lul by A. Faiko in the Academic Drama Theater.

In 1926 Akimov participated in the creation of Leningrad theatre of satire. In Moscow in the 2nd MKhT Studio (Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre) he designed the play Evgraf the adventurer by A. Faiko and created his first theatre posters. His first personal exhibition was held in 1927. Publishing house Academia published book dedicated to Akimov’s works (authors: A. Piotrovsky, B. Brullov, and N. Petrov).  In 1932 Akimov made his debut as a theatre director: in the E. Vakhtangov theatre he staged Hamlet; since 1933 he worked as a chief director for Leningrad Music Hall, where he created famous Experimental Workshop.

The most important chapter in Akimov’s life began in 1935: he headed Leningrad theatre of Comedy (by that time — the moribund Leningrad theatre of satire). Only during the first year Akimov accomplished something incredible: there were qualitative changes in the theatre. “The leader by nature, a uniquely gifted artist, graphic artist, writer, stage director, speaker, organizer, Renaissance person, Akimov created such an original theatre, that even contrary to the Russian language standards, the word «Comedy» in the theatre name began to be written in capital letter. This Akimov’s letter «C» is to this day on the programs of the Akimov theatre of Comedy”. (www.komedia.spb.ru)

Theatre premieres came one after another: Dog in the Manger and The Widow from Valencia by L. De Vega, The School for Scandal by R. B. Sheridan, Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, Shadows by E. L. Schwarz, Dangerous Corner by J. B. Priestley and others.

Akimov’s sketches of theatre costumes were the portraits of the actors, which he chose for the role. According to Akimov, “drawing costume designs became drawing scene characters”. His theatre posters were an integral part of each play. Shortly before the war, the Theatre of Comedy had been recognized as one of the best theatres in the country. During the war — in besieged Leningrad, and then in the evacuation — the theatre troupe and chief director created 16 new plays, including Pitomtsy slavy (“Foster child of fame”) by A. Gladkov and The dragon by E. Schwarz.

Even while being engaged in the theatre activity, Akimov never stopped painting portraits. In a huge series of portraits the preference was given to people of the theatre — actors, stage directors, dramatists (portraits of N. Cherkasov, B. Tenin, N. Okhlopkov and others). Theatre and drama themes dominated in his book graphic art, to which he returned in 1960s after a long break.

In 1949 because of formalism in art and westernization, Akimov was discharged from the guidance of the theatre. After two years as a chief director and a designer of Leningrad New theatre (since 1955 — the Lensovet theatre), he staged famous play Shadows by M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin and Delo (“Case”) by A. V. Sukhov-Kobylin. Akimov taught at Leningrad theatre institute, where he founded the artistic stage production faculty and where many excellent masters of theatre set design were brought up. A brilliant and witty man, Akimov was a part of the artistic elite of the city.

Only in 1956 Akimov had opportunity to return to the theatre of Comedy, which during the years of his absence remained without a leader. The return was marked by staging Obyknovennoye chudo (“An Ordinary Miracle”) by E. L. Schwarz. In the same year the exhibition of his theatre posters was held in Moscow (in the Central House of Art Workers, TsDRI). In 1957 at the First All-Union Congress of Artists (Moscow) Akimov presented report The Artist of the Soviet theatre. In 1958 at the World Exhibition in Brussels he was awarded silver medal.

Personal exhibitions of Akimov were held in 1963 in Leningrad and later in Moscow. Among his late stage director’s and design works were plays Don Juan by G. Byron, Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, Svadba Krechinskogo (“Krechinsky’s wedding”) by A. V. Sukhov-Kobylin; performance on the stage of the Comédie-Française in Paris in 1966. As a scene-designer he managed the productions of plays Even a Wise Man Stumbles by Ostrovsky and The Cylinder by E. De Filippo.

Nikolay Akimov died in a Moscow hotel room during a tour of the theatre of Comedy in 1968. The production of the play All’s Well that ends well by Shakespeare was unfinished.

There was a priceless heritage after Nikolay Akimov’s death: portraits, book graphics, easel and theatre graphics, scene and costume designs.