*** ABOUT THIS PAINTING ***
* TITLE: "Village gatherings"
* ARTISTS: Yuri Hertz
* SIZE: 80х60 cm/'31.49х23.62 inches'
* MEDIUM: oil, canvas
* HAND PAINTED: Original painting from our collection
* CONDITION: good condition, you can see all edges, corners and the back side of the painting on the photos
* This item was auctioned in Kiev auction
About the artist: Honored Artist of Ukraine (1990), People's Artist of Ukraine (2003), winner of the National Prize. T. Shevchenko (1994), winner of the regional award. J. Bokshaya and A. Erdely (2012), member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine (1970).
Yuriy Herts is an artist of the third generation of Transcarpathian painters of the 20th century, one of the first graduates of the Uzhhorod Art School, an ardent supporter of folk art, traditions and folklore. He managed to turn all folk life into painting, and painting - into a monumental mosaic surface, which itself is similar in color and texture to folk art objects - painted tiles, woven carpets, embroidery. Barely disparate groups of peasants, houses and nature form a continuous shimmering surface. The poetry of folk life grows into conventionality, approaches abstract color symbols and at the same time preserves the Carpathian spirit.
Yuri Hertz was born on February 27, 1931 in the village of Lokhovo, Mukachevo district. From 1947 to 1955, with a break for the army, he studied at an art school, where his teachers were Erdeli, Bokshay, Manailo, Kontratovich. He began working as an artist and teacher at a cult school in Khust, where he initiated the creation of a creative association "Artist of Verkhovyna". From 1957 he took part in regional exhibitions, from 1967 in republican exhibitions, and in the mid-1970s in international exhibitions. At that time, the artist has already opened his subject, developed a compositional system. He clearly draws the details, does not risk working with bright colors. Since the early 1980s, Hertz has become more generalized, specificity ceases to be important, the integrity of the work comes to the fore, its decorativeness grows, the variety of pure colors creates tonal unity, recognizable mosaic painting of Hertz is born. The color optimism of the image is often enhanced by a centric composition.
Having moved to Uzhhorod, the artist takes an active part in exhibitions and plein airs. Personal exhibitions in Uzhhorod (1991, 2001) and Kyiv (1994, 2001) became important for the artist. The artist's activity was awarded the titles of Honored (1990) and People's (2003) artist, but in 1994 Hertz received the highest award in the country - the Shevchenko Prize.
Yuri Hertz passed away on September 15, 2012. In February 2013 in the halls of the regional art museum. J. Bokshaya opened a retrospective exhibition dedicated to the memory of the artist. His colorful paintings are a kind of enchanting legend of Carpathian life.