Nahum Tschacbasov
Russian-American Jewish expressionist artist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nahum Tschacbasov (1899–1984; Russian: Наум Степанович Чакбасов,[2] Georgian: ნაუმ ჩაჩბასოვი)[3] also known as Nahum Lichter, and Nahum Tschakbassoff, was a Russian-born American painter, printmaker, graphic artist, poet, businessperson, and educator.[4][5] He used many names including Nahum Lichter, Nathan Richter, H. H. Richter, Hanathan Richter, and Nathan Lichterman.[3] Tschacbasov was a member of "The Ten", a group of expressionist artists.[6]
Nahum Tschacbasov | |
|---|---|
Наум Чакбасов | |
| Born | Nahum Stefanovich Lichter August 31, 1899 |
| Died | February 1, 1984 (aged 84) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Burial place | New Montefiore Cemetery |
| Other names | Nathan Richter, H. H. Richter, Hanathan Richter, Nathan Lichterman, Chuck Tschacbasov, Nate Tschacbasov, Nahum Tschakbassoff, Nahum Lichter |
| Occupation(s) | Visual artist, poet, graphic artist, businessperson, teacher |
| Known for | Paintings, prints, teaching |
| Movement | Expressionism, social realism, surrealist[1] |
| Spouses |
|
He was born on August 31, 1899, in Baku, Russian Empire,[7] into a Georgian Jewish family.[3] In 1905, when he was a young child, his family moved to Chicago because of pogroms.[3] There are varying stories as to why he used different names either due to a forged passport used for immigration; to avoid paying child support; and/or because he was a con-man.[3] He served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919.[8]
In the 1920s and 1930s, he worked as a businessman in Chicago where he made a fortune.[3] His second marriage was to his secretary Esther.[3] Tschacbasov moved to France in 1932 to 1933, where he studied painting with Adolph Gottlieb, Marcel Gromaire, and Fernand Léger.[3][9]
When the family returned to the United States the Tschacbasov family moved to Brooklyn.[3] Early in his career he had a good relationship with artists Milton Avery, Raphael Soyer, Moses Soyer, Isaac Soyer, William Gropper, David Burliuk, and Philip Evergood.[3] In 1935, he was part of a group exhibition at the Gallery Secession alongside Mark Rothko, Gottlieb, and the other artist members of "The Ten".[3]
He taught at the Art Students League of New York.[10] Additionally he taught painting at his own art school in Woodstock, New York; and taught at the Marxist-focused John Reed Club School.[10][11] His notable art students include Fritzie Abadi,[12] James F. Walker,[13] and his future wife Irene Zevon.[14]
In 1982, Southampton College Press published his illustrated poetry book, Machinery of Fright.[5]
He died in February 1984 at New York University Hospital.[10] He is buried in New Montefiore Cemetery.
It was estimated he had made some 7,000+ paintings and prints.[5] His work is included in museum collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum,[4] the Metropolitan Museum of Art,[10] the Brooklyn Museum,[10] the Jewish Museum,[10] and the Whitney Museum of American Art.[10]
In 2013, he had a posthumous solo exhibition curated by Marina Kovalyov at the National Arts Club, as part of the 11th Annual Russian Heritage Month.[9]
Tschacbasov was a member of the Communist Party.[3][6]
His second wife was Esther Sorokin, who died in 1961;[3] his third wife was painter and his former student, Irene Zevon.[10][15] He had two children.[10] His daughter was Alexandra (or Sasha, Sondra), she was the second wife of writer Saul Bellows; together they had son Adam Bellow.[3] Bellows book Herzog (1964) was influenced by his divorce to Alexandra.[16][17] According to Alexandra in 2011, her father sexually abused her starting around age 11.[3][18]
- Tschacbasov, Nahum (1982). The Machinery of Fright. Southampton College Press. ISBN 9780943052007.
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