Ronald Brooks Kitaj

Place: Chagrin Falls

Born: 1932

Death: 2007

Biography:

Early Life and Education

, an American artist with Jewish roots, was born on October 29, 1932, in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States. His Hungarian father, Sigmund Benway, left his mother, Jeanne Brooks, shortly after he was born, and they were divorced in 1934. Kitaj's mother, an American-born daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, worked in a steel mill and as a teacher.

Artistic Journey

Kitaj's artistic journey began with his studies at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and the Cooper Union in New York City. After serving in the United States Army for two years, he moved to England to study at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford (1958-59) under the G.I. Bill, where he developed a love for Cézanne's work. He then attended the Royal College of Art in London (1959-61), alongside notable artists like David Hockney, Derek Boshier, Peter Phillips, Allen Jones, and Patrick Caulfield.

Artistic Style and Influences

Kitaj's artistic style was characterized by figurative paintings featuring areas of bright color, economic use of line, and overlapping planes, which made them resemble collages. He often alluded to political history, art, literature, and Jewish identity in his work. His later works became more personal, reflecting his interest in the central European Jewish writer Frantz Kafka.

Notable Works and Exhibitions

* The Autumn of Central Paris (1972-73), a masterpiece that portrays philosopher Walter Benjamin as both the orchestrator and victim of historical madness. * A major exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1965. * A retrospective at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. in 1981.

Teaching and Legacy

Kitaj taught at the Ealing Art College, Camberwell School of Art, and Slade School of Art in England. He also taught at the University of California, Berkeley in 1968. In 1981, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1984.

• View Ronald Brooks Kitaj's artwork on Wikioo.org
• Explore the Worcester Art Museum, a hidden gem in Massachusetts, featuring an impressive collection of artworks: The Worcester Art Museum
• Discover the Carlisle Civic Centre, a region steeped in history and culture, featuring various museums and art galleries: Carlisle Civic Centre

References

* Wikipedia: R. B. Kitaj * Wikioo.org: Ronald Brooks Kitaj