Zygmunt MENKES, STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS, MASK AND FLUTE

Oil, canvas, 66 x 56 cm;
Signed p. d.: Menkes; on back: Menkes

Zygmunt MENKES
1896 Lviv -1986 Riverdale
Began his artistic studies in 1912 at the Industrial School in Lviv. From 1919 to 1922 he continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow; in 1922 he attended the private studio of A. Archipenko in Berlin. In 1923, he went to Paris, where he became associated with the École de Paris circle, living with E. Zak and M. Chagall. Two years later he settled in France permanently. He exhibited at the Paris Salons: Autumn, Independent, Tuilleries. He participated in the Paris Salons and exhibited in many galleries in Paris, including Bernheim, de France, Le Portique. In 1930, he showed his works in the United States: in Cleveland and New York. He also exhibited his work in Canada and England. He was associated with artistic life in Poland. He belonged to the New Generation grouping, and was a member of the Zwornik Association of Artists. He painted landscapes, figural compositions, nudes, portraits, still lifes and scenes of Jewish life. In addition to oil painting, he created gouaches, watercolors and drawings. In 1935, he moved to New York. He worked with the Associated American Artists Gallery and the French Art Gallery; for many years he taught at the Art Students League. In its early stages, Menkes' art was close to the aesthetics of Fauvism. Scenes of Jewish life were also a recurring theme. Over time, the expressiveness of the artist's paintings deepened; Menkes began to build forms exclusively with color stain, applying paint quickly and spontaneously. The color range narrowed to saturated browns, yellows, reds, greens and velvety blacks; the artist played up the strong, sensual color in many nuances giving it an inner glow. Synthetically treated figures, framed in a neutral, abstract space, he outlined with expressive, in places fading contours.