Boris Anrep

Who was Boris Anrep?

Boris Vasilyevich Anrep was a Russian artist, active in Britain, who devoted himself to the art of mosaic.

In Britain, he is known for his monumental mosaics at the National Gallery, London, Westminster Cathedral and the Bank of England. Being close to the Bloomsbury Group, he was a noticeable figure in London social and intellectual life from 1912 up to the mid-1960s.

In Ireland, he is known for his mosaics at Christ the King Cathedral, Mullingar.

In Russia, he is associated with the Silver Age of Russian Poetry as the addressee of many beautiful poems by Anna Akhmatova, including her Tale of the Black Ring. Anrep was also friendly with Nikolay Gumilyov, an outstanding poet and Akhmatova's husband, and Nikolay Nedobrovo, a talented critic, two prominent figures of 1910s in Saint Petersburg.