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(Other work by the same artist see under item no. 3242). Self-portrait of the artist by important Austrian-Jewish painter Leon Abramowicz (1889-1978).
Leon Abramowicz is the painter from the "missing generation", which by the national socialism and the Second World War in their development were not only prevented, but at all have lost own place and existence .
Leon Abramowicz was born in Czernowitz (Tshernivtzi) in 1889, in this time it was a part of Austrian - Hungarian monarchy , later Romania , Soviet Union and now Ukraine.Origin from the jewish family, Abramovicz moved to Vienna for painting study, afterthen to Munich, where he studied at the King Art Academy. After end of WW I he lived in Switzerland and France. and since 1920s - in Vienna. He studied in the Vienna Academy by Karl Sterrer (1933/1935).
Abramowicz recieved in this time a certain acknowledge and orders to from the USA, particularly for portraits, could rent a studio in the Prince Eugen Street and finally with his Mrs. Maria buy a private flat in the Vienna City. But this few happy years found an end. With the connection of Austria into National Socialist Germany in March 1938 pursuit of jewish citizens began, also Leon Abramowicz was affected. It succeeded him to attain still in May 1938 a departure permission into Switzerland on 24 May 1938 however his flat was seized and eliminated of the Gestapo. All documents and whole pictorial work from 1918 to 1938, more than 600 oil paintings and over 1000 water colors and drawings, are since then disappeared . Untill today it did not succeed the finding of his works from the years before 1938. Pictures, particularly in the USA, must exist nor, but lie a difficulty in the location, because Abramowicz often did not sign his works.
The way into the emigration led first to Nice, but 1939 after beginning of war he and his wife were already pursued in separate camps intern. As the victims of NZ regime, they received a permit from the prefecture in Grenoble and found a refugee flat.. But the situation became ever more difficult after the capitulation of France. In July 1943 Mrs. Abramowicz was seized from Nazi and brought into a conzentration camp near Spanish border. In August 1943 also Leon Abramowicz was finally arrested with a raid, he came into a field camp with Toulouse. Both could the escape, over the contact address of a Jewish Refugee komitee, however, found them again to each other. They lived up to release from France hidden in underground.The painter settled after end of war in Paris and 1950 they came back to Vienna.Abramowicz brook to Austria a lot of his works from france years. In the years 1939-1941 Abramowicz closed an important friendship with the famous French painter Pierre Bonnard . This Friendship fertilized the whole work of Abramowicz . Again in the homeland, A. lived very withdrawn, finally he took up as a guest listener of the master school of Professores Josef Dobrowsky and Robin.C.Andersen at the academy of arts to 1956/1957 .
the years in France , friendschip with Bonnard and influence of Cezanne brought for Abramowicz new ideas for his work. He is to be arranged also in the tradition of the painting, which was obligated also Oskar Kokoschka and Anton Faistauer.
Literature: Karl Heinz Ritschel , Monography " Leon Abramowicz. 1889-1978. Ein Maler aus der "verschollenen Generation"", Winter Verlag, Salzburg, 1980; Prof. H.Fuchs "Die Österreichische Maler des 19 und 20 Jahrhunderts", Vienna, 1975
Inscription: signed lower right
Technique: oil on canvas, beautiful original period gold-plated frame
Measurements: unframed w 39 1/3" x h 25 1/2" (100 x 65 cm), framed 46 1/2" x 32 2/3" (118 x 83 cm)
Condition: very good |
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