Akimov, Nikolai Pavlovich
(1901-1968)

NP Akimov was in St. Petersburg very young, and almost all of his life was strongly associated with this city.
 he studied in the studio of SM Seidenberg (1915-18), a few years later he entered the Academy of Fine Arts, but left her quit the school.

 A book designer and managed to create a name for yourself, but really found myself in scenography. Working in the theater is so fascinated by it that in the late 1920s. he asked, and to directing, making it the second if not the first profession: in 1933, he headed the Leningrad Music Hall, and in 1935 - the famous Leningrad Comedy Theater, artistic director until his death (except the years 1949-55 ., when he was forced to move to another team).

The theater was the original center of a variety of creative interests Akimov. Famous for his naughty and graceful, sometimes paradoxical comedic performances, among them a special place belonged to the first interpretation of the play-tales E. Schwartz.
 Sets and costumes by Akimov after the war - mostly to their own productions - invariably there is a remarkable imagination and ingenuity ( "Shadows" Saltykov-Shchedrin, 1952 "Case" Sukhovo-Kobylina 1955, "Dragon" E. Schwartz, 1962, "Don Juan," Byron, 1963). Original posters, which he performed for each of its performance, the city has been an integral part of advertising in the 1930s and 60s.

 In a huge series of paintings and drawings of portraits created by a master for decades favored the theater people - actors, directors, playwrights. Topics theater and drama prevailed in his book graphics, to which he returned and 1960s. after a long break. Mainly focused on the problems of the theater and its brilliant polemical items were later two volumes.

 A born teacher, Ivan in 1955, he taught at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre on founded and led them to the production faculty (since 1960 Professor), which has brought many great masters of scenography.
 brilliant and witty man, Ivan was a member of the artistic elite of the city, defining it high level and unique character.