Voldemar Peil (1907 – 1999): Artist and Theatre Designer

Voldemar Peil (1907 – 1999) was a renowned artist, best known for his work “Mänd mererannas” (1988). This piece, an oil on canvas, measures 60 х 74.8 and is signed on the bottom right by V. Peil. Born in Narva in 1907, Peil began his art studies in 1926 at Pallas under the guidance of Jaan Vahtra, Voldemar Mellik, Villem Ormisson, and Ado Vabbe, primarily focusing on painting. He completed his education in 1930, qualifying as a drawing teacher. Peil furthered his studies in 1936 in Moscow and Leningrad theatres. From 1932 to 1940, he worked as a decorator at the Narva Theatre, later at Vanemuine, Tallinn Drama Theatre, and Russian Drama Theatre as the chief artist. Peil’s design style was situational, effectively using projection and lighting alongside painted decoration and stage mechanisms. He designed approximately 300 productions and practiced realistic panel painting, including floral and landscape images and portraits.