550 - ZINOVIEW (1889–1977). Alexandre Zinoview (known as “Zino,” born Zolotarenko) was a painter and set designer, born on March 31, 1889, in Moscow and died on September 20, 1977, in Paris. A distinctive figure in early 20th-century Parisian bohemian circles, he is particularly renowned for his unique artistic depiction of World War I. He arrived in Paris in late 1908 and settled in the heart of the Montparnasse district. He quickly became part of the vibrant artistic scene of the time and rubbed shoulders with major figures such as Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Foujita, and Diego Rivera, who painted his portrait. Alongside his life as an artist and his participation in various art salons, Zinoview led a double life: he operated as a secret agent for the Okhrana (the Tsarist secret police) between 1908 and 1917 under the code name “Senator,” tasked with spying on Russian revolutionaries exiled in Paris. Watercolor with gouache highlights, “The Peasant Woman,” circa 1910. 27 x 31 cm. From the Serge Lifar Collection.