Israel Abramofsky
Encyclopedia
Israel Abramofsky was a Russian-born artist
, who trained in Paris
and settled in the United States
, known for his landscape works and works depicting Jewish life in Eastern Europe
.
Abramofsky was born in Kiev
, Russia
and left Czarist Russia for Vienna
, Austria
where he first took an interest in art. He lived briefly in Paris and arrived in the United States in 1909. Toledo, Ohio
became his home. He went back to France
in 1914, 1920 and 1925 to study with Jean Paul Laurens and Lucien Simon
in the Julian Academy. In Paris, he saw the works of Chirico, Van Dongen, Delauney, Lhote, Leger, Ozenfant, Dufresne, Dufy, Gris, Modigliani, Segonzac, Gromaire and many others. For his first trip back to Paris from Ohio, he came with a letter of introduction from noted Toledo mayor Brand Whitlock
.
His works have been represented in collections of the Luxembourg Museum, the Museum in Israel, the Brooklyn Museum
, in numerous museums in Ohio and many private collections.
In a brief biographical piece, he wrote, "I am unable to classify myself, except I hope that I am a part of the twentieth century. I do feel that my Jewish types reflect the tradition and beliefs that . . . have kept them separate as a people since Abraham."
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, who trained in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and settled in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, known for his landscape works and works depicting Jewish life in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
.
Abramofsky was born in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and left Czarist Russia for Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
where he first took an interest in art. He lived briefly in Paris and arrived in the United States in 1909. Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
became his home. He went back to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1914, 1920 and 1925 to study with Jean Paul Laurens and Lucien Simon
Lucien Simon
Lucien J. Simon was a French painter and teacher born in Paris.After graduating from the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, he studied painting at the studio of Jules Didier, then from 1880 to 1883 at l’Académie Julian....
in the Julian Academy. In Paris, he saw the works of Chirico, Van Dongen, Delauney, Lhote, Leger, Ozenfant, Dufresne, Dufy, Gris, Modigliani, Segonzac, Gromaire and many others. For his first trip back to Paris from Ohio, he came with a letter of introduction from noted Toledo mayor Brand Whitlock
Brand Whitlock
Brand Whitlock , an American municipal reformer, diplomat, journalist, and author. Born Joseph Brand Whitlock at Urbana, Ohio, son of the Rev. Elias and Mollie Lavinia Whitlock, he was educated in the public schools and by private tutors. He also studied law under Senator J. M...
.
His works have been represented in collections of the Luxembourg Museum, the Museum in Israel, the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
, in numerous museums in Ohio and many private collections.
In a brief biographical piece, he wrote, "I am unable to classify myself, except I hope that I am a part of the twentieth century. I do feel that my Jewish types reflect the tradition and beliefs that . . . have kept them separate as a people since Abraham."
Exhibitions
- "Retrospective Exhibition of the Drawings and Paintings of Toledo's I. Abramovsky, March 8–19, 1966, Jewish Community Center, Toledo, Ohio
- I. Abramofsky, Exhibition and Sale, March 28 through April 4, 1976, Temple Shomer Emunim, Sylvania, Ohio