Valentin Shabaeff-Firsoff 

Валентин Александрович ШАБАЕВ-ФИРСОВ (1891–1978). Русский текст – внизу страницы

Sculptor, artist

Born in Beloomut, Moscow region, on July 16, 1891; died in Montreal, Canada, on March 5, 1978. 

Educated in Moscow, Shabaeff focused on the Byzantine art. After his emigration he lived in Harbin, where he practiced drawing, illustration and sculpture. In 1923, he moved to Shanghai. 

In 1926, Shabaeff created sculpted nude Atlantidae on top of the second-floor columns and other relief elements for the interior of the French Club (1926). While most of the original decor has been lost, the Atlantidae remain the largest surviving original elements. They are often mentioned in the connection with prudish Communists who requested to have the nudes covered up in the 1950s, to make the place more suitable for the Party officials’ visits. Recalling his Shanghai work for the publication in Canadian Art, Shabaeff mentioned “designing, among other works, bronze sculptures for His Majesty’s Hotel [Majestic Hotel? –– KK] and a stone facade for the Chinese Customs House at Shanghai.” 

In 1929, Shabaeff left China for the US. He eventually settled to Canada. According to Gilden’s Art Gallery, he maintained a studio and a residence in Montreal, at #60–429 West Pender, together with his wife Sonia and “represented Canada with painting at the New York World’s Fair in 1939.” He worked as a painter and sculptor, and produced ceramics, reliefs and murals. He also taught elementary drawing at the Vancouver Art School.

In 1939–1940, Shabaeff created art for the Hotel Vancouver in anticipation of the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to the city in May 1939. His works for the hotel received high praise: “In the splendid cafe, Valentin Shabaeff, Russian-Canadian artist of great reputation, now living in Vancouver, has created two wonderful panels in gold-leaf and Venetian red for the ends of the room.” Additional information and images of his work are at Vancouver As It Was. 

“[Mr. Shabaeff] couldn’t stand Americans & came to Canada—his best friend in Montreal is Fritz Brandtner. He’s color-blind, which may account for the curious magenta lips on the Madonna & Child that make them look a bit like perfume ads in the New Yorker. . . . ([Mrs. Shabaeff] says Lismer said “Shabaeff is the greatest artist in Canada, but he’s a devil,” which I put among the New Yorker’s Remarks We Doubt ever Got Made Department, but perhaps she hypnotizes people into murmuring the right responses). –– The Diaries of Northrop Frye, 1942-1955, Volume 8, p. 182.