Isaac Frenkel
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Yitzhak Frenkel (; 1899–1981), also known as Isaac Frenkel or Alexandre Frenel, was an Israeli painter, sculptor and teacher. He was one of the leading Jewish artists of the l’École de Paris and its chief practitioner in Israel, gaining international recognition during his lifetime. Frenkel is considered the father of modern Israeli art. He is accredited with bringing the influence of the l’École de Paris to Israel, which until then was dominated by
Orientalism In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle ...
. Throughout his life he lived and worked in Portugal, South Africa, France,
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
and Israel (especially in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
and
Safed Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...
). He died in Tel Aviv in 1981 and was buried in
Safed Old Jewish Cemetery Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortified town in the Upper Galil ...
.


Early life


Odessa

Yitzhak Frenkel was born in
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
,
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
to a Jewish family. He was a great-grandson of Rabbi
Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev (Levi Yitzchok Derbarmdiger (compassionate in Yiddish) or Rosakov) (1740–1809), also known as the holy Berdichever, and the Kedushas Levi, was a Hasidic master and Jewish leader. He was the rabbi of Ryczywół, ...
. In his youth he studied in a yeshiva where he met Chaim Glicksberg. As a child he lived right next to Bialik's and Rawnitzki's publishing house "Moriah". In 1917, he studied under
Aleksandra Ekster Aleksandra Aleksandrovna Ekster (née Grigorovich; ; ; 18 January 1882 – 17 March 1949), also known as Alexandra Exter, was a Russian and French painter and designer. As a young woman, her studio in Kiev attracted all the city's creative lum ...
, an influential constructivist, cubist and futurist teacher and painter at the Fine Arts Academy in Odessa, one of the leading art schools in the Tsarist Russia. His early years in Odessa were characterized by famine, pogroms, war and factional fighting in the Russian Empire, prompting him to explore Utopian themes, the
classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...
and deepen his studies in the
Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
,
Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
and
Gemara The Gemara (also transliterated Gemarah, or in Yiddish Gemore) is an essential component of the Talmud, comprising a collection of rabbinical analyses and commentaries on the Mishnah and presented in 63 books. The term is derived from the Aram ...
. These themes were incorporated in his future art.


Early influence on his Art

Frenkel was also influenced by the paintings of the abstract musicalists shown in Odessa in 1917. Their symphonies of blue along with the musical nature of their colourful art were heavily present in Frenkel's later works. They took hold in Frenkel's attempts to express his deep feelings in his encounter with mystical Safed, their influence expresses itself in the painter's wandering blue strokes. The avant-garde art of Odessa and Russian in general would also manifest itself in some of Frenkel's works his thought and his early cubist and abstract art. Frenkel
immigrated Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...
to
Mandate Palestine The Mandate for Palestine was a League of Nations mandate for British administration of the territories of Palestine and Transjordanwhich had been part of the Ottoman Empire for four centuriesfollowing the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in Wo ...
in 1919 with the first wave of settlers of the Third Aliyah, on board the SS. Ruslan.


First period in Mandatory Palestine

In 1920, Frenkel pursued several artistic endeavors. He established the Ha-Tomer artists' cooperative along with the art patron Jacob Pereman, the painters Judith and Joseph Konstantinovsky Had Gadya and the sculptor Lev Halperin. Furthermore, he opened a small artists' studio in the carpentry of the
Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium The Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium (, also known as ''Gymnasia Herzliya''), originally known as HaGymnasia HaIvrit (lit. Hebrew High School) is a historic high school in Tel Aviv, Israel, whose faculty and alumni includes many people influential in t ...
, whence he taught painting and sculpture. Having heard of
Safed Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...
on the SS Ruslan from refugees from Safed as well as envoys of the
Yishuv The Yishuv (), HaYishuv Ha'ivri (), or HaYishuv HaYehudi Be'Eretz Yisra'el () was the community of Jews residing in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The term came into use in the 1880s, when there were about 2 ...
, Frenkel visited the city for the first time in 1920. Safed would become a major theme in Frenkel's art as well as a source of inspiration and later his home. The battle of Tel Hai in 1920, prompted the quick gathering of young Jews to assist
Joseph Trumpeldor Joseph Vladimirovich (Volfovich) Trumpeldor (, ; , ; November 21, 1880 – March 1, 1920) was a Russian Zionist activist who helped organize the Zion Mule Corps and bring Jewish immigrants to Palestine. He was killed while defending the settlem ...
and his company. However, they had arrived to late. Frenkel sketched and later painted the aftermath of the battle. Later that year, he exhibited in
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
, accompanied by Judith and
Joseph Constant Joseph Constant (born Joseph Constantinovsky, 14 July 1892 – 3 October 1969) was a Franco-Russian Israeli sculptor, painter and writer of Jewish origin. As a sculptor, he adopted the name "Joseph Constant", as a writer he used the pseudonym " ...
. Due to economic hardship and dissatisfaction from the lack of appreciation toward modern art in the Yishuv, Frenkel left for France.


