Sofya Isaakovna Dymshits-Tolstaya (1884 - 1963)

Sofya Isaakovna Dymshits-Tolstaya (1884 - 1963) - photo 1

Sofya Isaakovna Dymshits-Tolstaya

Sofya Isaakovna Dymshits-Tolstaya (Russian: Со́фья Исааковна Ды́мшиц-Толста́я) was a Russian avant-garde artist and graphic designer, whose life and work were intertwined with the tumultuous events of early 20th-century Russia. Born in St. Petersburg, she studied under Sergei Egornov, at Elizaveta Zvantseva's School of Drawing and Painting, and later in Paris under Jacques-Émile Blanche and Charles Guérin. Dymshits-Tolstaya contributed to exhibitions from 1912, marking her entry into the vibrant art scene of the time​​.

Dymshits-Tolstaya's work spans a range of subjects and styles, including propaganda posters and a series of portraits of women, which reflected the changing roles and perceptions of women in Soviet society. Her pieces like "Agitator Worker" (1931) and "Evdokia Fedotova, Chairwoman of the Second Congress of Collective Farm Shock Workers" (1935-1938) showcase her commitment to depicting the new Soviet woman, combining elements of realism with a keen sensitivity to the social dynamics of her era​​.

Throughout her career, Dymshits-Tolstaya was closely associated with key figures in Russian art and literature, including her marriage to Alexei Tolstoy and her involvement with Vladimir Tatlin, which positioned her at the heart of the avant-garde movement. Despite the personal and political challenges she faced, including the loss of her husband Herman Pesatti to the Gulag, Dymshits-Tolstaya's legacy as a pioneering artist remains significant. Her works are celebrated for their historical value and artistic merit, reflecting the complexities and contradictions of Soviet Russia​​.

For art collectors and enthusiasts, Dymshits-Tolstaya's work offers a unique window into the avant-garde movement and the socio-political landscape of early 20th-century Russia. Her contributions to art and her remarkable life story continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the world. To stay updated on new sales and auction events featuring Sofya Isaakovna Dymshits-Tolstaya's works, sign up for updates and explore the rich heritage of this exceptional artist​​.

Date and place of birt:23 april 1884, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire
Date and place of death:30 august 1963, St. Petersburg, USSR
Nationality:Russia, USSR, Russian Empire
Period of activity: XX century
Specialization:Graphic artist, Media artist, Painter, Posterist
Art school / group:Knave of Diamonds, Mir iskusstva
Genre:Genre art, Landscape painting, Portrait, Still life
Art style:Cubism, Expressionism, Avant-garde, Constructivism, Dadaism

Creators Russia

Vladimir Donatovich Orlovsky (1842 - 1914)
Vladimir Donatovich Orlovsky
1842 - 1914
Vadim Alexeyevich Gorbatov (1940)
Vadim Alexeyevich Gorbatov
1940
Saveliy Abramovich Sorin (1878 - 1953)
Saveliy Abramovich Sorin
1878 - 1953
Nikolay Petrovich Meshchaninov (1913 - 1967)
Nikolay Petrovich Meshchaninov
1913 - 1967
Sergej Mixajlovich Prokudin-Gorskij (1863 - 1944)
Sergej Mixajlovich Prokudin-Gorskij
1863 - 1944
Georgy Alexandrovich Leman (1937)
Georgy Alexandrovich Leman
1937
Ivan Nikitich Nikitin (1680 - 1742)
Ivan Nikitich Nikitin
1680 - 1742
Victor Markiyanovych Savin (1907 - 1971)
Victor Markiyanovych Savin
1907 - 1971
Nikolay Nikanorovich Dubovskoy (1859 - 1918)
Nikolay Nikanorovich Dubovskoy
1859 - 1918
Valeryan Alekseevich Sergin (1936)
Valeryan Alekseevich Sergin
1936
Arnold Borisovich Lakhovsky (1880 - 1937)
Arnold Borisovich Lakhovsky
1880 - 1937
Andrei Viktorovich Monastyrski (1949)
Andrei Viktorovich Monastyrski
1949
Alexey Filippovich Chernyshyov (1824 - 1863)
Alexey Filippovich Chernyshyov
1824 - 1863
Konstantin Evtikhievich Kostenko (1879 - 1956)
Konstantin Evtikhievich Kostenko
1879 - 1956
Andrey Nikolaevich Koval'chuk (1959)
Andrey Nikolaevich Koval'chuk
1959
Ivan Osipovich Dudin (1867 - 1924)
Ivan Osipovich Dudin
1867 - 1924

Creators Avant-garde

Lorenz Bösken (1891 - 1967)
Lorenz Bösken
1891 - 1967
Richard Graef (1879 - 1945)
Richard Graef
1879 - 1945
Joseph Cornell (1903 - 1972)
Joseph Cornell
1903 - 1972
Willie Landels (1928 - 2023)
Willie Landels
1928 - 2023
Heinrich Nauen (1880 - 1940)
Heinrich Nauen
1880 - 1940
Zenon Wieckowski (1905 - 1985)
Zenon Wieckowski
1905 - 1985
Max Jacob (1876 - 1944)
Max Jacob
1876 - 1944
Harry Weinberger (1924 - 2009)
Harry Weinberger
1924 - 2009
Julius Podlipny (1898 - 1991)
Julius Podlipny
1898 - 1991
Josef Dobrowsky (1889 - 1964)
Josef Dobrowsky
1889 - 1964
Emil Maetzel (1877 - 1955)
Emil Maetzel
1877 - 1955
Victor Vasarely (1906 - 1997)
Victor Vasarely
1906 - 1997
Will Sohl (1906 - 1969)
Will Sohl
1906 - 1969
Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman (1882 - 1945)
Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman
1882 - 1945
Pateria (Pateriya) Ramesh (1937 - 1987)
Pateria (Pateriya) Ramesh
1937 - 1987
Richard Pettibone (1938 - 2024)
Richard Pettibone
1938 - 2024