EFIMOV Ivan Semenovich

February 11, 1878 (Moscow) - January 7, 1959 (Moscow)

sculptor, painter, set designer, artist arts and crafts

born in the family official. In 1896-1898 he studied at a private art studio NA Martynov. In 1898-1900 worked in the natural faculty of Moscow University, while attending art school, EN Zvantseva, where drawing and painting taught by Valentin Serov, Konstantin Korovin, sculpture - A. Golubkina. In 1905-1908 he worked in the ceramic workshop Mamontov "Abramtsevo" for Butyrskaya outpost in Moscow. Engage in artistic toy.

In 1906 entered MUZHVZ, studied in classes of drawing and painting at the Serov, as well as the sculpture department at the SM Volnukhin. In 1908 he interrupted his studies and went to Europe. In 1910-1911 attended school F. Kolarossi in Paris, mastered the technique of etching under the leadership of E. Kruglikova. Many worked from life in a Paris zoo. He was a circle of Russian artists in Paris' Montparnasse ».

In 1912 he returned to Moscow and resumed classes in MUZHVZ. In 1913, a sculpture "Passion" and "Bison" was awarded an artist-sculptor. Exhibited his works at exhibitions of the Moscow Association of Artists (from 1907), "World of Art" (from 1913). During the First World War took part in the hostilities.

After the 1917 revolution has taught in the Second State of free art workshops - VHUTEMAS - VHUTEINe in Moscow (1918-1930), received the title of professor. In 1918, together with his wife, artist N. J. Simonovic, Efimova, organized puppet theater in Moscow (lasted until 1943). He created costumes and scenery for productions of "The Princess and the Pea" H.-K. Andersen (1918), "Macbeth" by W. Shakespeare (1921) and many others. He worked in the field of book illustrations, designed the book "A cat, goat ram da" (1924), "Fables" of Aesop (1925), "How the car startled beasts" (1927), "Mena" (1929), "Mordovia epic" (1930 -e).

He was a member of the Society of Russian sculptor (1926-1927), associations of the Four Arts "and" A team of sculptors "(" The team of eight "). In the early 1930's participated in ethnographic expeditions Moscow's Central Museum of Ethnology in Bashkortostan and Udmurtia, worked as the designer of the same museum. In 1935-1937 created a sculptural fountain "Dolphins" from North River station in Moscow. In 1937, for the sculpture "The fisherman with a fish" and "The Bull" was awarded a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris. He performed the reliefs for the Moscow Metro Paveletskaya and Avtozavodskaya "(1942-1943), for the interior of Yaroslavl (1946-1947) and Leningrad (1948) stations in Moscow, cross-cutting reliefs in the winter garden of the Grand Kremlin Palace (1952).

In 1955 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, in 1958 the People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Efimova Retrospective Exhibition held in 1958-1960 in Moscow and Leningrad, in 1970 - in Moscow, in 1975 - in Moscow and Obninsk, Kaluga.

Efimov - one of the greatest masters of the Soviet sculpture, he worked mainly as an animal painter. In the work continued the tradition of modernism, with its cult of flexible, curved line, the desire for decorative expressiveness and organic binder to the nature of the image. In the sculptures of the master virtuoso play with the possibility of different materials: used wood, forged and sheet copper, colored glass, majolica and faience, often combining in one work, several techniques.

Works Efimova are in many museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, State Russian Museum, Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin State Museum of Ceramics and Kuskovo XVIII century ».