Formation in Paris


Frenkel and the École de Paris

Frenkel then studied in Paris at the
École des Beaux-Arts ; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...
and at the
Académie de la Grande Chaumière The Académie de la Grande Chaumière () is an art school in the Montparnasse district of Paris, France. History The school was founded in 1904 by the Catalan painter Claudio Castelucho on the rue de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, near the A ...
Alexandre Frenel (Isaac Frenkel aka) - Odessa - 1899 - Tel Aviv - 1981
/ref> at the studios of the sculptor
Antoine Bourdelle Antoine Bourdelle (; 30 October 1861 – 1 October 1929), born Émile Antoine Bordelles, was an influential and prolific French sculptor and teacher. He was a student of Auguste Rodin, a teacher of Giacometti and Henri Matisse, and an important ...
and painter
Henri Matisse Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual arts, visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a drawing, draughtsman, printmaking, printmaker, ...
. At the time his painting were abstract. Towards the end of 1920, he traveled to Egypt where he showcased his works in an exhibition before returning to Paris. Frenkel arrived in Paris just a few months after the death of Modigliani. Frenkel's time in Paris was crucial in the formation of the young artist. Frenkel's expressionistic style developed greatly during this period. His early days in Paris were characterized by poverty and hunger. He was evicted from his room and forced to live in the streets and under the bridges, leading a life seeking only art and basic necessities. At last he received a living stipend/scholarship from Wormser, an aid to the Baron de Rothschild lifting him from poverty. He lived in
Montparnasse Montparnasse () is an area in the south of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail. It is split betwee ...
and exhibited his work with his contemporaries and friends, Chaim Soutine,
Michel Kikoine Michel Kikoïne (; , ''Michail Kikóin''; 31 May 1892 – 4 November 1968) was a Lithuanian Jewish-French painter who belonged to the Ecole de Paris art movement. Life Kikoine was born in Rechytsa, present-day Belarus. The son of a Jewish b ...
,
Jules Pascin Julius Mordecai Pincas (March 31, 1885 – June 2, 1930), known as Pascin (, erroneously or ), Jules Pascin, also known as the "Prince of Montparnasse", was a Bulgarian artist of the School of Paris, known for his paintings and drawings. He ...
, Streling, Kostia Terechkovitch along with other Jewish artists of the
École de Paris The School of Paris (, ) refers to the French and émigré artists who worked in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. The School of Paris was not a single art movement or institution, but refers to the importance of Paris as a centre o ...
. He would also spend time in
La Ruche ''La Ruche'' may refer to: * ''La Ruche'' (residence), artists' residence in Paris * ''La Ruche'' (school), early 1900s anarchist school outside Paris See also * Beehive (disambiguation) {{dab ...
in Montparnasse where he would meet other painters of the era. Frenkel would participate in long sessions with his fellow Jewish artists; he described thus their art: "members of the minority characterized by restlessness whose expressionism is therefore extreme in its emotionalism". In this period he also created abstract modernist works that were characteristic of the
avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...
trends in the French capital.


Exhibitions and recognition

He exhibited at the
Salon des Indépendants Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name i ...
alongside other artists of the time such as Soutine. They were both noticed by art critic Waldermar George. Waldermar George told Frenkel during the time "Do not return to Palestine, they will eat you there" (Frenkel would return in 1925). In 1924, the Dutch painter
Piet Mondrian Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), known after 1911 as Piet Mondrian (, , ), was a Dutch Painting, painter and Theory of art, art theoretician who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He w ...
acquired two of his abstract paintings for an English collector. He also exhibited at the Salon d'Automne, and the Salon des Arts Sacrés. "''Remarkable in every respect: Picasso, Braque, Leger... and among the youngsters, Soutine, Frenel and Mane Katz''"


Revolutionary of modern art in the Jewish Yishuv


Art Pioneer

Frenkel returned to Palestine in 1925, where he revolutionized the visual arts. He opened the Histadrut Art School in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
, the first studio of modern art in mandatory Palestine. He was considered extreme in his artistic orientations by his contemporaries. At the time Palestine, isolated from new developments in European art and seeking to adhere to religious-nationalistic work in the
Art-Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and fl ...
Style; saw art that was not at pace with art of European Capitals and deeply influenced by
Orientalism In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle ...
. Frenkel's style was closer to the abstract and cubist painting of Paris than the
orientalism In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle ...
popular in Palestine at that time. He was one of the country's first abstract painters. Frenkel did not demand even one grush from his students for his teaching. His students included
Shimshon Holzman Shimshon Holzman (variant name: Shimson Holzman; ; 1907–1986) was an Israeli landscape and figurative painter. He is known worldwide for his water color paintings. Background Holzman was born in 1907, in Sambir, Galicia (Central Europe), Galic ...
,
Mordechai Levanon Mordechai Levanon (; 1901 - 1968) was an Israeli painter. He was one of the foremost Israeli landscape painters. He was the winner of the Dizengoff prize in 1940 and 1961. He was enchanted by Erez Israel's light, and the cities of Safed and Jeru ...
, David Hendler,
Joseph Kossonogi Joseph Kossonogi (; 1908–1981) (also Yosef Kossonogy) was an Israeli painter. Biography Joseph Kossonogi was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1908. After studies at the Berlin Academy of Art and advanced studies in France, the Netherlands, Italy ...
, Genia Berger and Siona Tagger. He was a mentor to
Bezalel In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel (, ''Bəṣalʼēl''), was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant, assisted by Oholiab. The section in chapter 31 descr ...
students
Avigdor Stematsky Avigdor Stematsky (; 1908–1989) was a Russian-born Israeli painter. He is considered one of the pioneers of Israeli abstract art. Biography Stematsky was born in 1908 in Odessa, Russian Empire (now Odesa, Ukraine). He studied under Isaac Frenk ...
, Yehezkel Streichman,
Moshe Castel Moshe Castel (; 1909 – December 12, 1991) was an Israelis, Israeli painter. Biography Moshe Elazar Castel born in Jerusalem, History of Palestine#Ottoman period, Ottoman Palestine, in 1909, to Rabbi Yehuda Castel and his wife Rachel. The ...
, and
Arie Aroch Arie Aroch (; born 1908, in Russia – October 15, 1974, in Israel) was an Israeli painter and diplomat born in Kharkiv, now Ukraine and then part of the Russian Empire. Aroch's work was a mixture of Pop Art and abstract art, along with element ...
. Several of his students (Such as Moshe Castel and others) included Bezalel art students who would visit Tel Aviv in order to absorb the "maestero's" teachings. Frenkel revealed to his students the principles of French painting and weaned them away from the academic influence of the School Of Munich as well as the Russian schools of which he himself was originally perhaps a part of.


Style and Thoughts: The first Abstract painter

Frenkel's Parisian expressionism and modern French influence also influenced him as a teacher. Those who studied under him absorbed French influence and went to study in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s. Frenkel taught his students about Cézanne and
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artwork ...
and techniques he had learned in France. as well as Post-Impressionism. Which as of yet unknown. Frenkel had a pivotal role in propelling the art and cultural scene into modern trends. He taught his students the principles of color, texture and composition. He exposed his students to Jewish Expressionism as well as the intellectual basis and techniques of French art. On the Jewish School of Paris, he said "Like Jewish baroque, penetrating French romanticism, like Delacroix's" In response to Jerusalem's conservative Bezalel's exhibitions, Frenkel's Tel-Aviv
art studio A studio is a space set aside for creative work of any kind, including art, dance, music and theater. The word ''studio'' is derived from the , from , from ''studere'', meaning to study or zeal. Types Art The studio of any artist, esp ...
in 1926, exhibited at the "Ohel" theater in the "Modern Artists" exhibition. Frenkel too exhibited, showing geometric compositions alongside landscape paintings. These were the first abstract paintings shown in the country. Frenkel and his students were described as "Modern Artists". Frenkel's work and studio was one of the major factors in the cultural shift in importance in respect to Jewish art, from
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
to
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
. Upon his return home, Frenkel was struck by the gap between Paris, and the art of the Jewish
Yishuv The Yishuv (), HaYishuv Ha'ivri (), or HaYishuv HaYehudi Be'Eretz Yisra'el () was the community of Jews residing in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The term came into use in the 1880s, when there were about 2 ...
. He felt that he could not express the pioneers' struggle for survival in
abstract art Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a Composition (visual arts), composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. ''Abstract art'', ''non-figurative art'', ''non- ...
. Frenkel said "The intellectuals here turned to agriculture and road building. I wanted to plant a seed in this unsown land. It is impossible to imitate Israeli art; it must grow organically from the land". Furthermore, Frenkel in his rencounter with the mystical city of
Safed Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...
, one of the great subjects of his art, feeling thus: "''To paint here, is possible only through the direct contact with the landscape, like Russian songs attached to the Volga''".


Second Parisian Period

Following the
great depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, the economic situation brought about the closure of the Histadrut art studio, following which Frenkel had to leave the Yishuv in search of better economic prospects. Between 1929 and 1934 Frenkel returned to Paris. During Frenkel created several frescos, an art he would continue endeavoring most of his life. In order to complement his dull income, Frenkel worked in French movie sets, creating decorative pieces and designing sets for
Pathé Pathé SAS (; styled as PATHÉ!) is a French major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas and television networks across Europe. It is the name of a network of Fren ...
as well as theatres. In reaction to European events, the Ecole de Paris artists including Frenkel returned to paint in a more humanist style, in light of this Frenkel began to paint in a more realistic style. Furthermore, the subjects of his painting turned more frequently to human centered themes and less of the abstract exploration of the previous decade. Sensing the growing
anti-Semitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
, Frenkel left Europe in 1934, returning to
Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine. After ...
.


Safed and Tel Aviv, 1930s, 40s


Safed

Reminiscent of his early encounter of
Safed Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...
in 1920. In 1934, he made Safed his home, becoming the first artist to settle in the ancient holy city, 14 years before the "
Artists' Colony Art colonies are organic congregations of artists in towns, villages and rural areas, who are often drawn to areas of natural beauty, the prior existence of other artists, art schools there, or a lower cost of living. They are typically mission- ...
" was formally established. There he painted the ancient synagogues, narrow lanes, local inhabitants and surrounding countryside.A house in Safed
/ref> He first encountered Safed after his Aliya to
Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine. After ...
in 1919, the ancient city left a deep impression on the young artist. Frenkel was entranced and mystified by the city's colours, its shades of blue, the chants of prayer and the alleyways. Frenkel romanticized the city and its landscapes. This is evident in his portrayal of Safed, mystic and spiritual, things unseen and hidden from the naked eye which the artist attempts to reveal. Frenkel, found in Safed a spirituality and inspiration that was harder to find elsewhere. According to Keehanski, in Safed, Frenkel felt he could connect with the long history of the Jewish people. Frenkel painted the ancient synagogues, narrow lanes, rabbis and their students, scenes of Jewish life, local residents and the landscape of
Mount Meron Mount Meron (, ''Har Meron'', renamed after ancient Meiron; , ''Jabal al-Jarmaq'') is a mountain in the Upper Galilee region of Israel. It has special significance in Jewish religious tradition and parts of it have been declared a nature reserv ...
. Safed would remain a major theme of Frenkel's art, he would paint the houses in slanted forms as though they were dancing. Safed was between dreams and reality in his work. In his
biblical art The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writte ...
, figures from the
Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...
strolled and met in the Safed alleyways or its surrounding landscapes. He painted
Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...
fighting the angel against the backdrop of Safed's mountains. Several of Frenkel's Safed works are full of hot volcanic colors. The sky fiery and trees bent by the power of this creation. Frenkel sought not to explore Safed's reality but the underlying mystery and burning emotionality of the ancient city. Safed's mysticism remained ever present in many of Frenkel's works, even in his later time in France: "''A man cannot escape himself, I am my own eternal violin''".


Late 1930s

During this period, Frenkel frequently moved between Safed, Jerusalem and most frequently Tel Aviv. At first he slept at his friend, Alexander Penn's home until his family finally moved to Tel Aviv in 1936. During that period he mostly abandoned the abstract style. He and Moshe Halevy designed the
Adloyada Adloyada (Hebrew: or , lit. "Until one no longer knows") is a humorous procession held in Israel on the Jewish holiday of Purim (or on Shushan Purim the second day of Purim, commanded to be celebrated in "walled cities", nowadays only in Jeru ...
in which he specifically designed the floats for the "
Adloyada Adloyada (Hebrew: or , lit. "Until one no longer knows") is a humorous procession held in Israel on the Jewish holiday of Purim (or on Shushan Purim the second day of Purim, commanded to be celebrated in "walled cities", nowadays only in Jeru ...
" carnival in Tel Aviv. In 1936 he began designing sets and costumes for the "HaOhel" theater and "HaBima" theater, and painted portraits of famous actors such as
Hanna Rovina Hanna Rovina (‎; 15 September 1888 – 3 February 1980), also Robina, was an Israeli actress. She is often referred to as the "First Lady of Hebrew Theatre". Biography Hana Rovina was born in Byerazino, in the Igumensky Uyezd of the Min ...
who worked there. In 1934, Frenkel published an article on French Art in the art monthly
Gazith Gazith was a monthly magazine for art and literature, which described itself as "a stage for artistic-literary creation and free thought". It was founded by Gabriel Talphir (Yosef Wunderman) in 1931. The monthly was published every month from 1932 ...
, a piece that was highly influential at the time. In 1937, he embarked on a journey, painting Israel from point to point, North to South. He painted Safed,
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, Tel Aviv, the
Negev The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
desert as well as the Galilee. He made 13 exhibitions on the motif of Safed up-to 1950. Several of his landscapes showed the influence of
Corot CoRoT (French: ; English: Convection, Rotation and planetary Transits) was a space telescope mission which operated from 2006 to 2013. The mission's two objectives were to search for extrasolar planets with short orbital periods, particularly t ...
. In 1937, in his eyes, Jerusalem and its soil was brown and hot... Prompting the artist to paint Jerusalem and its hills (as well as Rosh Pina in which he saw a familiar brown) in a
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...
esque light. In similar to fashion to his contemporaries. Frenkel was part of the Bohemian cultural life of Tel Aviv. Frequently sitting in Cafe Sheleg, Cafe Kassit
Cafe Ararat A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargile ...
and other places. He like the other artists and writers such as Alterman, Shlonsky, Castel and others with whom he sat, struggled economically and thus frequented cheaper establishments whence they paid with paintings or other means. Frenkel made several portraits during this time, several of them his friends. These include the writer Avraham Shlonski, the actress Hanna Rubina, the poet Yehuda Karni, the painter Miriam Einsfeld, the director Moshe Halevy and more... Frenkel was also commissioned in the 1930s to decorate the Belgian Pavilion in the
Levant Fair The Levant Fair (Hebrew: יריד המזרח; Yarid HaMizrach) was an international trade fair held in Tel Aviv during the 1920s and 1930s. History Early years One of the early precursors to the Levant Fair, an exhibition titled the "Exhibiti ...
. In 1938, Frenkel reopened a studio in his Tel Aviv home where he taught mostly young students, among these were
Ori Reisman Ori Reisman (; 1924–1991) was an Israeli painter. Biography Ori Reisman was born in kibbutz Tel Yosef and grew up in the British Mandatory Palestine Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Born to Batsheva and Nisan Reisman, He was one of the first Israeli ch ...
, Dadi Ben Yehuda, Claire Yaniv and others. Two of his art works,
Torah Ark A Torah ark (also known as the ''hekhal'', , or ''aron qodesh'', ) is an ornamental chamber in the synagogue that houses the Torah scrolls. History The ark is also known as the ''ark of law'', or in Hebrew the ''Aron Kodesh'' () or ''aron ha-Kod ...
and The Country and its Fruits; were chosen to represent the Jewish Palestine Pavilion in the
1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...
.


