Painter, theater. artist, hon. artist of the RSFSR (1944). Studied in Moscow. VKHUTEMAS, student of V. Meshkov, K. Korovin, P. Konchalovsky. In 1922 the head, then deputy. Head Museum of pictorial culture in Moscow. One of the organizers and member of the OST (1925-31) and the Isobrigade (since 1931). Since 1930 he performed as a theater. thin., since 1941 artist of the Bolshoi Theater. He was on friendly terms with the writer M. Bulgakov, film director G. Aleksandrov and his wife L. Orlova. The design of S. Prokofiev’s ballets (Cinderella, 1945; Romeo and Juliet, 1946) and other performances at the Bolshoi Theater, Moscow Art Theater and other Muscovites. t-rah, paintings and portraits (“Portrait of V. Meyerhold”, 1925; “Acrobat”, 1926; “Portrait of K. Stanislavsky”, 1932) and other works. Laureate of Art. etc. (1943, 1946, 1947).
(1902, Moscow - 1947, Moscow)
Russian Soviet artist, one of the painters of the circle of the "Society of Easel Artists" (OST), a master of scenography.
The son of an American scientist-technologist V.R. Williams, who took Russian citizenship in 1896.
As a boy (since 1909) he attended the school-studio of V.N. Meshkova. In 1918 he entered the medical faculty of Moscow University, but in the same year left him and in 1919-1924 he studied in Vhutemas, where V.V. was among his mentors. Kandinsky,
I.I. Mashkov, D.P. Shterenberg.
During his studies (since 1922) he took part in the organization of the experimental Museum of pictorial culture.
In 1922 - 1924 he entered the group of "concreteists", which stood at the origins of the OST, then (1925) became one of the founders of the latter.
In the 1930s, the theater became the mainstream of Williams' creativity. The classic principles of the majestic architectural decoration with a portal frame prevailed in his scenography.
Three times winner of the Stalin Prize: for the design of the performances "Romeo and Juliet"
S.S. Prokofiev (1947); "William Tell" by J. Rossini (1943), "Cinderella" S.S. Prokofiev (1946) at the Bolshoi Theater.