Artists born in France
Gabriel Zendel - Paris - 1906 - Paris - 1994
Gabriel Zendel is Polish from his mother Regina Jaskierowitz side. At the age of fourteen he is hired by his father as an aid at the bookshop located avenue Jean-Jaurès where young Zendel installs an easel, at the back of the shop. Very early, his parents encourage him to paint.
In 1925, Zendel enters the Institute of Contemporary Aesthetics located in Notre-Dame-des-Champs street, where Paul Bornet used to teach him some techniques.
The following year, he leaves Paris to do his military service during 18 months in Morocco. Back to Paris, he takes up again his lessons with Paul Bornet who teaches him the techniques of copperplate, wood engraving and printing proofs. He studies during three years and at the same time he is in advertising to earn his living. He travels to Holland and to the North of Italy from where he brings back many drawings.
In 1929, Zendel sells his first work, Montmartre Landscape (Paysage de Montmartre), and gains some fame. The State purchases him a painting at Jean Cassou’s request.
Zendel rarely travels but he draws a lot in Paris surroundings, in Meudon and Chaville.
Once the war is declared, he gets mobilized in a sanitary train. He keeps drawing and sends his works with a view to an exhibition in Amiens but everything disappears when Amiens is razed to the ground.
In December 1939, he marries Agathe Schneider. Demobilized in July, he comes back to Paris, then gets himself arrested but manages to escape and he settles in Cannes where he relentlessly paints.
At the end of the war, he joins back his Parisian atelier.
In 1947, Zendel makes twenty-five drawings for The Circus of Leon Paul Fargue and he considers publishing a book about dance. This project will remain in the early stages.
In 1949, he is in New York on the occasion of an exhibition at the Durand-Ruel gallery and the collector Stephen Clark purchases him a painting. Durand-Ruel will organize several exhibitions of Gabriel Zendel in Paris.
Nadine Nieszawer, Marie Boyé, Paul Fogel
"Peintres Juifs à Paris 1905-1939 Ecole de Paris"
Editons Denoel 2000
email: expertise@ecoledeparis.org