1940s

In 1941, Frenkel moved to
kibbutz A kibbutz ( / , ; : kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1910, was Degania Alef, Degania. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economi ...
Giva'at Brenner, there he taught art in the local school, teaching students from Givat Brenner and the nearby kibbutz Hulda. According to his son, Eliezer, in the face of unwilling students he explain his belief that "Anyone can paint, one must only want to". His time in the kibbutz was brief, partly due to the kibbutz' ill treatment of the artist which expressed in the Kibbutz's refusal to allocate the artist storage place for his art or a studio room; as well as his difficult integrating into the kibbutz lifestyle; he promptly returned to Tel Aviv between 1942 and 1943. In 1942 he organized the first art exhibition in Safed, the entrance fee a symbolic one penny, allowing a diverse crowd to attend. In 1943, he embarked on a journey, traveling the Galilea, painting several landscapes, the
Sea of Galilee The Sea of Galilee (, Judeo-Aramaic languages, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ), also called Lake Tiberias, Genezareth Lake or Kinneret, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth ...
, trees as well as the city of
Tiberias Tiberias ( ; , ; ) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Heb ...
. It is said his art was influenced and in dialogue with the work of Camile Corot and
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...
, in his exploration of lighter and darker shades of colour. In 1944, marking 25 years since his aliya. He held a solo exhibition in the
Tel Aviv Museum of Art The Tel Aviv Museum of Art ( ''Muzeon Tel Aviv Leomanut'') is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. The museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of modern and contemporary art both from Israel and around the world. History The Tel Aviv ...
that covered the entire second floor. There he presented different themes, including landscapes as well as grey sketches done in reaction to the events unfolding in Europe. He was heavily criticized by some for the latter who attested that the artist had ought to wait and understand more fully what had occurred. According to his son, Frenkel was critical of Socialist Realist art of the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. He interpreted it as art imposed on Russian artists and contrary to the spirit of the " Artistes Indépendants" of which he was a part.


Government work, Venice Biennale and Safed


Historical Recording, Venice Biennale

In 1948, Frenkel painted the first meeting of the
Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...
as well as the first meeting of the military committee of the IDF. Which was probably intended as a sketch in preparation of a larger painting. He also made portraits of the first 120 MKs (Members of the Knesset), only few were finished or carried out in oil such as Uri Zvi Greenberg's portrait. Whilst Frenkel was commissioned to create a monumental work (8x6 meters), which would have portrayed 150 people including the entire First Knesset, Israel's
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
and
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, diplomats, journalists and other dignitaries. he met severe difficulties and challenges and was offered little government assistance. Following the minister of Education, David Remez's death and the swearing in of the Second Kneeset. The new education minister halted the support to Frenkel's work. Thus the court ordered the removal of Frenkel's work from the space allocated to it, forcing him to abandon the project. He was the first painter chosen by the State of Israel to represent the Jewish State at the
Venice Bienniale Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
. In 1950 he exhibited 7 artworks in the 25th Bienniale of Venice, representing Israel. He represented Israel once again in 1952 in the 26th Biennale. In Venice he received especially positive acclaim by Italian and Spanish art critics and positive attention by others. In 1952 he exhibited again in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. He was recognized as artist of the year by HaOlam HaZeh for 1949 and by
Yedioth Ahronot (, ; lit. "Latest News") is an Israeli daily mass market newspaper published in Tel Aviv. Founded in 1939, is Israel's largest paid newspaper by sales and circulation and has been described as "undoubtedly the country's number-one paper."
for the year 1953 (תשי"ג).


Safed late 1948-1954

In 1949, he would become one of the founders of the "Artists Colony of Safed", also known as the
Artists' Quarter of Safed The Artists' Quarter in Safed, also known as the Artists' Colony, was officially founded after the capture of Safed, in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. With the encouragement of the Safed municipality, a group of artists began to restore ruins in t ...
. He distanced himself from most of the artists of the colony, leading to the colony's resentment of him. With Safed's conquest during the
1948 Palestine war The 1948 Palestine war was fought in the territory of what had been, at the start of the war, British-ruled Mandatory Palestine. During the war, the British withdrew from Palestine, Zionist forces conquered territory and established the Stat ...
, Frenkel painted in relation to the liberation a painting of old Jewish men and women figures, in Safed, standing alone or in groups, whispering or contemplating what had occurred, redemption to them was another chapter in the long history of the Jews. He opened a short lived Academy for Art in his Safed home in 1950. Among other things, Frenkel planned to teach art, the craft of vitrage (stained glass) and more. However, due to financial difficulties, he was soon forced to leave and seek his fortune elsewhere (in South Africa, Portugal and France).


