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PINCHAS LITVINOVSKY

(1893 - 1985)

THE ROOT OF LIFE

ABOUT PINCHAS LITVINOVSKY
Pinchas Litvinovsky was born in Ukraine and studied Torah in the traditional "heder" school. In 1912, he met Professor Schatz from Jerusalem who invited Litvinovsky to Jerusalem for studies at the Bezalel School of Art. Arriving in Jerusalem in 1919, following the Russian revolution, Litvinovsky became a prolific artist and appeared in all major exhibitions of the late 1920s and 1930s.

Developing his own artistic style, Litvinovsky remained a solitary artist true to his own values - with sometimes excessive honesty and occasional irony.
In 1944, the Bezalel Museum hosted a comprehensive one-man show for Litvinovsky. The Ha'aretz writer, Dr. Gamzu, wrote at the time: "We are bold to say that Litvinovsky is the best colorist of the Eretz Israel painters."

A retrospective exhibition of 250 Litvinovsky's works, was held in the home of Helena Rubinstein in 1960.
Litvinovsky completed a series of stormy paintings - "The Root of Life" - depicting his view of life and the creative process which he considered the highest value. Litvinovsky refused to recognize the monetary value of art, calling it a form of prostitution. He was fond of giving away his works to friends and acquaintances, and there were many in all walks of life.

Litvinovsky painted famous personalities including Bialik, Tchernichovski, Ben-Gurion, Dizengoff, Golda Meir, President John F. Kennedy, and many others.

Mayanot Gallery held a one-man exhibition for Litvinovsky in September 1990

Although he gained fame and recognition both in Israel and abroad, Litvinovsky remained true to his style and to Jerusalem. He received the prestigious awards "Yakir Jerusalem" and the Israel Prize.


In 1986, to commemorate the first anniversary of Litvinovsky's death, the Knesset held an exhibition of his works. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem held a comprehensive one-man show of Litvinovsky's works in 1990.


In 1998, the Litvinovsky Foundation and Carta Publishing Company, Jerusalem, published a book with 253 color pages of Litvinovsky's works plus with his complete biography in both English and Hebrew.
  

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