AMOSOVA-BUNAK Olga Fedorovna

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer

17 (30) June 1888 (Oranienbaum) — 25 May 1965 (Moscow)

Amosova was born to a family of Imperial fleet vice-admiral F. I. Amosov; her mother came of the merchants.

In 1903–1905 she studied at Y. S. Goldblat’s school of painting and drawing in St. Petersburg. After Amosova’s recollections her study works were exposed by Goldblat at exhibitions in the Academy of Arts. She began to paint independently since 1905.

In 1907–1911 under advice of a doctor she lived in the Crimea, Yalta. In 1911 she moved to Italia in order to recover and continue her art education. In 1911–1914 she studied at English Academy of Arts in Rome. There she created series of architecture landscapes of Rome.

In 1912–1917 Amosova participated in exhibitions of the Society of Independent Artists, of the New Society of Artists (both in St. Petersburg). She also exposed her works at the 19th exhibition of drawings and watercolours in the gallery Lemercier (Moscow) and at periodical exhibitions in halls of St. Petersburg Conservatory.

The painter left Italy for Russia in 1914. After returning from Italy she continued to expose her works in St. Petersburg and in Moscow.

In June of 1915 personal exhibition of Amosova was held in four halls of Kameronova Gallery in Tsarskoye Selo. There were 260 paintings and drawings (oil, gouache, watercolour); in 1919 all the works were destroyed during Yudenich Army attack upon Tsarskoye Selo.

In 1914–1915 Amosova worked as illustrator in magazines Solntse Rossii (“The Sun of Russia”), Lukomorye (“Curved Seashore”), Ogonek (“Little Fire”). In 1915 Amosova created her first works as scene-designer for the Musical Drama Theatre; the Intimate Theatre; the Literary and Artistic cabaret theatre of N. N. Evreinov Comedians’ Halt (“Prival Comediantov”).

In 1918 Amosova moved to Moscow. She painted in film studio of A. A. Khanzhonkov (films were lost) till 1919 and designed performances for the Moscow Operetta Theatre, the 1st MKhT Studio (Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre) and other Moscow theatres till 1923. Later she worked as a head of art workshops at the people’s commissariat of public health; she created posters, painted pictures on revolutionary subject and portraits of soviet statesmen.

After removal to Moscow, Amosova participated in the First State Independent Art Exhibition (1919, Petrograd), Exhibition of Moscow Stage Design 1918-1923 (1923) etc.

In 1926 Amosova was on expedition in Tannu-Tuva Republic and North Mongolia headed by anthropologist and ethnographer V. V. Bunak. Bunak married her, and then she signed her works Amosova-Bunak. The first works after numerous sketches from Tuva expedition were published in Krasnaya Niva (“The Red Field”) magazine.

After expedition she continued to cooperate with magazines as illustrator and to expose her paintings.

In 1928–1931 she painted for factory Goznak (production of state emblems), designed postage stamps, letterheads of state loans. In 1934–1935 she was engaged in engraving, in particular linocut. Then in 1936–1937 she worked at the Institute of advanced studies for graphic artists under V. A. Favorsky in Moscow.

During trip to Georgia in 1937 Amosova-Bunak painted under the instruction of Tbilisi Museum 18 watercolours — pictures of ancient Georgian architecture. One year later she became a member of MOSSKh (Moscow Regional Union of Soviet Artists).

At the end of 1941 she was evacuated to Kirov (Vyatka), worked at Kirov Drama Theatre, illustrated books. In 1943 she exposed her works at the exhibition The Great Patriotic War (the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow). Next year she returned to Moscow, later she lived in Moscow and Leningrad alternately.

In 1930s–1950s Amosova-Bunak worked on the series of engravings Moscow Architecture in the past and present (not published); she painted graphic portraits of V. I. Bazhenov, M. Y. Lermontov, Sh. Rustaveli, N. V. Gogol, and Michelangelo. Amosova-Bunak illustrated books, painted a number of portraits in watercolours, she painted a lot of Leningrad and Moscow landscapes. Amosova-Bunak was engaged in literary activities. She also exposed her paintings.