Between France and Israel


South Africa

First having exhibited in South Africa in 1947; In 1953, Frenkel decided that before reaching his final destination (France) he would exhibit once again in South Africa. In South Africa, Frenkel was very well received, especially by the South African Jewish community. Having brought with him a large part of his art collection. he toured the country, exhibiting his work in One-Man exhibitions. In November 1953 he exhibited his work in Coronation Hall,
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
. The exhibition was hosted by the Israeli ambassador S.C.Hyman . He received positive acclaim from art critiques, especially in regards to his paintings describing Jewish subjects and Safed, he was described as a mystical painter. In January 1954, Frenkel exhibited his work in
Muizenberg Muizenberg ( , Dutch for 'mice mountain') is a beach-side town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay coast. It is considered to be the main surfing spo ...
near
Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
. There receiving acclaim for the synthesis of modern art and ancient Jewish subjects. His art was well received for not messaging propaganda and instead focusing on the picturesque and or human subjects of Israel and its attaining of international standard without attempted glorification.
Joseph Sachs Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...
described his art as "volcanic", "religious", "musical", also saying "the artist has recapture...the mystic spirit of Safed- town steeped in Jewish lore", "Frenkel is a master in liberating the spirit imprisoned in the common object". His art was said to be of an international level when in February he exhibited in Greenacre's Exhibition Hall, Cape Town. In May 1954, Frenkel presented in Cape Town
expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
watercolors and pastels of South African landscapes as well as lively colorful sketches of Zulu figures. His art appeared on the cover of Jewish Affairs, in December 1953 and January 1954.


France 1954-1960

In 1954 he returned to France. There he de deepened his understanding of frescos; and studied glasswork, eventually received a commission of 1.5 million Francs from the Baroness Alix de Rothschild to create stained glass windows for a chapel in
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
in the north of France. During the six-year period between 1954 and 1960 he started to sign his works as "''Frenel''"... Frenel explained this as his wishing to Hebraize his name, as well as his irritation at the commonality of the name Frenkel. This along with his windows for a Christian chapel led to rumors and negative coverage in regards to Frenel that he had abandoned Judaism, which were untrue. Frenel continued to exhibit works concerning Safed. His work which combined the established themes of Jewish Parisian Expressionism was commended for transcending the traditional genre with his carefully established harmonious motion and synthetic power in which Frenel emanated his work. Frenel continued to offer a synthesis of Jewish spiritual traditions and French techniques, as well as incorporate into his work his attachment to Jewish mysticism. Furthermore, in reference to his June 1955 exhibition at the Marcel-Bernheim gallery, some of his art was noted to resemble 12th century vitrages and his colour choices as Byzantine. The religious nature of the art caused his subsequent comparison to Rouault by the French press. His work appeared in the cover of Masques et Visages on the 29th of June 1955. Frenel reflected that his continued delving into Jewish subjects such as a man carrying the Torah Scroll, rabbis, wailing and more was heavily influenced by his childhood and his mother's teaching in regards to the tragedies that befell the Jewish people and the traditions of his culture and religion. Frenel's distinctive art gained him a reputation for uniqueness while still adhering to the
Ecole de Paris The School of Paris (, ) refers to the French and émigré artists who worked in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. The School of Paris was not a single art movement or institution, but refers to the importance of Paris as a centre o ...
movement. Frenel continued the bohemian tradition of sitting different Cafes, frequenting the Café
Le Select Le Select is a Parisian brasserie founded in 1923 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, 6th arrondissement at 99 Boulevard Montparnasse, in the Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Paris, Notre-Dame-des-Champs neighborhood. It was one of the more prominent meeting ...
and other locations, where the local intellectuals and the interested would gather and strike up conversations. Frenel participated and received positive acclaim in the 1955,1956 Salon Des Independents, Salon d'Autumne as well as the Sixth Salon d'Art Sacré in 1956. He exposed his art as part of an official French delegation in an exhibition at
Galeries Lafayette Galeries Lafayette () is an upmarket French department store chain, the biggest in Europe. Its flagship store is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris but it now operates a number of locations in France and other countries ...
in London in 1956. In 1956 he was the only Israeli painter included in the Encyclopedia of Painting: paintings and painters of the World from prehistoric times to the present day. Furthermore, Frenel participated in an exhibition of the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme in 1956. Waldemar George, said the following regarding Frenel's very human and emotional art: ''"Frenel's humanity does not lie in a phycological concept that constitutes only art, it resides in a component of the man, who magnifies everything he touches..."'' During this time, the diversity of his art's themes grew. He painted clowns, the circus, sailors, boatmen as well as the landscapes of France, especially the coast of
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
,
Cote d'Azur The French Riviera, known in French as the (; , ; ), is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending fr ...
, Bretagne and Paris. He did several series' of paintings of Venice, where he had exhibited several times. He painted more frequently
still life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, human-m ...
and nature, his art, especially his coloring technique receiving acclaim in several French press journals. The
art critic An art critic is a person who is specialized in analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating art. Their written critiques or reviews contribute to art criticism and they are published in newspapers, magazines, books, exhibition brochures, and catalogue ...
of
Le Figaro () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It was named after Figaro, a character in several plays by polymath Pierre Beaumarchais, Beaumarchais (1732–1799): ''Le Barbier de Séville'', ''The Guilty Mother, La Mère coupable'', ...
, Raymond Coginiat described Frenel's art as musical thus: "The tonal chords are like musical tones and seem to modulate the space". In 1959, the
French Government The Government of France (, ), officially the Government of the French Republic (, ), exercises Executive (government), executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister of France, prime minister, who is the head of government, ...
bought one of Frenel's works "''Port en Méditerranée''"', The Hôtel de Ville of Paris acquired a lithography for 7,500 Francs .


