Yitshak Frenkel - Frenel, 1899-1981

1899- Born in Odessa, Ukraine. As the great grandson of Rabbi Levi Itzack of Berdichev.
1917- Studying Art at the Art Academy of Odessa, studied under the painter Alexandra Ekster.
1919- Sailed to Israel on the ship «Ruslan», with the first settlers of the third « Alia» (wave of immigration) Visited this year for the first time in Safed which he made his home some years later.
1920- Established in Jaffa the artists cooperative Hatomer and also established artists studio in Herzlia gymnasium where evening classes where given in paintings and sculptures. He took part in the first art exhibition in Israel, and exhibited abstract paintings. Towards the end of 1920 Frenkel traveled to Egypt where he exhibited of his work and continued to Paris.
1920- Perfected his studies in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and at the Grande Chaumière where he studied sculpting at the studio of the sculptor BourdeIle, and at the studio of the painter Matisse. He was in close contact with the artists of the Ecole de Paris, and his paintings at this period were abstract.
1924- Exhibited at the Salon des Independants, and Mondrian acquired two of his paintings.
1925- Again in Israel. He was considered a radical artist in artistic tendencies. He established the Masad and Eged studios of art and established and directed the studio of painting arts of the Histradut in Yavne St., Tel Aviv, where the influence from Paris was clearly visible.
Among his students: Shimshon Holtsman, Mordechay Levanon, David Hendler, Joseph Kossonogi, Tsiona Tajar, Genia Berger, Nehamia Shtenzel, etc. Along with them were Betsalel students: Avigdor Stemastky, Yehezkel Streichman, Moshe Castel, Leon Fein, Arie Aroch and Aharon Avni. They were exposed at the studio to French influence, and most of them traveled to Paris to study at the end of the 20's and at the 30's.
1926- At an exhibition at Haohel he exhibited some abstract paintings, compositions of geometrical forms, and along with them were naturalistic works. At this period there are signs of expressionistic tendency in his work, mainly in his choice of colors.
1929- Traveled again to Paris. His expressionism style was being crystallized. Belongs to the Ecole de Paris.
1934- Returns to Israel. Opens again the studio in Tel Aviv. Makes Safed his home. He is the first artist to settle in this town, 14 years before the Artists Colony was established there. He abandons completely the abstract style.
Designs the adloyada carnival in Tel Aviv.
1936- Designs sets and costumes for the Haohel theatre. Until 1949 he engages in this work both in this theatre and at Habima theatre. He also paints portraits of famous actors of the theatre.
1937- Paints Israel to its length and width: Safed, Jerusalem, Tel Aviy, the Negev and Galilee. Makes about 13 exhibitions on the motif of Safed until 1950.
1948- Records a historical moment in the state of Israel : The first meeting of the Kneset, and the first meeting of the military committee- Tsahal. He also makes 120 portraits of the first members of the Kneset.
1949- One of the establishers of The Artists Colony of Safed. His house becomes an academy of Arts. in Venice
1950- Exhibits at the first and second Biennial, representing Israel.
1952- Again in Paris. Creates Vitrage (windows glass-work) works as ordered by the Baroness Alix de Rothshild at Normandie in France.

He is considered one of the most important Jewish painters of the Ecole de Paris, along with Soutine, Mogdiliani, Kikoine, Kremegne, Manne Katz and Paskin.
He presents his work in one-man shows in Paris and in the world at large.
1960- Has one-man shows and takes part in group exhibitions in museums and galleries in Europe, America, South Mrica, and Asia.
Since then he lives in Paris and uses his house in Safed as a summer-house.
1973- The Ytshak Frenel (Frenkel) Museum is opened officially in his house in Safed, where his works of 1920-1981 are exhibited.
1979- One-man show at the famous Orangerie, celebrating his 80'th birthday.
1981- Died in Tel Aviv and was buried in Safed.
Museum Frenel-Frenkel, Tet-Zain St. n0 16, Colony of Artists, Safed, Israel,
Tel: 00972 (0) 46920235.