Michel Adlen
Michel Adlen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michel Adler May 15, 1898 |
| Died | January 21, 1980 (aged 81) 10th arrondissement of Paris, France |
| Known for | Painting, printmaking |
| Movement | École de Paris |
| Spouse | Jeanne (1902–1997) |
Michel Adlen (born 15 May 1898 – 21 January 1980) was a painter and printmaker of Ukrainian-Jewish origin who built his career in France. He is associated with the École de Paris.[1][2]
Early life and training
Adlen was born in the Russian Empire, in either Lutsk or Saky — sources differ on the location.[1][2] Between 1915 and 1922 he studied painting in Vienna, where he had his first public exhibitions and contributed to the satirical illustrated magazine Die Muskete.[2]
Career
Berlin and arrival in Paris
In 1923 Adlen moved to Berlin, where he participated in multiple graphic arts exhibitions.[1][2] That same year he settled in Paris, which would remain the centre of his artistic life. He underwent a brief Cubist and Fauvist period around 1925 before turning toward a different direction.[1]
In Paris, Adlen founded the Jewish Painters and Sculptors Association and joined several artists' organisations, including the Union of Russian Artists in Paris, La Satire, and Les Imagiers.[2] He obtained French nationality in 1929.[3]
Style and influences
After his Cubist period, Adlen adopted the tradition of French landscape painting in the lineage of Corot and Pissarro, with some works recalling Cézanne.[2] As a member of the École de Paris, he produced landscapes, portraits of women, urban scenes, and still lifes — often featuring wild flowers and fruit — characterised by a melancholic mood arising from the predominance of grey tones.[2][3]
His wife Jeanne, originally from Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche in the Haute-Vienne, introduced him to the landscapes of the Limousin region. He subsequently divided his time between his Paris studio and extended stays in the Limousin and the region of Nice.[1]
Illustration and printmaking
From 1929 to 1939 Adlen worked as an illustrator for several major Parisian magazines and received numerous commissions.[2] Alongside his paintings he produced a substantial body of graphic work, including lithographs, coloured prints, etchings, and drawings.[2] In 1936 he participated in the International Exhibition of Wood Engraving in Warsaw.[1]
Collections
Adlen's works entered public collections from as early as 1928, when the museums of Moscow and Kyiv acquired his prints.[1][2] His work is also held by the Musée National des Arts et Traditions Populaires in Paris.[2]
Death
Michel Adlen died on 21 January 1980 in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Nieszawer, Nadine & Princ, Marek. Histoires des artistes Juifs de l'École de Paris, 1905–1939. Paris: Denoël, 2000; Somogy, 2015; Les Étoiles Éditions, 2022. pp. 50–51. ISBN 979-8633355567.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lilac Gallery, New York. "Michel Adlen." lilacgallerynyc.com.
- ^ a b Aucties. "Rating and value of works, drawings, paintings by Michel Adlen." aucties.com.
- ^ Archives en ligne de Paris, 10e arrondissement, year 1980, death certificate no. 145, cote 10D 611, vue 16/31.
External links
- Michel Adlen at Lilac Gallery, New York