Itzhak Tarkay created a world of beautiful discerning ladies. His works can be recognized easily. Thin figures on refined terraces, who sometimes read newspapers and admire amazing views. “Women in the coffee shop” are sitting on a solitary terrace, wallpapers transfer spectators into imaginary forest. Bright colors, magic flowers and fruits create atmosphere of satiety and the sad faces of separately sitting women immerse in melancholy. It is interesting, that even though the painting has vivid colors, the heroines look like as in oblivion. The figurative artist found inspiration in French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, particularly the color sophistication of Matisse and the drawing style of Toulouse-Lautrec. Itzhak Tarkay depicted timeless beauty, suggesting eternal aesthetic values.
Clothes and colors
Also, the clothes of heroines are worthy of a separate mention and accents. For example, in Tarkay’s watercolor work “Women in the room” artist depicted two women wearing multicolor blouses and skirts. Colors influence spectators’ perception of women. The lying in the right part heroine has more cold colors, she seems to be older although their faces look similar.
In “Sidewalk Café” women are sitting in the pairs, but they don’t speak with each other. They lowered the eyes. Newspapers are in front of the heroines. Spectators see the silhouette outside of the window, which also can be an image over the sea view wallpaper. The work is tranquil and serene, as the water in the backdrop.
However,
Tarkay painted “Women in the market” in a different manner. Heroines are not shown dreamy elegant, they are deliberately normal. The background and colors create an oppressive atmosphere. Although shown in bright colors, fruits do not look attractive. Vague images with an accent on grey, brown and dark blue foster a bleak setting.
Please find our selection of works by Itzhak Tarkay, the artist who created the unique aura of cafes and hidden interiors.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. We strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. Especially, the gallery specializes in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. In addition, Kings Gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.
