Abakeliia, Tamara

Born Aug. 19 (Sept. 1), 1905, in Khoni, presently Tsulukidze; died May 14, 1953, in Tbilisi. Sculptor and graphic artist. Honored Art Worker of the Georgian SSR from 1942. Member of the CPSU from 1941.

From 1923 to 1929, Abakeliia studied at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts with Ia. I. Nikoladze, N. P. Kandelaki, E. E. Lansere, and I. A. Sharleman’. A romantically elevated feeling and universal, monumental images characterize her sculptures, which include the frieze on the building of the Georgian branch of the Institute of Marxism and Leninism in Tbilisi (1936–37) and the memorial to Lesia Ukrainka in Surami (1952). The same characteristics appear in her graphic art. She illustrated Sh. Rustaveli’s The Knight in Tiger’s Skin (1936–37), designed and illustrated David Sasunskii (1939), and illustrated the works of Vazha Pshavela (1947). She also designed a number of stage productions and films. Abakeliia was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.