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Lot Essay
Aleksandra Shchekotikhina-Potoskaia is known for her compositions on porcelain at the State Porcelain Factory, which she joined at the end of 1918. From 1908 to 1915 she studied in the Drawing School of the Association for the Encouragement of the Arts in St. Petersburg under N. Rerikh and I. Bilibin. Between 1912 and 1920 she designed sets and theatrical costumes for Diaghilev's 1913 production of the Stravinsky ballet 'The Rite of Spring' and Borodin's opera 'Prince Igor'. In 1920 and 1921 she created her most famous compositions: The Bellringer and The Commissar.
Through her work, she transmitted the spirit of this new period which was to create a new state. She found a way, at variance with other artists of the time, to join the values of pre-revolution Russia with those of the new Communist State.
In 1923, Shchekotikhina-Potoskaia traveled first to Germany and then to Cairo where I. Bilibin was living and continued to work on porcelain. After traveling together in Egypt, Syria and Palestine, they settled in Paris. I. Bilibin and A. Shchekotikhina-Potoskaia returned to Russia in 1936. We are grateful to Nina Lobanov-Rostovsky for providing the photograph of the artist's exhibition in Cairo in 1924/1925.
Through her work, she transmitted the spirit of this new period which was to create a new state. She found a way, at variance with other artists of the time, to join the values of pre-revolution Russia with those of the new Communist State.
In 1923, Shchekotikhina-Potoskaia traveled first to Germany and then to Cairo where I. Bilibin was living and continued to work on porcelain. After traveling together in Egypt, Syria and Palestine, they settled in Paris. I. Bilibin and A. Shchekotikhina-Potoskaia returned to Russia in 1936. We are grateful to Nina Lobanov-Rostovsky for providing the photograph of the artist's exhibition in Cairo in 1924/1925.