Peter Ganine
Russian–American sculptor (1900–1974)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peter Ganine (October 11, 1900 – August 11, 1974) was a Georgian-Russian-American sculptor, best known for his work in ceramics and his chess sets.
- Marguerite Churchill (1954–?)
- Karin (?–1974)[3]
Peter Ganine | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pierre Ganine 11 October 1900[1][2] |
| Died | 11 August 1974 (aged 73) |
| Education | Corcoran Gallery of Art |
| Spouses |
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| Signature | |
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Early life and education
Ganine was born in Tiflis, Russia on October 11, 1900, and began his art studies there.[1] He spent five years as a trader in the Belgian Congo,[4] before coming to the U.S. in 1931,[5] on a scholarship to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.[3]
Career
Ganine settled in Hollywood in 1932, where he would remain for the rest of his life.[1][4][6] He gained prominence in the local art scene, with his work regularly championed by longtime Los Angeles Times art editor and critic Arthur Millier.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
During World War II, he worked as an aircraft patternmaker.[4] His artistic subjects were primarily animals and people, and he became especially known for his stylized animal figures. Many of his designs were patented and mass-produced in plastic, making his work widely accessible.[3][4][13]
Among his most popular creations were a toy whale, which was awarded a prize by "the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art [sic]",[a][4][14] and an "uncapsizeable duck", of which more than 50 million were sold.[3][15] Other patented works include various stylized animal figures:[16]
Ganine also designed a new form of chess set that gave human characteristics to the pieces. This was widely cited as the "first major change of design for chess sets in more than a century."[17]
Personal life
Ganine married actress Marguerite Churchill on June 5, 1954.[18][19] He later married a woman named Karin.[3]
Works
- Superba Gothic chess set (c.1930s)[20]
- Colt sculpture (c.1939)[21]
- Baby Centaur sculpture (c.1940) – won first prize in ceramic sculpture at the National Ceramic Exhibition[6][22]
- Beer Mug sculpture (c.1941)[7]
- Rudolph sculpture of a Dachshund (c.1941)[7]
- Bull sculpture (c.1941)[7]
- Dog sculpture (c.1944)[23]
- Why sculpture (c.1944)[8]
- Life Mask of Nicholai Fechin sculpture (1945)[24]
- Happy Womanhood sculpture (c.1947) – model: Maureen O'Hara[25]
- Hosanna sculpture of choir boys (c.1948)[9]
- Classic chess set (1961) – the chess pieces from the Classic chess set were used in Star Trek as part of the tri-dimensional chess set[26]
- Rearing Colt sculpture[27]
- Portrait of Marguerite Churchill sculpture[28]
Exhibitions
- 1938 – Group show at the California Art Club[10]
- 1939 – Golden Gate International Exposition[2]
- 1939 – Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego[11][29]
- 1940 – National Ceramic Exhibition at Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts – won first prize for Baby Centaur[6][22]
- 1942 – "Artist of the Month" for January, solo show at the Los Angeles County Museum[12]
- 1944 – Society for Sanity in Art group show at Los Angeles County Museum[8]
- 1960 – Group show at W. & J. Sloane Petite Galerie, Beverly Hills[30][31]
Notes
- This museum name, quoted directly from the Los Angeles Times,[4] is a mix of Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.