Vase de Pavots

Moïse Kisling prints bring the warm colour, almond-eyed portraits and sunny southern landscapes of the School of Paris into your home. Kisling was a Polish-born painter who became a central figure of Montparnasse in its golden years, a close friend of Modigliani and Pascin. Our collection of fine art prints covers his portraits, nudes, flower still lifes and views of Provence, Marseille and Céret.

About Moïse Kisling

Moïse Kisling was born in Kraków on 22 January 1891 to Jewish parents. He studied at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts under Józef Pankiewicz, whose teachers encouraged him to go to Paris. In 1910, at nineteen, he moved to Montmartre, spent nearly a year at Céret in 1911–12, and by 1913 had a studio at 3 rue Joseph-Bara in Montparnasse, in the same building as Jules Pascin, the dealer Léopold Zborowski and later Amedeo Modigliani, who painted his portrait in 1916.

At the outbreak of the First World War he volunteered for the French Foreign Legion and was seriously wounded; he became a French citizen in 1924. In 1916 he married Renée Gros, and they had two sons. Through the 1920s he spent much time in the south of France.

In 1940, at 49, he rejoined the army, but after France's surrender, and with Jews in danger, he left for the United States, exhibiting in New York and Washington and settling in southern California. After the war he returned to France, and he died at his home on the Mediterranean coast on 29 April 1953.

Style and Subjects

Kisling painted with smooth, rich colour and strong, simplified forms. His portraits of women and children, with large dark eyes and oval faces, have a melancholy grace, and his nudes are sensuous and luminous.

His flower still lifes, of tulips, mimosas and lilies, are bursts of colour, and his landscapes of Provence, the Côte d'Azur and Marseille glow with southern light. He worked in the School of Paris spirit, between tradition and modernism.

Famous Works

• Still Life with Newspaper (1913), Nagoya City Art Museum. An early Cubist-influenced still life.
• Canal in Holland (1914), Cantor Arts Center, Stanford. A pre-war landscape.
• Self-Portrait with a Pipe (1918), Israel Museum, Jerusalem. The artist after his war service.
• Table by the Window (Saint-Tropez) (1918), Pola Museum of Art, Japan. A sunny interior on the Riviera.
• Mlle Falconetti (1927), Pola Museum of Art, Japan. Portrait of the celebrated actress.
• Boy in Blue (1928), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. A child portrait in deep blues.
• Bouquet of Tulips with a Deep Blue Background (1928), Baltimore Museum of Art. A glowing flower piece.
• Portrait of Léopold Zborowski. His friend and neighbour, Modigliani's dealer.

Decorating with Kisling Prints

Kisling's flower still lifes, like Grand Bouquet de Tulipes or Bouquet de Mimosas au Pot Rouge, bring rich colour to a dining room, kitchen or entrance, and suit modern and mid-century interiors.

His Provençal landscapes, such as Baie de Saint-Tropez, suit a living room or sunroom, and his portraits make a striking focal point in a bedroom or study.

FAQ

Who was Moïse Kisling?

Moïse Kisling (1891–1953) was a Polish-born French painter of the School of Paris, known for portraits, nudes, flowers and landscapes.

What was Kisling's connection to Modigliani?

They were close friends and neighbours in Montparnasse, and Modigliani painted Kisling's portrait in 1916.

Did Kisling serve in the war?

Yes. He volunteered for the French Foreign Legion in the First World War and was seriously wounded, and rejoined the army in 1940 before leaving for the United States.

Where can I see Kisling's paintings?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Israel Museum and the Pola Museum of Art in Japan hold his work.

Related Artists

• Amedeo Modigliani: close friend and neighbour in Montparnasse
• Jules Pascin: friend who lived in the same building
• Józef Pankiewicz: his teacher in Kraków
• Chaim Soutine: fellow School of Paris painter from Eastern Europe