Pavel Tchelitchew was a Russian-born surrealist painter, set designer, and costume designer. He was born on September 21, 1898, in Kaluga, Russia, and studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. He became interested in the avant-garde movement and moved to Paris in 1923, where he became involved with the Surrealist group. Tchelitchew's paintings often feature surreal and dream-like imagery, with distorted human figures and organic shapes. One of his most famous works is the painting "Hide and Seek" (1940-42), which depicts a distorted, multi-limbed figure hiding behind a tree. Tchelitchew also worked as a set and costume designer for ballets, operas, and plays, collaborating with artists such as George Balanchine, Salvador Dali, and Cecil Beaton. He died in Grottaferrata, Italy, on July 31, 1957.