Ludwik KLIMEK (1912-1992), On the beach
sanguine, pastel, paper
52 x 35 cm
Signed p. d.: Klimek
Ludwik KLIMEK (1912-1992) came from a large family, his father owned a colonial goods store in Skoczow, Cieszyn county. After graduating from high school in Cieszyn, Ludwik Klimek studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. In the spring of 1939 he received a scholarship and went to Paris, where he often went to the Louvre and admired the works of the masters of European painting - Titian, Goya, Poussin and Rubens. Upon hearing of the September campaign, he decided to stay in Paris. After the Wehrmacht occupied the French capital, he took refuge in Aix-en-Provence. After 1947, he moved to the Gulf of Lions and lived in Menton. In 1951, in Vallauris, he met Pablo Picasso, who lived and worked there from 1948 to 1955. He also lived for many years on friendly terms with Marc Chagall. Together with Henri Matiss, who lived in Vence, he founded in 1951 and ran the Biennale Internationale d'Art de Menton, where he exhibited his paintings. His works were awarded a silver medal in 1951 and 1953. He painted some 3,000 paintings - most of which were sold to private collections.
