The moment your eyes meet Three Women at Tea Time by Itzchak Tarkay, you are drawn into a scene that is both intimate and universal. The bold lines, the vibrant patterns, and the quiet confidence of the women invite contemplation.
Modern Elegance
This captivating oil on canvas work (60 × 76 cm) is signed by Tarkay in the lower right corner. It comes elegantly framed, ready to enhance any refined space. Tarkay’s recognizable style—merging art deco, impressionism, and fauvism—is unmistakable here. The flowing garments, the stylized expressions, and the floral motifs create a harmony that feels luxurious yet approachable.
Tarkay’s women are always more than their surroundings. Here, they seem to speak silently, their expressions frozen in a moment of reflection. Are they friends? Sisters? Strangers with shared stories? The viewer is left to wonder.
Itzchak Tarkay
Born in 1935 in Subotica, Yugoslavia, Tarkay’s early life was marked by struggle. During World War II, as a child, he was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. After the war, his family immigrated to Israel in 1949. He later studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, one of Israel’s most important art institutions.
From these difficult beginnings emerged an artist whose paintings radiate color, elegance, and serenity. His career blossomed in Israel, and later internationally, as collectors were drawn to his unique depictions of women—stylized, strong, contemplative, and mysterious.
An Artistic Language
Tarkay developed a signature style influenced by Matisse and Toulouse-Lautrec, yet entirely his own. His works often show women at leisure: drinking tea, sitting in cafes, lost in thought. The women embody a timeless, universal femininity.
He worked across painting, watercolor, and serigraphy. Through bold patterns, flattened perspective, and rich palettes, Tarkay created compositions that are decorative but also deeply psychological.
Our Gallery
This painting embodies all that Tarkay is celebrated for. The lush teal dress dominates the foreground, its floral patterns radiating across the canvas. The women’s faces, though stylized, invite connection. Their calm presence transforms an ordinary tea scene into a meditation on intimacy and companionship.
For collectors, this work represents not only a beautiful decorative piece but also a chance to own an original canvas by one of Israel’s most beloved modern artists.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. Particularly, we strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. The gallery specializes primarily in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. Besides, Kings Gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.
