Figures

“Figures” by famous Israeli painter Pinchas Litvinovsky. The painting is full of symbols and references. Light colors make it more enigmatical. It reminds of the theatrical preformaces and tales with complicated plots about kings, princesses and jesters. The artist was born to a religious family in Ukraine. At the age of 18, he began studying at the Odessa Art school, where he met Boris Schatz - the founder of the School of Art and Design (from 1969 - Bezalel Academy). Young painter was invited to study at the Shatz's School. In 1912, Litvinovsky quited the institution (together with Reuven Rubin), as they disagreed over the basic conceptions of art, style and teaching methods. After leaving the School, he traveled to Russia and studied at The Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. In 1919, he emigrated with his wife to Israel. A short fascination with monochromatism after a trip to Paris in 1929 and acquaintance with the work of J. Rouault was replaced in the late 1930s by the multi-color palette, deep perspective and expressive outlined figures on the abstract background (“Daughters”, 1939; “Mothers”, 1939; works of the 1940–50s, were firstly exhibited at his solo exhibition in Jerusalem in 1960). By the end of his life, Jewish motifs intensified in Litvinovsky's art (a series of prints "Rabbis", 1980). In 1980, Litvinovsky was awarded with the Israel Prize.