Jacques Zucker (1900-1981)
Title: Street Scene
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 55 × 46 cm, 74.5 × 65 cm (with frame)
Signature: signed in red, l.d.: J. Zucker
Condition: very good, canvas stretched on original loom, framed in stylish frame
Jakub Zucker, born in Radom, Poland in 1900 and also known as Jacques Zucker, was a prominent painter, illustrator and writer.
At the age of 13, Zucker fled to Palestine and after 1913 attended the Bezalel School of Fine Arts there. In 1925 he moved to Paris, where he studied at the Academie Julian and Colarossi. Beginning in 1927, he exhibited his works at the Autumn Salon and des Tuileries. After World War II, he moved to New York, where he continued his artistic career, creating genre scenes related to Jewish folklore, landscapes, portraits and still lifes.
During World War I, Zucker joined the British Jewish Brigade, fighting for the liberation of Palestine. After the war, in 1922, he emigrated to the United States, where he continued his artistic career, gaining recognition for his landscapes, portraits and figurative compositions, often referencing Jewish themes.
Zucker was highly regarded for his expressionistic style, inspired by German and Austrian Expressionists such as Oskar Kokoschka and Ludwig Kirchner, as well as the landscapes of Chaim Soutine and French painters such as Vuillard and Bonnard. His work has been exhibited in major galleries and museums in the United States and Europe, and his works are in the collections of many prestigious institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
Zucker's artistic credo is best expressed in his own words: "I don't paint for money, nor out of a sense of duty, nor to succeed and gain fame. I paint for the glory of God, in gratitude for all the graces He has bestowed on me. I paint for myself, because art is the surest way to freedom, an escape from life's problems."
Zucker died in New York in 1981, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy that continues to inspire generations to come.
Today, Zucker's paintings are in private and museum collections around the world, and his work is gaining market prominence.
