Soviet artist Mirel Shaginyan

A. Deineka. Portrait of Mirel Shaginyan, 1944

This portrait of Soviet artist Mirel Shaginyan (1918 – 2012) was painted by Aleksander Deineka in 1944

Soviet artist Mirel Shaginyan (May 17, 1918 – February 24, 2012) – painter, member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. Her mother, Marietta Shaginyan (1888-1982) was a famous Russian writer, one of the first science fiction writers in the Soviet Union. Mirel’s father – Yakov Hachatryants was a teacher of Nakhichevan seminary. Mirel’s first school was Russian school in Armenia, and then she continued studying in Kislovodsk. In 1931 Shaginyan family moved to Moscow. In 1936, Mirel Shaginyan graduated from high school. During World War II she was evacuated to Sverdlovsk. In 1948 she graduated from the Moscow Art Institute of Surikov (class of Alexander Deineka). Mirel Shaginyan lived in Moscow (Arbat) and in Koktebel, the Crimea.

Grapes and two jugs. Still life

The summer of 1928 Soviet poet Maximilian Voloshin invited Marietta and her daughter Mirel to Koktebel. Ten-year-old Mirel quickly permeated the atmosphere of the house of the poet. That time the house of Voloshin was filled with guests, so Shaginyan rented a room close to the house of Voloshin to spend more time in the house of the poet. There young Mirel was taught German, and her teacher was Anna Vrubel.

Airfield in Gondar

M. Shaginyan visited many countries of the world, which is reflected in her paintings. Since the late 1950s, with the first trip to Ethiopia, began acquaintance with Africa, which have prompted Mirel’s interest in this continent, its exotic nature and the lives of people. The most famous series of her paintings are devoted to Africa, which the artist visited 16 times.

Soviet artist Mirel Shaginyan

Another great series of paintings – Koktebel. Her works are in the collections of the Kurgan Regional Art Museum, Lugansk Regional Art Museum, House Museum of Voloshin, in Koktebel, Crimea, and also in private collections abroad – France, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Germany, Morocco.

Viktor Tsygal (1916-2005)

Husband of Mariel Shaginyan was a famous Soviet painter Viktor Tsigal (1916-2005), whom she met before World War II. They lived happily for 64 years. Daughter – Elena Shaginyan (born in 1941, Sverdlovsk), PhD. Son Sergei Tsigal (born in 1949) – Russian artist. Mariel’s daughter-in-law was a famous Soviet and Russian theater and film actress Lyubov Polishchuk (1949-2006).

Mirel Yakovlevna Shaginyan died February 24, 2012 in Koktebel, the Crimea. Under her will she was buried at the village cemetery.