Artists born in Poland
David Seifert - Wolanka (Galicia) - 1896 - Meudon - 1980
David Seifert often goes to an art school in Lvov.
In 1912, he enters the Beaux-Arts of Weimar with Joachim Weingart. The industrialist and patron Carol Kratz discovers his painting and decides to support him during his training years.
He arrives in Paris in 1924 and settles in Montparnasse.
In 1927 for the opening of La Coupole, he makes the pillars paintings with other artists such as George Kars, Marie Vassilieff and Nathan Grunsweigh.
From 1936, David Seifert lives with his wife and son at number 73, street Notre-Dame-Des-Champs in an atelier next to Emile Othon Friesz’s one. In the evening, he spends time with his friends at the Café du Dôme.
On the 15th of July, 1942, the day before the roundup of Jews in the Paris Vélodrome d’Hiver, his friend and neighbour Othon Friesz advises him to flee. Until the Liberation, he puts his son into a Catholic institute in Paris, the college Stanislas, and takes refuge in Sanary with his wife. She is in charge of promoting Seifert’s works. The art dealer Vladimir Raykis who works at the Zak gallery is the regular buyer of David Seifert’s works.
His collectors live in England and South Africa.
In 1960, Seifert settles in a house in the hills of Meudon and will work there until the end of his life.
Nadine Nieszawer, Marie Boyé, Paul Fogel
"Peintres Juifs à Paris 1905-1939 Ecole de Paris"
Editons Denoel 2000
email: expertise@ecoledeparis.org