1960s and 1970s

Frenel returned to Israel in 1960 and immediately met great difficulties. The artist whose works by then decorated the walls of museums on several continents had his home in Safed taken from him and converted into a technical school due to false rumours; forcing the painter to petition the
President of Israel The president of the State of Israel (, or ) is the head of state of Israel. The president is mostly, though not entirely, ceremonial; actual executive power is vested in the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet led by the Prime Minister of Israel, pr ...
to aid him in retrieving his home, which succeeded. He showed his work in one-man shows in museums and galleries in Europe, the Americas, South Africa and Asia, returning periodically to Israel. However, being outcast due to false rumours and the antagonism the traditional artistic establishment held toward him, he would be almost unable for a time to exhibit his works in Israel. In one such case, the director of the
Tel Aviv museum The Tel Aviv Museum of Art ( ''Muzeon Tel Aviv Leomanut'') is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. The museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of modern and contemporary art both from Israel and around the world. History The Tel Aviv ...
, Moshe Kaniok refused to answer Frenel when the latter inquired if he could hold an exhibition, not having held one there since 1949. Frenel even published a notice in Israeli news, informing his admirers that he is forced in great regret to move his paintings overseas: ''"Due to reasons out of my control, I cannot properly display some of my most important work to the wider public in Tel Aviv and Haifa (Due to the refusal of the museums) - therefore I am forced to move my work outside the country. To those interested in my work from 1934 onward, refer too..."'' . The rejection by Israeli artists and institutions also reflected in his relative omission from Israeli art history books despite him being at the time the only Israeli painter included in Britannica and other international encyclopedias and despite his historic role. He returned to Paris for most of the year using Tzfat/Safed as his summer home. In Paris living in La Rue Mouffetard, in the 5th arrondissement. Rolly Schaffer was one of his students in Safed. In 1973, his house reopened as a museum, the
Frenkel Frenel Museum Frenkel Frenel Museum is an art museum in the northern Israeli city of Safed. It was also known as Frenkel's Castle in the press. History The museum is in the former home of Franco-Israeli international artist Yitzhak Frenkel. It was opened in ...
, showcasing his work. In July 1979, Frenkel had a one-man show at the
Orangerie An orangery or orangerie is a room or dedicated building, historically where orange and other fruit trees are protected during the winter, as a large form of greenhouse or conservatory. In the modern day an orangery could refer to either ...
in Paris. His
Expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
works pinpoint the expression of inner experience rather than solely realistic portrayal, seeking to depict not objective reality but the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in them. His colours reveal his hidden emotions and express passion and drama. When he paints his wife Ilana, the colours express an erotic explosion. In 1972, he was awarded with the Grand Prix de Paques (nude), Grand Prix de Noel (expressionism) 1972 and in 1972 with the Grand Prix de Deauville and Grand prix International de Peinture de la Côte d’Azur en France Finale. By the late 1970s it is said he had already produced more than 20,000 artworks. In 1979 he had a solo show at the famous "Orangerie" of Paris, in celebration of his 80th birthday; inaugurated by the President of the French Senate,
Alain Poher Alain Émile Louis Marie Poher (; 17 April 1909 – 9 December 1996) was a French politician who served as President of the Senate from 1968 to 1992. In this capacity, he was twice briefly acting President of France, in 1969 and 1974 following t ...
. Frenkel who strove to become in his youth a sculptor saying thus ''"I wanted to be a sculptor, like Michelangelo, but I had problems with the patina", feeling unsatisfied with his sculpture"''; Frenkel would only consistently exhibit sculpture, in particular bronze reliefs, toward the end of his life. Some of these sculptures expressed a rather Jewish pathos. When asked what he thought of new young artists who have left him behind he replied: "Excellent" and added "To my son I said, rebel, civilization is the rebellion of the sons against their parents". In the 1970s, when interviewed by Amnon Barzel, regarding his artistic style he said the following: "''To me, materiality, is important, not of the subject of the colour,, the material that makes the painting. What does the artist do? Takes raw material and turns it a material of which we do not know its elemen''t". Frenel recounted to Barzel his belief in the importance of an artist using his intellect. Regarding his nude paintings, Frenkel said of his art: "''Like Delacroix's, but with Jewish sadness, with love''". He died in 1981 in Tel Aviv and was buried in Safed.


