Irina Antonova turns 95 years young today, March 20. Her entire life is connected with the Pushkin Museum where she started working 72 years ago right after graduating from Moscow State University in 1945. She became the museum director in 1961 keeping that position for more than 50 years. Now, at this considerable age she is still working as the President of the Pushkin Museum.
Irina Antonova is an author of more than 100 publications. During all her life she taught in colleges and still reading lectures on art. Along with her academic achievements, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of Friendship of the Peoples and the Order of Services to the Motherland, and many more.
According to the honored President, she has very little free time even now since her current position requires more working hours. Today she works on academic, educational and museum projects.
As the the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts press release clearly states, Irina Antonova's “distinguished reputation in the international museum community has made it possible for unique masterpieces from the world’s leading art collections, which are only allowed abroad on extremely rare occasions, to be displayed in the Pushkin Museum for the general public in Russia”.
Happy Birthday, Irina!
