Constantin Astori, Date of Birth, Date of Death
TweetConstantin Astori
Russian artist
Date of Birth: 29-Mar-1889
Date of Death: 01-Jan-0001
Profession: painter
Nationality: United States
Zodiac Sign: Aries 
About Constantin Astori
- Constantine Astori (Russian: ?????????? ??????? ????????) (April 11, (March 29 O.S.) 1889 - June 11, 1975) is a renowned artist of mostly landscapes in pastels, watercolors and charcoal.
- He was born on March 29, 1889 as Constantin Nicholas Astafieff in Voronezh, Russia.
- He had his art education in Russia.
- He married Olga Trofimoff, on May 17, 1916 in Crimea, Russia. When the Soviet revolution happened in 1917 the region had a lot of conflicts and did not support the revolution.
- This was not a good time for the newly married couple so they decided to escape to Constantinople (presently Istanbul).
- Once they moved to Turkey they changed their name to Astori to start a new life with a new name.
- Constantin Astori spent his years in Istanbul painting street scenes.
- He was particularly interested in mosques with minarets and old Istanbul streets with people.
- He experimented pastels and charcoal.
- The art world in Istanbul was limited and not intriguing.
- The couple first thought about moving to Paris then decided to move to New York.
- On October 1, 1923 he immigrated to the United States of America, while his wife Olga moved to Paris.
- She joined her husband three years later, in 1926.
- Astori settled in New York City and tried to get into the art world.
- He worked as an art restorer for various museums.
- He became naturalized US citizen in 1936. From 1930's to 1940's he restored art works for the Smithsonian Institution and Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum.
- In 1940 he was commissioned to paint a mural for American Natural Museum in New York.
- He completed the mural, which depicted pterosaurs, the same year.
- This mural is still over the stairs in the museum.
- Later in 1970 this mural was used in the album cover of Dinosaur Swamp by the band called the Flock (band).
- He participated to various art shows but never realized his dream of becoming a famous artist.
- He experimented with black and white drawings of New York street scenes.
- Later in his life he was more interested in pastels depicting serene country scenes.
- His wife Olga died in January 23, 1975, he died the same year in June 11, 1975.
- The couple had no children.
- His artwork can be found in art dealers internationally. He is interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Lakewood, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA
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