Aino Bach

Aino Bach (1 December 1901 – 6 August 1980) was an Estonian artist known for her engravings and her portrayals of Soviet-era femininity.[1][2]

Aino Bach
Born(1901-12-01)1 December 1901
Koeru, Kreis Jerwen, Governorate of Estonia
Died6 August 1980(1980-08-06) (aged 78)
Tallinn, Soviet-occupied Estonia
NationalityEstonian
Other namesAino Bach-Liimand
OccupationGraphic artist
AwardsPeople’s Artist of the Estonian SSR

Biography

Aino Bach was born in Koeru, Estonia in 1901.[1] As a child, she lived in Narva, and attended secondary school in Siberia, before returning to Estonia in 1921.[3] She studied painting at the Pallas Art School[3] in Tartu under the supervision of Nikolai Triik, and engraving with Ado Vabbe,[3] whom she shared socialist ideals with. In 1937, Bach married the painter Kaarel Liimand.[4] She worked as a lecturer at her former art school (now renamed after Konrad Mägi) in 1940-1941.[5]

In 1941, during the German occupation of Estonia, Bach was exiled in Yaroslav in the Soviet Union.[3] There, she was an active member in the Union of Estonian Artists (ENSV Kunstnike Liidu), founded in 1943. She played a large role in the reorganization of Estonian artistic life with this organization.[6] She was a mentor to fellow Estonian artist Evald Okas. Bach was awarded the State Prize of the Estonian SSR in 1947.[7]

After the war, Bach settled in Tallinn.[1] She was awarded People’s Artist of the Estonian SSR in 1961.[7] Bach died in Tallinn on August 6, 1980.[4]

Artistry

Many of Bach's works portray women, representing many different settings and professions. Her style has been described as including both poetic realism and Socialist Realism.[1] Many of her pieces were created using intaglio engraving techniques and she broadened the expressive abilities of the technique.[3] She was praised to have a wealth of nuances and original style, utilizing metal point engraving, etching, and colored monotype, which she often used multiple of in her works.[3][8] While some of Bach's art has been characterized as a product of Soviet propaganda, art critic Eha Komissarov has argued that Bach, a genuine political leftist, used Soviet iconography as a means to portray women's participation in public life.[6] Later in her career, Bach painted portraits of public figures including Debora Vaarandi.[9]

References
  1. Chalvin, Antoine. "Aino Bach". AWARE Women artists / Femmes artistes. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  2. "The Soviet Woman in Estonian Art — Kumu Art Museum". KUMU Art Museum of Estonia. 2010. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  3. "Aino Bach". AWARE Women artists / Femmes artistes. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  4. "Aino Bachi sünnist möödub 115 aastat". No. 300. Koeru Kaja. December 1, 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  5. "Mustlaste muinasjutud, Aino Bach E-kunstisalongis". E-Kunstisalong. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  6. Kivimaa, Katrin (2010). "WORKERS, COLLECTIVE FARMERS AND WOMEN IN NATIONAL COSTUMES: REPRESENTING SOVIET FEMININITY IN ESTONIAN ART FROM THE 1940s AND 1950s". Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis. 58: 56–60. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  7. "Bach-Liimand, Aino Gustav". The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). The Gale Group, Inc. 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  8. "Reclining Female Nude by Aino Bach, Estonian on Josef Lebovic Gallery". Josef Lebovic Gallery. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  9. "Aino Bach Portrait of Debora Vaarandi". EKM Digitaalkogu. Retrieved 1 February 2019.

Further reading
  • Bernstein Boris, Aino Bach, Tallinn: Eesti NSV Kunst, 1961
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