Mikhail Arutchian

Born July 6 (18), 1897, in Shusha; died June 9, 1961, in Moscow. Soviet theatrical and graphic artist. People’s Artist of the Armenian SSR (1958). Member of the CPSU from 1939. Studied in Saratov (1920–23) and at the Colarossi Academy in Paris (1924–25).

Arutchian was one of the founders of Armenian decorative theatrical arts. He designed over 100 shows, including Mutiny (1928), In the Ring (1930), The Marriage of Figaro (1933), and Othello (1940)—all in the G. Sundukian Theater (Yerevan), where he was chief artist from 1928 to 1939. At the A. A. Spendiarov Theater of Opera and Ballet (Yerevan), where he was chief artist from 1939 to 1949, he designed Dawn (1938), The Queen of Spades (1956), and other shows. He also did book illustration and graphics (primarily portraits), posters, and caricatures. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.