Zygmunt Menkes (1896 Lvov - 1986 Riverdale), Woman with a shell, circa 1930.

oil, canvas, 81 × 65 cm
Signature p. med: "Menkes"
On the loom, a paper sticker with a description of the work; the stamp of the Lucien Lefebvre- -Foinet warehouse in Paris and a fragment of an unpreserved inventory sticker

"The color in Menkes' paintings has an extraordinary quality. Only he alone could give these works exceptional value, were it not for the fact that also their drawing has the same qualities. His color is strong, firm, worked out to the peak of artistic mastery. The artist tries to bring out as much richness as possible - sparingly, by the way, but deep and with infinite nuances. He contrasts the serene planes, where color plays an intimate, personal role, with the vibrations of nervous plans, jagged with violent flashes. In these parts, the passion of painting gives its vent, without losing, however, never moderation. The basis of Menkes' paintings is usually the same color palette. But how many different color games in it! From light and transparent tones to the darkest shades. These games of colors and contrasts bring out the light, which does not come from outside or is not accentuated too explicitly. It is born already in the color. It is rhythmic and in tune with the vibration and temperature of the image. From these two elements - color and light - Menkes creates nervous textures, planes sculpted by shadow and light, which, as it were, model forms enough to embed them in the composition of the painting; forms that always conform to the rhythm imposed by the painter. Controlling this rhythm in the resulting compositions seems to be a particular concern of the artist. Red is often present on Menkes' palette - a strong, royal, hot, sensual red; rare, sophisticated greens with studied browns and velvety black. The uniformity that emanates from Menkes' paintings derives from the subordination of all elements of the work to the same guiding idea or the same artistic vision. For the artist, faithful to his intention, translates it into visual language by selecting only such elements of it as are indispensable to him. He then juxtaposes them in two ways: according to the lyrical order, which he draws from his own sensitivity and imagination ora subordinate them to the composition of the whole picture." E.Teriade, "Menkes", Edition "Le triangle", Paris, 1932, [in:] "Sigmund Menkes 1896-1986", New York, 1993, pp. 17-18