Robert Rafaelovich FALK
1886–1958, Russia

Falk spent ten years in France, from 1928 to 1938, \\\"in order to study the classical heritage\\\" as he declared in an official form he had to fill in for the authorities. While there he took part in numerous exhibitions, culminating in a personal exhibition at the Galerie Van Leer, but was always struggling with poverty. In Paris he lived in a studio that was cold in winter and hot in summer, surrounded by factories and the constant noise of lorries making deliveries. By 1934 the economic crisis in Europe was such that many artists had left Paris altogether and Falk was able to take on another studio in the Rue de la Pompe near the Bois de Boulogne. He wrote to his mother that such places were now affordable to \\\"us proletarian artists, who previously would not have dared stick our noses into the area\\\". Later in the year he was in Bretagne, at La Finistere, from where he wrote \\\".this is one of the most dangerous areas of Europe. Everything is full of a wild romanticism and painterliness, and also I have never managed to settle anywhere else as well and as cheaply as here.\\\"
Falk was to fall from favour during the Socialist Realist years, with him being perceived as an aloof, intellectual artist and in 1946 was criticised as a result of the first Zhdanov decree, after which he was not allowed to exhibit and it became dangerous to associate with him. Indomitably he continued to work and exhibit in private and during the last years of his life he became a major influence on the emerging generation of non-conformist artists. An exhibition of his work was held at the State Russian Museum in 1972.
Best known for his Cezannistic style, Falk is much loved by many contemporary painters in Russia whose teacher he was, and therefore linked them with masters of the previous generation.

Source: Stockholms Auktionsverk, Stockholm Sweden