Henry Epstein, LANDSCAPE WITH HOUSES ON THE LAKE, 1934

60,0 x 72,7cm - oil, canvas signed l.d.: H. Epstein | 1934

On the reverse, on the upper loom strip, inscription (in pencil): M Billien [?] | cadu p[...] 65; on the left loom strip, a sticker referring to the size of the sub-image: 20 F PARIS | B | DÉPOSÉ | 73 x 60



Henryk Epstein (Łódź 1891- Oświęcim 1944) was associated with the Jewish artists' community in Łódź in his youth; he probably took his first drawing and painting lessons at the drawing school of Jakub Kacenbogen. Then (around 1910) he studied for a short period at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. From 1912 he stayed in Paris, where he was still educated at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere. He lived in Montparnasse, in the so-called "La Ruche," associating with a group of artists gathered there. He became friends with, among others, A. Modigliani, Ch. Soutin, M. Chagall, J. Paskin and M. Utrill. Between the wars, he often left Paris and stayed in the French countryside. Since 1921, he exhibited at Parisian Salons - Salon des Independents (1921-1923, 1925,1928), Autumn Salon (1921), Tuileries Salon (1927-1931). In 1944 he was deported from Paris by the Germans to the Drancy camp, and later probably to Auschwitz. He painted landscapes, still lifes, nudes and figural compositions. His earlier works show the influence of Cezanne, while in later works he moved closer to Fauvism and Expressionism. He painted extensively, impastoed, used varied textures and used strong, juicy colors. He was involved in book illustration ("Vagabondages" by G. Coquiot, "Les Rois du maguis" by B. Bernardi). A posthumous exhibition of his works was held in 1946 at Galerie Berri-Raspail in Paris.