Person    | Female 

Maria Volkova

Categories: Craft / Design

The National Gallery leaflet describes Volkova as Anrep's sister in law. But this Imago photo of Anrep and Volkova at the completed 'Awakening of the Muses', is captioned: "Maria Volkova - the only woman mosaic artist in the world - is assisting her cousin Mr Boris Anrep with his remarkable floor decorations at the National Gallery ...".

Find a Grave describes the relationship between Anrep and Volkova in quite different terms: "During this period of his life he divorced his wife, married Helen Maitland, by whom he already had two children and met Maria Volkova – his companion for many years on, which resulted in his wife leaving him for Roger Fry. ... When Maria Volkova died, he settled with Maud Russell ..." 

This suggests to us that the "sister in law" "mosaic artist" and "cousin" were all inventions to explain why this woman was spending so much time in the company of Anrep, a married man.

Looking for more information on Volkova we found the Wikipedia page for Vera Volkova (1905-75) a Russian ballet dancer and expatriate dance teacher, but that page has no mention of Anrep nor of a Maria, so maybe there is no connection.

In this photo Volkova is resting on a walking stick and looking away while Anrep closely examines the Muse mosaic floor. If she really was a mosaic artist her lack of interest is surprising. Note also: just to the right of Anrep's foot you can make out the dark hair of one of the Muses - that's Urania/Volkova.  (We don't know but think the black lines may be physical damage to the photograph.)

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Maria Volkova

Commemorated ati

Muses - Urania

Maria Volkova as Urania the muse of astronomy.

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Other Subjects

Hackney Mosaic Project

Hackney Mosaic Project

The Hackney Mosaic Project is a community project based in Hackney, London that helps people with addiction and mental health problems by teaching them to create mosaic artworks, Started by Tessa H...

Group, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Essex House - E3

Essex House - E3

In 1891 C. R. Ashbee moved the workshops of the Guild of Handicraft from 34 Commercial Street to Essex House, at 401 Mile End Road, an early eighteenth-century mansion. The guild prospered at Essex...

Building, Craft / Design, Property

1 memorial
Piers Nicholson

Piers Nicholson

Sundial designer. Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers. His website. The photo is dated 2011. Son of environmentalist Max Nicholson.

Person, Craft / Design

2 memorials
Louise Vines

Louise Vines

Artist with the London Wall (women's) mural collective/group. Active 1989. Source: Art UK.

Person, Art, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Jacqueline Howell

Jacqueline Howell

Mosaic/ceramic artist, active c. 2005.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Flamingo Club

Flamingo Club

Former nightclub. Founded by father and son, Sam and Jeffrey Kruger, and originally located in Covenrtry Street. It moved to Wardour Street in April 1957 and gained a reputation for attracting top ...

Place, Music / songs

2 memorials
William Lawson
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Harold Hoodless
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Esther Cohen

Esther Cohen

Killed as a result of a 13 October 1940 air raid on Coronation Avenue.

Person

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial