Pagava Vera

Pagava Vera (1907–1988), French artist, representative of Paris Art School. She was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. In 1920 she left for Switzerland together with her family. As a result of Georgia’s annexation by the Bolshevik Russia, the Pagava family did not return to the homeland. In 1923 they settled in Paris. Vera Pagava studied at the School of Decorative Art and the School of Art and Advertisement in Paris (1926-33). She also attended the classes of Andre Lhote. In1932 she entered Ronson’s Private Academy, where she studied in at Roger Biser’s studio of fresco painting. In 1928-38 participated in the exhibition as member of group ‘Svidetelstvo’. In 1944, Jeanne Bucher, owner of art galleries, exhibited V. Pagava’s work at her gallery on Montparnasse, where Pagava’s pieces of art used to be displayed till 1960. From 1960 she started to paint in the abstract style. She exhibited her works at the galleries of Jacobi and Darial. In 1966 she participated in the Venice Biennale on behalf of France. In 1982-83 the retrospective exhibition of V. Pagava’s works were presented at the Museums of Dijon, Bove, Reims and Trois. Pierre Lecuire’s poems and prosaic pieces used to be published with V. Pagava’s illustrations. She was also interested in mural painting and vitrage. In 2008, the exposition of Montparnasse Museum, which was titled ‘Paris-Montparnasse-Tbilisi; 1920s’, displayed the works of V. Pagava.

V. Pagava died in Montrouge, Eaude-Sienne, France.