Reuven Rubin
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Reuven Rubin (November 13, 1893 - 1974) was a Romanian-born Israeli painter.
[edit] Biography
Rubin was born as Reuven Zelicovici in Galaţi, and studied art in Paris. In 1912 he immigrated to Ottoman-ruled Palestine, and attempted to study at Bezalel Academy of Art. He found himself, however, at odds with the artistic views of the academy's teachers and returned to Paris and then to Romania, where he lived between 1916 and 1919.
Between 1920 and 1922 he lived in New York City. There, he met Alfred Stieglitz, who supported him and helped him present his first one-man show at the Anderson Gallery in 1920.
By 1922, Rubin returned to Palestine, attempting to create a new, original, Eretz-Yisraeili style. Recurring themes in his work were the Palestinian/Israeli landscape, its folklore and population. Rubin was heavily by the work of Henri Rousseau and sought to fuse Rousseau's style with Eastern nuances. In accordance with his integrative style, he signed his works with his first name in Hebrew and his surname in Roman letters.
In 1924 he became the first artist to have a solo exhibition at the Tower of David, in Jerusalem. In that same year he also became the chairman of the Association of Painters and Sculptors of Palestine.
During the 1920s and onwards Rubin also designed theatrical scenery for Habima Theater and other Tel Aviv theatres, such as the Ohel Theater. In 1948 he was appointed as the first Israeli ambassador to his native Romania. He served in this position until 1950. He died in Caesarea.
In 1973 he won the Israel Prize for fine arts. His biography, published in 1969, is titled My Life - My Art.
[edit] External links
- Rubin Museum (Israel)
- Rubin at the Art Cyclopaedia
- Reuven Rubin's "Goldfish Vendor" by Carmela Rubin
- Reuven Rubin from the Jewish Virtual Library
- Reuven Rubin Auctions From israeli art auctioneer hammersite.com.
