Moïse Kisling

Moïse Kisling is a Polish painter born in Krakow, January 22, 1891, in a modest Jewish family. His father wanted him to have a career as an engineer. But at the age of fifteen he left college for the School of Fine Arts in Krakow.

Encouraged by his teacher Józef Pankiewicz he went to Paris in 1910, and settled in the district of Montmartre, then Montparnasse. He enlisted in the Foreign Legion during the First World War. In 1915, he obtained French nationality because he was seriously injured during the battle of Artois.

Moïse Kisling is very active within the artistic community of Montparnasse. He was particularly friends with Amedeo Modigliani who painted his portrait in 1916. He married Renée Gros, daughter of the Commander of the Republican Guard in 1917. Modigliani also painted the portrait of Madame Kisling that same year. The work is on display in Washington at the National Gallery of Art. Moïse also painted many portraits of Modigliani, before his death in 1921, as well as Kiki de Montparnasse, whom he would represent in his work on numerous occasions.

He took refuge in Lisbon and then in New York during World War II to escape Nazi anti-Semitic persecution. In 1943, he met the actress Michèle Morgan in Los Angeles, of whom he then painted a portrait, developing in the latter an interest in painting.

Moïse Kisling represents a lot of female nudes and as well as portraits which will make his great fame.

Its exhibitions:

• From 14 to 29 November 1934: Paris, Galerie Jean Pascaud, with Jacques Henri Lartigue, Paul Colin, Marie Laurencin, Henri Lebasque and Marcel Roche.
• From April 20 to July 7, 2019: “Kisling, Grande Figure de l’École de Paris“, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan.