Eugene ZAK (1884-1926), Idyll, circa 1920.

oil, paper pasted on cardboard; 48.5 x 66 cm;
Signed p. d.: Eug. Zak
As early as 1902, he left for Paris, beginning his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts there, and a year later he traveled around Europe. The opportunity to study in depth in the Paris art galleries of, among others, Nicolas Poussin or Antoine Watteau, their idyllic scenes set in magnificent landscapes, as well as the opportunity to see with his own eyes the full fresh views of Brittany or the magnificent landscapes in the Mediterranean countries, and experience the peaceful, slow lifestyle there, resulted in a series of idyllic landscapes. Eugene Zak is considered one of the first artists to return to this theme in the 20th century. In his paintings he delights in tranquility and limited dynamism. In them you can most often see couples of lovers cuddling in nature, mothers with children, wanderers contemplating the grandeur of nature.
In 1925, American critic B. J. Kospoth wrote about Zak's work this way: "Its most striking feature is its marvelous decorative quality. Zak's paintings are painted not to be hung in museums, but to beautify the rooms where people live. In the twilight of dormant apartments, their brilliant colors vibrate like the strings of a harp. There is something of the fresco technique of the old masters in them."
The painting on offer was probably created around 1920 and is a more monochromatic version of a work currently in the National Museum in Kielce (Idyll, oil, canvas;
83.5 x 114.5 cm; signed l. d.: Eug. Zak)