Annenkov Yury (George) (1889 – 1974) 

Russian painter, draughtsman and stage designer. (b Petropavlovsk - Kamchatsky, 23 July 1889; d Paris, 18 July 1974). He studied at the University of St Petersburg (later Petrograd) in 1908 and in the private studio of Savely Zeidenberg (1862–1924). He visited Paris (1911-1913) and worked in the studios of M.Denis and F.Vallotone. After return to Russia (1913) he joined the Avant-garde movement. Fascinated with the folk lubok (1910s), he later created collages (1915), after that turned to cubism. From 1913 he participated in exhibitions including World of Art, Union of Youth, Berlin 1922 and others. Member of the Union of Youth, the World of Art (1922), OST (1923). Annenkov worked together with Nikolai Kulbin illustrating “Theatre for Myself” by N.Evreinov (Petrograd, 1911-1916) and a cover for “Love Performance” (Petrograd, 1916). Worked for journals “Satiricon”, “Theatre and Art”, “Otechestvo” (Fatherland), and for theatres. Created set designs for “Homo Sapiens” by N.Evreinov at theatre “The Curved Mirror’, worked for A.Kugel theatre, Maly and Bolshoy Drama Theatres (Petrograd), the Free Comedy (1920), MKhT (Little Art Theatre, Moscow). In the Soviet period made innovatory stages “Gaz” by G.Keiser (1920) and “The Mutiny of the Mashines” by A.Tolstoy (1924). The artist took part in decorative design for May 1st 1918 and other mass shows. He has taught at the GSKhM (State Free Art Workshops). Yuri Annenkov created his own style of graphical portraits, published the books “Portraits” (with text by Y.Zamiatin, M.Kuzmin, M.Babenchikov, Petrograd, 1922) and “17 Portraits” (Paris,1926). He illustrated books and took part in organizing the publish-house “Segodnia” (Today) in Petrograd. The artist wrote and published “The Journal of My Meetings” (New York, 1966).

Book: Luc Durtain "Crime a San-Francisko" with original lithographes by George Annenkoff (Annenkov)