Place: Brăila
Born: 1895
Death: 1971
Biography:
Max Hermann Maxy, also known as M. H. Maxy, was a Romanian painter, art professor, scenographer, and professor of German-Jewish descent. Born in Brăila in 1895, Maxy moved to Bucharest in 1902, following his mother's early death. Between 1913 and 1916, Maxy studied at the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest, where Camil Ressu and Frederic Storck were among his teachers.
Maxy's experiences during World War I significantly influenced his painting. In 1918, he started using the name "Maxy" and organized an art exhibit in Iași, depicting scenes from the World War I front. He also studied in Berlin, Germany, in 1922 and 1923, where he displayed some of his art and joined the November Group, a Socialist German cultural organization that promoted expressionist art. Maxy's early works were dominated by Constructivism, but he later began painting in a moderate modernist style, noted for its realism and narrative mode. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Maxy displayed his art in Bucharest, often together with other artists. He became a scenographer for the Jewish theater in Bucharest in 1939 and later became the director of this theater. Maxy also taught students excluded from the Romanian public education system at the private Jewish School of Arts. He became the director of the National Museum of Art of Romania and, in 1949, a university professor at the Nicolae Grigorescu Institute of Arts.
Beginning in 1954, Maxy received many awards from the Communist Romanian government, including the title "artist emerit" (meaning "emeritus artist"). Maxy died in Bucharest in 1971, at the age of 75. His works are shown in many Romanian art exhibits in Bucharest, Prague, Moscow, Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest, Sofia, Belgrade, Athens, Cairo, Damascus, and Istanbul. Maxy's legacy can be seen in his contributions to the Romanian art scene, and his influence on future generations of artists. His work can be found in various museums and collections, including the Muzeul National de Arta in Bucharest.
works by Maxy include his paintings, which are characterized by their realism and narrative mode. His scenography work for the Jewish theater in Bucharest is also notable, showcasing his versatility as an artist. In conclusion, Max Hermann Maxy was a talented Romanian artist who made significant contributions to the art world. His legacy continues to be celebrated through his works, which can be found in various museums and collections around the world.