Introduction
Léon Zack (1892 – 1980) Born into a Jewish family in Nijni-Novgorod in Russia he settled in France in about 1924. He was a figurative and later abstract painter and sculptor. He has been described as a School of Paris painter.
Description
Léon Zack was born in Nijni-Novgorod in Russia on 12 July 1892. He was painting at the age of 13 and exhibiting his work by 15 being a pupil of Jakimchenko from 1905 to 1907. He first studied literature at Moscow University in addition to studying painting. After studying under the post impressionist Machloff and settled in France in about 1924 after spending time in Italy and Germany. Whilst in Germany he designed for the ballet creating costumes and sets for the Ballets Romantiques Russes. He was an illustrator, painter, designer and sculptor. He has been described a School of Paris painter.
In 1926 he had his first one-man show in Paris painting figures including harlequins and gypsies until he became a Frenchman in 1938. He lived at Villefranche-sur-Mer during World War II. By 1947 he was back in Paris and designing sets again for the Opéra-Comique and around this time his work ceased to be figurative. He designed stained glass windows including Notre Dame des Pauvres at Issy-les-Moulineaux. At the end of his life he lived on the outskirts of Paris and died in Vanves on 30 March 1980.
Zack has work in British National collections including the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia.