The Story of My Life

Dina Verni (1919–2009) — the favorite model of Aristide Maillol until his death, a gallerist, and a collector.

She was born in Chisinau; in 1926 she emigrated to France, where she socialized extensively with the Parisian Russian intelligentsia.

During World War II, Verni was a participant in the Resistance, helping refugees from France to cross into Spain. She was arrested twice — after her second arrest, Dina Verni spent six months in prison and was freed through the efforts of Maillol.

After the sculptor's death, Verni became the custodian of his works, and in 1947 she opened a gallery in Paris. In 1959, she visited the Soviet Union for the first time, where she met nonconformist artists — Ilya Kabakov, Eric Bulatov, and Vladimir Yankilevsky. Later, she exhibited their works in Paris.