Tatiana Volkova

EXCLUSIVE PUBLICATIONS

Tatiana Volkova
An Artist at the Front

#2 2015 (47)

KONSTANTIN MOLCHANOV (1906-1980) WAS BORN IN MOSCOW AND GRADUATED FROM THE RENOWNED VKHUTEMAS-VKHUTEIN (RESPECTIVELY, THE HIGHER ART AND TECHNICAL STUDIOS, OR THE HIGHER ART AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, AS IT WAS KNOWN AFTER 1926). HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE MOSCOW BRANCH OF THE UNION OF SOVIET ARTISTS, A DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AT THE MOSCOW SECONDARY ART SCHOOL; HIS MILITARY SERVICE BEGAN WHEN MOSCOW WAS THREATENED BY THE APPROACHING GERMAN ARMIES, AND ENDED IN BERLIN. THE ARTIST'S DAUGHTER SVETLANA AND GRANDSON VALERY MOLCHANOV TREASURE THE MEMORABILIA THAT TESTIFY TO HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WAR EFFORT: HIS MEDALS "FOR THE DEFENCE OF MOSCOW", "FOR THE DEFENCE OF STALINGRAD", "FOR THE LIBERATION OF WARSAW", "FOR THE CAPTURE OF BERLIN", "FOR VALIANT LABOUR IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945", "FOR VICTORY OVER GERMANY IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945", AS WELL AS THE ORDER OF THE PATRIOTIC WAR 2ND CLASS, A "DISTINGUISHED COMBAT ENGINEER (SAPPER)" BADGE AND MORE THAN 60 LETTERS OF COMMENDATION FROM HIS COMMANDING OFFICERS.