Oleksandra Ekster (January 18, 1882 – March 17, 1949) was a Ukrainian artist and one of the most prominent figures of the global avant-garde. She is called the "Amazon of the Avant-Garde" as she was one of the first female avant-garde artists. Ekster's multifaceted work encompassed painting, scenography, costume design, interior decoration, collecting, and curating exhibitions of Ukrainian folk art. She was born in the small Polish town of Białystok, but from the age of one and a half and for almost 40 years, she lived and worked in Kyiv. Paris also played an important role in her creative formation. Ekster constantly traveled between Kyiv and Paris, where she studied and exhibited. She was one of the first popularizers of avant-garde art in Ukraine and the Russian Empire, and an innovator in theatrical scenography. She opened her own art school in Kyiv and educated an entire generation of artists who later changed the face of Ukrainian theater. Due to the Soviet occupation, she was forced to leave Kyiv in 1919. Ekster lived the last 25 years of her life in France.
In the painting "Three Female Figures" (1909–1910), Oleksandra Ekster depicted herself on a walk in Kyiv, along with two friends and collaborators in the study of Ukrainian folk art. By assembling the puzzle with this painting, you will also be able to closely examine how many dogs are depicted in it. The painting is preserved at the National Art Museum of Ukraine.