Awards and commemoration

Frenkel won the
Dizengoff Prize The Dizengoff Prize for Painting and Sculpture is awarded annually by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality since 1937. The prize is named after Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv. According to the Tel Aviv municipality, the purpose of the pri ...
for painting four times, in 1938, 1939, 1940 and again in 1948. He took part in the 24th and 25th
Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale ( ; ) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy. There are two main components of the festival, known as the Art Biennale () and the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Architecture Biennale (), ...
s, firstly a pre-independence exhibit and then represented the first time Israel participated. *
Dizengoff Prize The Dizengoff Prize for Painting and Sculpture is awarded annually by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality since 1937. The prize is named after Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv. According to the Tel Aviv municipality, the purpose of the pri ...
(Tel Aviv) 1935;1938;1939;1940;1948 *Beaux-Arts Commission prize (Paris) *Honour Certificate for nude-painting (Venice Biennale) 1948 *1st Prize for Litography-French pavilion-in the International Lithography Exhibition (
Bruxelles Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital ...
Belgium)  1958 *Grand prix de Paques(nude) 1972 *Grand prix de Noel (expressionism) 1972 *Grand prix International de Peinture de la Côte d’Azur en Frande Finale 1973 *Grand prix International de Deauville 1973


Exhibitions

* 1950: ''Venice Biennale'' * 1924:
Salon des Indépendants Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name i ...
, Paris * 1924: Salon d'Automne * 1924: Salon de
Société des Artistes Indépendants The Société des Artistes Indépendants (, ''Society of Independent Artists'') or Salon des Indépendants was formed in Paris on 29 July 1884. The association began with the organization of massive exhibitions in Paris, choosing the slogan "''sa ...
* 1925:
Salon des Indépendants Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name i ...
, Paris * 1950-1964 Romanet Gallery, Paris * 1954
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
-
Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...
- Cape Town * 1957: O'Hana Gallery, London * 1959 Max Bollag Gallery, Zürich * 1962: Gallery of Drap d'Or,
Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
* 1965 - Continental Gallery, New York City * 1967 - LIM Gallery, Tel Aviv * 1969: Stenziel Gallery,
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
* 1970: WESTART Gallery, New York City * 1972: Artistique International Gallery, Nice * 1973: Aqua Vella Gallery,
Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...
* 1973: IBAM gallery, Rio de Janeiro * 1974: Galerie de Seine 38, Paris * 1974: Galerie Karsenty,
Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...
* 1974: GAllery ALTULIDADES,
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
* 1975: Galerie Vendome, Paris "Hommage to Chagall" * 1975: Jean Apesteguy Gallery,
Deauville Deauville () is a communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados department, Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, northwestern France. Major attractions include its port, harbour, Race track, race course, marinas, con ...
* 1975: Museum of Art,
Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
* 1976: Artistes Français * 1977: Israel Linke gallery, Amsterdam * 1977: Gallery Galjoen, Hertogenbosch * 1979: One man Show,
Orangerie An orangery or orangerie is a room or dedicated building, historically where orange and other fruit trees are protected during the winter, as a large form of greenhouse or conservatory. In the modern day an orangery could refer to either ...
, Paris, inaugurated by President of French Senate


Gallery

File:Frenkel Oil.jpg File:Tel Aviv-Yafo (997008137196505171).jpg, Frenkel and
Uri Zvi Greenberg Uri Zvi Greenberg (; September 22, 1896 – May 8, 1981; also spelled Uri Zvi Grinberg) was an Israeli poet, journalist and politician who wrote in Yiddish and Hebrew. Widely regarded among the greatest poets in the country's history, he was a ...
in Tel Aviv


See also

*
Visual arts in Israel Visual arts in Israel or Israeli art refers to visual art or Plastic arts, plastic art created by Israeli artists or Jewish painters in the Yishuv. Visual art in Israel encompasses a wide spectrum of techniques, styles and themes reflecting a ...
*
Beit Castel The Beit Castel gallery (House Of Castel), בית קסטל, is a gallery in the Artists' Colony of Safed (Also known as Tzfat or Zefat). The gallery hosts art of a diverse range of artists from the Artists Quarter of Safed, Artists' Quarter of Saf ...
*
Shimshon Holzman Shimshon Holzman (variant name: Shimson Holzman; ; 1907–1986) was an Israeli landscape and figurative painter. He is known worldwide for his water color paintings. Background Holzman was born in 1907, in Sambir, Galicia (Central Europe), Galic ...
*
Frenkel Frenel Museum Frenkel Frenel Museum is an art museum in the northern Israeli city of Safed. It was also known as Frenkel's Castle in the press. History The museum is in the former home of Franco-Israeli international artist Yitzhak Frenkel. It was opened in ...


References


Further reading

* Barzel, Amnon. ''Isaac Alexander Frenel''. Jerusalem: Massada Press, 1974. * Gumprecht-Linke, S. ''Frenel: École de Paris''. Amsterdam: Israel Galerie Linka, 1977.


External links


Official website
* https://www.frenkelfrenelmuseum.com/
3 artworks by Yitzhak Frenkel
at th
Ben Uri
site {{DEFAULTSORT:Frenkel, Yitzhak 1899 births 1981 deaths Jewish Israeli painters Expressionist painters Ukrainian Jews Israeli Ashkenazi Jews Soviet emigrants to Mandatory Palestine École des Beaux-Arts alumni Alumni of the Académie de la Grande Chaumière 20th-century Israeli painters School of Paris Safed Artists from Tel Aviv Ukrainian abstract painters French abstract painters Israeli abstract painters Israeli cubist artists French cubist artists Ukrainian cubist artists 20th-century French Jews 20th-century French painters 20th-century Ukrainian painters French male painters Israeli modern painters Ukrainian modern painters Jewish School of Paris French Expressionist painters Soviet emigrants Israeli male painters Burials at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Safed