Калмаков, Николай Константинович

Painter, graphic artist, designer

Born Nervi (Italy), 23 January 1873

Died Chelles, 1 February 1955

Son of a general, Kalmakov studied at a russian school on the French Riviera and after returning to Russia, he studied law in St. Petersburg. From 1900 he took part in exhibitions and made in 1908 his first theatre-design. He also designed book-illustrations and ex-libris. In 1908-1909 he was a member of the Kulbin group: 'the triangle'. In 1908 his decor of Oscar Wilde's Salome, in the theatre of Vera Kommissaryevskaya in St. Petersburg, caused an enormous fuss, and the play was prohibited the same evening. After the revolution he left for Revel (Estonia) and returned 1924 to the french riviera. From 1926 till 1947 he lived in Paris. He died under miserable circumstances in a nursing home in Chelles (near Paris).

1911

1913

1921

1932

1964

1970

1986

2007